Open the best-selling tights department. Tips from Sellso: why it is profitable to trade in hosiery

How to start a business selling socks

How to open a sock store and what you need for it

We continue to publish on our portal various business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs, and in this article we will talk about a business that does not require too much starting capital, but at the same time is very profitable.

In this article, we'll look at how to start a sock business and what you'll need to do to get there.

There is no need to say that socks are a very popular product that people buy all the time, but if you approach the matter wisely, you can establish a good income from such a retail outlet.

Business format

We describe our vision of the format of this business, but you can implement the same ideas in other types of trade, for example on the Internet. The most profitable format for starting a socks business is renting a retail outlet at a clothing market. It’s hard to imagine a person who would go to a shopping center purely for socks, but at the same time, if you have, for example, a shoe store, then you could supplement its assortment with socks.

If we consider trading on the market, the investment will be minimal. Rent of retail space, and, if necessary, purchase of a tent or sales kiosk. As for the equipment, it will be enough to buy 2 tables and racks with shelves (can be collapsible) to store the entire range of products.

The location itself in the market also plays an important role. It is advisable to rent retail space in the most frequently passed rows, but in a different situation, you can make a bright sign with signs; over time, customers will get used to it and will already know where they can buy socks at the market.

Assortment and suppliers

It probably won’t be possible to open a sock store and sell only this product, since you will need to supplement the main assortment with something. Typically, such a business includes in its assortment not only socks, but also tights, panties and other inexpensive goods, which are also in constant demand among customers.

Here is the main list of retail outlets selling socks:

• men's socks
• women's
• children's
• tights
• underpants
• leggings
• Gift Baskets
• New Year's socks and underwear
• wool socks
• Knitted Socks

Depending on the season, you can add various products, such as textile gloves or underpants, etc.

Where to look for suppliers? Trade in socks is an area in which there are absolutely no problems with suppliers. At any wholesale clothing market, you will find many different wholesale sock stalls. The main thing is to work with manufacturers who keep the quality of their products at the highest level.

If you want to buy goods at the best wholesale prices, then there is an option to contact a sock manufacturer in your region and buy products there directly without intermediaries.

Marketing Steps

A business selling socks in the format in which we are considering in this article does not need special advertising, except that, as we wrote above, you need to make a bright and noticeable sign in the market, as well as hang up signs.

But if you work in a big city and have a warehouse, then you can try to wholesale socks via the Internet.

At the same time, you can also post ads on local forums, groups on social networks and message boards.

How much do you need to start?

Before you start a socks business, you need to have a clear idea of ​​how much money you will need and what you can ultimately count on. We are considering the option of market trading, so the budget will be small; if you want to work in a different format, then the investments may vary significantly.

• Rent of a retail outlet on the market – $150 - $180
• Taxes - $150
• Salesperson salary - $150
• Initial purchase of goods – $3000 - $4000
• Purchase of equipment – ​​$300 - $500
• Advertising - $100

How much can you earn?

To know whether it is profitable to be in the socks trade or not, you need to try it, as the results will be different in different cases. As practice shows, you won’t earn huge sums at such retail outlets, but it’s enough for bread and butter. Many businessmen from this line of activity are scaling up their business and opening several retail outlets throughout the city. This step allows you to earn good money.

The average markup for hosiery products is 80% – 120%.

The numbers are very attractive, but in order to make a good profit, you need to reach sales volumes.

Conclusions. A business selling socks is a good option for starting a business. First, try working in the clothing market and testing a niche; if things work out, it might make sense to expand the number of retail outlets or go into wholesale sales.

Do you want to supplement the material? We will be happy to read your feedback on the sock business.

Source: http://biznes-club.com/biznes-idei/kak-otkryt-magazin-noskov.html

Sock production in Russia in recent years has been gaining momentum, displacing foreign companies from the domestic market, which account for half of all socks sold in the country.

The harsh climatic conditions and variability of the Russian climate make socks an indispensable part of the wardrobe among both adults and children. It's hard to imagine a Russian who has never bought or worn socks.

As a business, this area is promising, but it involves a constant struggle for survival among competitors and a fairly high payback period.

Market analysis

Today, according to experts, domestic production provides ½ of consumer needs, the remaining half is won by foreign suppliers, including countries such as:

• China;
• Türkiye;
• Latvia;
• Vietnam;
• Uzbekistan;
• Turkmenistan.

The products of the listed countries are characterized by cheapness and low quality, but it is this group of suppliers that provides the lion's share of the needs of average Russians, for whom a price of 50 wooden rubles per pair is considered acceptable.

