Question for shop owners
- Thread starter papahobo
- Start date
It's going to depend on what type of shop. A shop in a large retail center in the center of town is going to get more than a shop in a little strip mall on the outskirts and that's going to get more than an office on an industrial complex. Presentation and signs will play a big role too.
We're retail in a tiny two shop/one building spot on a main road in a city of over 100k. We don't have much visibility but we put flags out by the street which has helped. I would say maybe 5% of our business is walk in or drive by.
Internet(Google, yelp, website) and word of mouth are really the biggest ways to get customers in my opinion. Personally I don't understand people who take their computer or car for repair without researching reviews or going off the experience of someone they know.. if people could learn to do a little research, geek squad and probably 5 or 6 shops in town would already be out of business and we would probably have 10x the work
We're retail in a tiny two shop/one building spot on a main road in a city of over 100k. We don't have much visibility but we put flags out by the street which has helped. I would say maybe 5% of our business is walk in or drive by.
Internet(Google, yelp, website) and word of mouth are really the biggest ways to get customers in my opinion. Personally I don't understand people who take their computer or car for repair without researching reviews or going off the experience of someone they know.. if people could learn to do a little research, geek squad and probably 5 or 6 shops in town would already be out of business and we would probably have 10x the work
- Reaction score
- 2,914
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
I have two shops. One is on a busy corner and we have good signage. The other is in a retail shopping center, with no signage yet. We are mostly driving in clients from social media, newsletters, LinkedIn and google. We are getting up signs slowly, the neighboring businesses are starting to get us foot traffic now.
I just did a financial review of the summer months and these numbers are approximate
20% was brought into the retail shopping store
15% was brought into the second shop (the one with good signage)
15% was from remote support (on the spot calls)
30% was via our cloud clients (serviced onsite and remotely)
20% was from a contract we serviced in our shop and onsite
I just did a financial review of the summer months and these numbers are approximate
20% was brought into the retail shopping store
15% was brought into the second shop (the one with good signage)
15% was from remote support (on the spot calls)
30% was via our cloud clients (serviced onsite and remotely)
20% was from a contract we serviced in our shop and onsite
PCX
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 134
We are on the main strip of our town, but we are kinda tucked in a bit because of how the build is shapped (like a "U"). Anyways, in the the last year, only 10.71% of our customers were walk-ins. A great majority of our customers come in from online advertising and reviews.
seedubya
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 1,019
- Location
- Carlow, Ireland
We're on a main street on the way to the town centre and about 40% of our new customers are walk-ins from our shop sign.
Purely an educated guess, as I'm not in front of my accounting data, but I'd say around 20% of sales are to walk-ins at my shop. I'm on Main St with decent storefront visibility but in a VERY small town. Word of mouth and networking in the community provide the majority of our business.
Interesting replies.. as I expected there is a lot of diversity depending on visibility and location. I'm trying to pick a shop location right now.. and have located several potential sites, ranging from 1 room offices on back streets to multiroom storefronts on some of the busier streets in town. Of course if walk in/drive by traffic isn't a factor at all ( someone quoted 5% of their business) I'm not sure why they would chooose to remain in the same location if a cheaper out of the way office would suffice.
PCX
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 134
There is a few reasons. For instance, the one that comes to mind first is creditability. In our area, if you have a store on the main strip of our town, then you probably have been around for a while, have a good track record, and are succesfull at what you do. That all may not necesarrily be true, but appearance is a big part of being successful. Some times to be successful, you have to look successful. Crowds draw crowds, busy stores draw more customers. When we are slammed and we have customer after customer waiting in the lobby, we tend to get even more busy and people always comment "wow, you guys must be good". Anyways, I am sure you see the pattern.
The other factor is money obviously. While 5% may not be a lot, depending on his rates and depending on what he profits, 5% may be just enough to pay for the difference in rent, thus giving him the image he needs to be successful.
Finally, there is the retail aspect. If you are like some of us, you have a retail front and retail tends to sell better in store front areas, not hole in the walls.
Those are just a few of the thoughts that came to my mind.
PCX, very good points.. and maybe my question would have been better worded having said "what percentage of your new business do you attribute to having a storefront" (versus being a purely mobile tech). This would encompass all of the advantages of a physical store from walk-ins to credability. This could probably better be answered if there is anyone here who has actually made that transition. Of course this is somewhat subjective and I'm not really expecting any hard numbers.
PCX
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 134
Made the transition, and I would never go back. Even when I did have a hole in the wall shop, it immediately added instant credibility, which in turn brought in more business. That said, we service more home users than anything else, so shop makes since for us. As soon as I get my techs completely where they need to be (where they can run the shop completely without me) I will start doing more businesses.
Tomlin Technology
Member
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- Westminster, MD
Walk in traffic for us is around 10%.
SprinterTech-WI
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 58
- Location
- Central WI
30%ish are walk-ins, but I make a HUGE majority of my money from having a shop, we are probably 80% store business --- we are also cell phone, printer, and tv repairs too, plus design and print.... so we utilize our space!
the fact that you are LEGITIMATE company by having a decent store front is probably our biggest advantage.
the fact that you are LEGITIMATE company by having a decent store front is probably our biggest advantage.
ArtemusComputerTechnology
Member
- Reaction score
- 7
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
Curiosity, I say this because some of my customers want to know if I can repair or fix their problem. Even thorough, on our website states all of our services.
KeystrokeComputerRepair
New Member
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Canada
Traffic:
99.9 percent of my business is from word of mouth. I do work out of my home though.
I will soon be buying a house and then I can make a very nice business inside. 
I am excited to get it going. As of right now, all my business is by word of mouth, or local classifieds such as kijiji. All my customers call before them stop by. Just to make sure I am around.
99.9 percent of my business is from word of mouth. I do work out of my home though.
I will soon be buying a house and then I can make a very nice business inside. I am excited to get it going. As of right now, all my business is by word of mouth, or local classifieds such as kijiji. All my customers call before them stop by. Just to make sure I am around. Similar threads
