I am openning a shop. What equipment should I sell

It may not be so much as what to sell as opposed to what you can get. I co own a small business and many things come up that are not planned. What lines do you want to carry ?? and are there stores near you that carry these lines ? if so you probably won't get them. It is about cash flow,low overhead and profit, you have to make a profit to stay in business, it sounds obvious but many people who go into business forget that. What about money, how much are you planning to start with, are you in a state that charges sales tax, if you are and dont make they timely payments, they will find you.

And what about employees, watch out they can make you money but they can cost you money, very quickly too.

And what about marketing, where are you ? are you surrounded by wal marts,dunkin donuts and tatoo parlors? if so probably not good. And what do you think you need to sell in a month to stay open ? my guess is if it is you and another person working there around 35-40k a month in sales.

Here is an interesting view at audio asylum. http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/critics/messages/14934.html
Just one of the major problems in the industry. No one will stand up and honestly say what will work well together. Fear of other manufactures getting mad. Check out the last piece of advice from John. Last sentence. How true that is.

No one will stand up and honestly say what will work well together. Fear of other manufactures getting mad.

This is exactly why I suggested to you in private to stick with the arrangement that you currently have. Moving from your home to a storefront is literally a private to public transition, and suddenly the rules of the game shift from selling what you believe in to hawking what the public demands. Several dealers have told me they have dropped their favorite lines because they did not sell well, and they end up putting on their best sales face for a product line that in their heart is not as good. Why give up a passion for a job?

Guys

Here is an interesting view at audio asylum. www.audioasylum.com/forums/cri...
Just one of the major problems in the industry. No one will stand up and honestly say what will work well together. Fear of other manufactures getting mad. Check out the last piece of advice from John. Last sentence. How true that is

To make a stand is one thing.To honestly say is another.The fear of the reviewers and manufacturers is not getting mad at the competition or reviewers.They have run out of magic spells and snake oil.You have been in this hobby with such an intention to learn ,grow and better your listening experience .They have not kept up to you.They don't know what else to do.Take the movie industry,or TV...real life crap.Rocky 6 etc..remakes of your past favorites.Cover songs and groupes.Nobody creates anymore.We can only modify .Hifi is in trouble .Ipod ...as much as I hate them is the game today.

Hi Jim,

A quick question: What reasons to you see for moving from a home based
business to a storefront retail store? Expansion? Privacy? More access to
selling different brands?

I know selling out of your home is not ideal and very common. However, with
the current explosion of the Internet and the shift of the High End market to
Internet sales (Underwood Hifi, Music Direct etc.) and factory direct
(Welborne, Fi, Tyler, even Sophia Electric and Cain sell direct), it will become
increasingly difficult to keep running a storefront business. Interestingly
some of the Internet retailers (e.g. Acoustic Sounds) started out as home
businesses. Just a thought...

If you go ahead for a store front business, I would follow Trelja's advise:

As to which brands you carry, I would rely on your own
intuition - sonically, economically, and relationshipwise. It seems obvious,
but selling a brand you don't believe in will not allow you to put your full
energy into the endeavor.

Hopefully you will not get stuck in selling brand you don't like, as Howard
(Boa2) cautions.

Good luck,

Rene