Socks of the so-called luxury category are imported from Egypt, Italy, the Czech Republic, France and England and have a much higher price and quality. The cost of one pair of socks in this category varies from 200 to 1500 (!) rubles per pair, so not every compatriot can afford such socks.

As for domestic production, the pricing policy and range of products are aimed at the most ordinary consumer who is not trying to buy socks for the price of trousers. Most Russian manufacturers have been operating since the times of the USSR and cannot boast of the latest equipment and technologies.

This market situation allows the manufacturer to launch the production of high-quality socks at the most affordable price for citizens and, with the right strategy, ensure a constant flow of income into their wallet.

Assortment: what to produce and for whom?

The range of hosiery products includes more than one item, and modern equipment allows the use of one machine for the production of different types of products.

Analyzing the consumer market, manufacturers came to the unequivocal conclusion that most of the socks produced are for men.

Therefore, a beginning manufacturer should direct the main production capacity to the production of socks for men, setting the ratio of produced men's and women's socks in the proportion of 65/35, respectively. The most popular items are products from sizes 25 to 30.

As for the material for production, of all the offers on the market, the most popular is ordinary cotton for the warm season and wool for the winter cold. Don't forget about the color scheme of the products. According to statistics, men prefer dark and light plain socks (white or beige), while women prefer light colors and unusual patterns.

Production process and premises

It should be noted the simplicity of the production process of the products, which includes only 4 stages:

• production of blanks;
• sewing up the toe;
• molding by moistening and drying;
• labeling and packaging.

Each stage of the production process requires special equipment, which will fit perfectly on 60 square meters of rented premises, which in monetary terms is approximately 60,000 rubles. Taking into account the specifics of production, basic requirements are imposed on the premises - heating, lighting and water.

Equipment for the production of socks and its maintenance

The choice of equipment depends on the financial capabilities of the businessman. In this case, there is no need to count on a bank loan to purchase equipment, since bank specialists mistakenly believe that the market is already oversaturated. If your own funds are not enough, it is better to try your luck with investors, for whom the decisive arguments will be such indicators as profitability, payback period, profitability.

The finished production line of a beginning entrepreneur must consist of the following required items:

• knitting machine – 1;
• molding machine – 1;

This set of equipment is suitable only for the production of one type of product. To produce a full range of hosiery products, many more machines will be required.

Purchasing a similar production line in Russia will cost a businessman approximately 700,000 rubles. However, Russian equipment cannot boast of a long service life and quality of work.

The best equipment for this industry is produced in the Czech Republic and Italy. Foreign units are distinguished by high productivity, level of automation and excellent pre-operation and warranty service.

You have to pay for quality, and pay a lot, so purchasing a line abroad for an entrepreneur will cost 1,500,000 rubles.

So that in a year you don’t have to regret about broken equipment, we still recommend purchasing new machines outside the country (may the domestic manufacturer forgive us!). You will have to pay about 200,000 rubles more for delivery, installation and transportation across the border.

Another option is to purchase used equipment. It will cost a businessman 2 times less due to the lack of warranty, worn-out equipment and defects. If a machine breaks down in the midst of production, the entrepreneur will only have himself to blame. So that the stingy does not have to pay twice, it is better to spend 1,700,000 rubles on imported equipment than to constantly replace Russian machines.

To control automated production, just one employee is enough. Production usually works seven days a week, so with a 2/2 schedule you will only need to employ two people.

Raw materials

The correct choice of raw materials allows us to produce high-quality and inexpensive products. There are many manufacturers on the Russian market who sell cotton threads at 90 rubles per kg, while foreign companies set a minimum price of 250 rubles, arguing that this difference is due to the high costs of transportation and issuing import permits.

Package

Many manufacturers skimp on packaging a finished pair of socks, which lowers him as a businessman one step lower compared to other manufacturers.

Here it is necessary to adhere to the golden mean: not to spend fabulous sums on developing labels that will be thrown away immediately after purchase, but also not to abandon packaging altogether.

The ideal option is a plastic case with a small sticker that carries the most necessary information for the consumer: size, manufacturer, location and contact phone number.

Sales organization

A business in the production of socks is impossible without a well-structured sales structure. This should be taken care of at the very beginning of the project, conducting a consumer market analysis. To attract regular wholesale customers, you need to conduct an advertising campaign, the organization of which is best left to specialists. Such events cost approximately 20,000 rubles, but thanks to them the main client base of the production is formed.

For buyers, it is necessary to develop a system of discounts based on volume (one-time or monthly); if the buyer is proven and reliable, you can hand over socks to him for sale or provide a deferment for the agreed volume. All nuances of cooperation must be recorded in the contract. All issues related to finding buyers will initially be resolved by the entrepreneur himself, representing a sales manager, a lawyer, and a logistician.

