Archive for December, 2009
December 25th, 2009 | 
Author: I can only speak from a furniture stand point but my guess would be it’s not much different across most retail establishments. There are three types of furniture businesses out there; the Big Chain, Big Independent and the Small Independent.
The Big Chain guy has multiple stores in multiple states, they succeed on perceived image or perceived low pricing which in many cases is an illusion. Typically if they spend a dollar on a product they sell it anywhere from 1.85-2.20. They use suggested retail pricing to compare to which is three times the cost of the product, some times four times the cost, thus if a dollar is spent suggest retail price is as much as 4.00. The Big Chains effectively use special financing to their advantage offering up to two years without interest. Often the Big Chain uses their buying power to squeeze their suppliers into cutting off the smaller stores and big independents local to them so their customers can’t price shop. The best way they protect themselves from price shopping is they get their suppliers to make certain collections exclusive to only them. Normally if you see something priced in a Big Chain Store it’s a safe bet you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
The Big Independent guy typically has multiply stores in one state or his state and a bordering state. In many cases they operate much like the Big Chain, they have enough buying power to affect the smaller guys in their area, keeping them from carrying certain collections or certain suppliers. While most of the Big Independents have the same pricing structure as well as offer attractive financing, they will at times come down to make the sale so there are certain situations where you can wheel and deal and get a lower price from the Big Independent.
The Small Independent guy normally has one store, at times two maybe three locations but most of the time he operates out of one building. There are some small independents that use the same pricing structure as the first two examples but this retailer is normally your best chance to get the lowest price. He will start his pricing at the 1.85-2.20 and come down from there, sometimes this type of retailer isn’t the most trustworthy. Because of his size he doesn’t need as many procedures and policies to guide his employees so trust your instincts and guard yourself by using a credit card when dealing with them.
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Business brokers act as matchmakers in the world of business. They bring together small and medium-sized businesses. Small businesses have their own limitations owing to their limited presence in the market. Though most of the business brokerage firms help in selling all sizes of businesses, there are specialized business brokerage firms for selling small businesses also. Through their contacts with big corporations, they can get a good selling price for a small business.
For this they could charge a small fixed fee and then a commission. The commission is calculated with the sales price as the base. It is generally negotiable. Various surveys have indicated that as many as one-third of the business brokerage firms in the US fall into the small businesses category. The small business brokerage field can yield a lucrative income.
Even a sole proprietor in this business has an average income which runs into six figures. The smaller businesses can sell for around 200,000 dollars. That could mean revenue of around 10 to 15 thousand dollars from one single transaction, for a small business brokerage firm.
Many of the small business brokers operate in small towns and cities where big brokerage houses do not have branches. It only takes good networking, a small amount of capital and knowledge of the laws concerned to start this business.
You can take a franchisee of certain big business brokerage firms and start making matches in your hometown. The business has a low risk factor and can earn you good money. But remember: the margins are coming down increasingly, as competition is getting stiffer with the entry of several new businesses brokerage firms, which are keen to tap the small business sector also.