After working in wholesale for some time, you can additionally open your own retail points of sale and independently sell products to the end buyer. Organizing your own sales network will require additional costs for renting retail outlets, salaries for sellers, and taxes.

What do we have?

It is possible to assess the effectiveness of the project by calculating standard financial indicators of the project. First, let’s sum up all the costs of starting production:

• equipment – ​​1,700,000;
• workshop – 60,000;
• advertising campaign – 20,000.

The total amount of start-up costs is 1,980,000 rubles. Taking into account the registration of production and unforeseen expenses, you can safely round up to 2,000,000 rubles.

The production capacity of 1 machine allows the production of 2,000 pairs of socks in a 12-hour shift, which in a full working month allows for a volume of 60,000 pairs. With a selling price of 8 rubles for 1 pair, production revenue for 1 month will be 480,000 rubles.

The cost of one pair is 60% of the selling price. Then the cost of the monthly volume is 8 * 0.6 * 60,000 = 288,000 rubles, and the profit will be 192,000 rubles (480,000 - 288,000)

Based on forecast data, the payback period for production can be calculated - 2,000,000/192,000 = 10 months.

In 10 months, with a well-structured sales structure, the entrepreneur will return the initial investment invested in production.

Risks

Sock production as a business, like any entrepreneurial activity, involves certain risks, including:

• rising prices for raw materials;
• deterioration in the quality of raw materials;
• loss of regular customers;
• decreased demand;
• entry of new competing companies into the market.

In order not to become an outsider, an entrepreneur needs to react sensitively to every change in the market, adapting to new conditions. When the project pays off and begins to generate a stable income, it is worth thinking about expanding production and developing your own sales network.

Source: http://urlaw03.ru/business/article/proizvodstvo-noskov-kak-biznes

How to start a sock production: equipment, machines, manufacturing technology, video

Despite the fact that the production of socks does not bring enormous profits, the demand for products is always high, which, accordingly, provides a stable income. Given the current economic climate, this is especially important. In this article we will tell you in detail how to organize a full-fledged hosiery production, how much it costs, and what kind of profit you can expect.

Where to begin

The first thing you need to do to create such a production is to draw up a full-fledged business plan, which will take into account the entire range of costs and necessary actions. It must include a description of the product and the equipment necessary for its manufacture, and a sales plan for the product.

What socks to produce

All hosiery products, which today are most widely represented on the market of the CIS countries, can be divided into 3 quality categories. High-quality products are imported mainly from Europe - the share of imports in this segment exceeds 90 percent, but the demand for such socks is relatively low.

The cheapest and lowest quality products are the most common. Imports in the budget segment account for about 50-60 percent. The main importers are Asian countries: China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. The demand for such products is very high, but the profitability of production is minimal, and serious income can only be obtained with a large volume of production.

Imports of average quality products are much lower - foreign production accounts for no more than 35 percent, the main suppliers being Eastern European countries and Turkey. In Russia, the volume of imports is gradually declining due to the reduction in supplies of Turkish products due to economic sanctions. This segment is optimal for creating small private production.

Men socks are in much higher demand than women's ones. Plain knitted cotton socks from sizes 25 to 31 are especially in demand.

Equipment for the production of socks

To make socks you need:

• knitting machines (devices that knit a sock from yarn according to specified parameters);
• kettelny machines (devices for sewing up the toes of manufactured socks);
• molding machines and semi-automatic machines (devices for molding products of a specified density);
• packaging equipment, including units for sewing labels onto products.

Despite the fact that purchasing used equipment will allow you to save up to 50 percent of its cost, it is still better to purchase new one, since the productivity of worn-out equipment and the quality of products that it can provide will be significantly lower.

Knitting machines

Machines for the production of socks are divided according to productivity and type of manufactured products. It is advisable that the enterprise have at least five or six such machines.

The optimal ratio of price, performance and quality today are:

• SKM-1-6P (used for knitting simple plain and multi-colored socks), cost - about 4 thousand dollars;
• SKM-1-6M (used for knitting single-color and multi-colored terry socks), cost - about 5 thousand dollars;
• SKM-2-2PT (used for knitting raised and plain socks with high elasticity), cost – 6 thousand dollars.

Average productivity of each machine is about 300 pairs per day.

Kettel machines

For a small enterprise, one unit is enough. For example, the SLM-11 automatic machine is capable of servicing up to two dozen knitting machines. You can buy such a machine for 1.5-2 thousand dollars.

Molding equipment

The optimal solution is a semi-automatic molding machine. This is a special machine that allows you to mold several dozen or even hundreds of pairs of socks. For example, the semi-automatic machine VTPA-2N is capable of providing a productivity of up to three hundred pairs per hour, regardless of the density, size and color of socks. This unit will cost 3.5 thousand dollars.

Equipment for packing

If you sell your own socks, you will at least need to sew labels on them, for which you can use the LSWM-1 machine. The average price of this car is $440-500.

Sock production facility

Since the equipment used in the manufacture of socks is relatively small in size, a large room is not required - an area of ​​50-100 square meters is sufficient, at least a third of which will be in a warehouse where raw materials and finished products will be stored.

Technical requirements for the premises

In order for the equipment to work without failures, it must be installed as level as possible, so it is advisable that the floor in the room does not have a slope. Coverage doesn't matter. A prerequisite is the presence of a 380 V electric line, water supply and sewerage.

Raw materials for the production of socks

In the production of socks, stockings and other similar products the following are used:

• vegetable fiber: cotton, bamboo, flax;
• animal fiber: wool (various types), silk;
• synthetic fiber: spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester and other materials.

The most common is the combined fiber, for example, 70 percent cotton and 30 percent nylon.

The average cost of yarn is 1-4 dollars per kilogram.

Sock production technology

The production process is divided into several stages:

1. Blanks are made on knitting units - socks that do not have toes, but have cuffs, as well as formed heels and feet. Finished products are sent to a storage basket.

2. The operator places these blanks into kettel units that sew up the toes. The products are returned to the storage basket.

3. Finished products are loaded into a semi-automatic molding machine. The molding procedure consists of pressing, steaming and drying the products.

4. Finished socks are sent for packaging. Here labels are either stuck on them or sewn on them, if we are talking about high-end products, socks are put into boxes, and so on.

Sock production staff

A small enterprise will require no more than four people to operate. The qualifications of the operators do not matter, but one of the employees must have all the necessary skills for commissioning and subsequent maintenance of the entire complex of production equipment.

Who to sell finished products to?

Finished products can be sold either independently, by renting several trays at clothing markets, or through stores, handing over the products for sale. Socks can also be made in bulk to order from large hypermarkets: they often partner with small manufacturers, offering constant workload in exchange for special prices. The products will be sold under the brand of these hypermarkets.

Costs and payback

The total cost of equipment will be about 20-25 thousand dollars, rental of premises - about 3-4 thousand dollars, purchase of raw materials - 4-5 thousand dollars, staff salary fund for the first few months: 6-7 thousand dollars. In total, you will need to invest about 40 thousand dollars in organizing the enterprise.

With an average enterprise productivity of 1.8 thousand pairs of socks per day and a wholesale cost of a pair of $0.2, daily revenue will be about $360, and net profit will be about $140 (about 40 percent), or 4.2 thousand. dollars per month. Payback period of the enterprise: from 1 to 1.5 years.

As you can see, sock production as a business can generate good income, while organizing such an enterprise is not difficult, which makes this option equally attractive for both beginning businessmen and experienced entrepreneurs.

on this topic:

Source: http://p-business.ru/kak-otkryt-proizvodstvo-noskov/

How to start a business selling socks

To start production you need:

• rent a room of sufficient area,
• purchase equipment for making socks,
• hire qualified workers who have experience working with this equipment or simply have a technical education.

Opening of production When organizing production, you must choose Russian equipment SKM-1-6. Their cost varies, depending on the configuration, ranging from eight to ten thousand dollars.

The high cost is due to the high quality of the final product, since the equipment is made from spare parts from Italian manufacturers using their technology.

Of course, this type of knitting machine produces only the same type of products with certain colors (sixteen).

Sock production as a business

Important If your own funds are not enough, it is better to try your luck with investors, for whom the decisive arguments will be such indicators as profitability, payback period, profitability.

The finished production line of a beginning entrepreneur must consist of the following required items:

• knitting machine – 1;
• machine for sewing toe (quilt) – 1;
• molding machine – 1;
• equipment for fixing labels and tags – 1.

This set of equipment is suitable only for the production of one type of product.

To produce a full range of hosiery products, many more machines will be required. Purchasing a similar production line in Russia will cost a businessman approximately 700,000 rubles.
However, Russian equipment cannot boast of a long service life and quality of work.

Is trading socks profitable or not?

Many businessmen from this line of activity are scaling up their business and opening several retail outlets throughout the city. This step allows you to earn good money. The average markup for hosiery products is 80% – 120%.

Attention The numbers are very attractive, but in order to make a good profit, you need to reach sales volumes. Conclusions. A business selling socks is a good option for starting a business.

First, try working in the clothing market and testing a niche; if things work out, it might make sense to expand the number of retail outlets or go into wholesale sales.

Business in the production of socks - is it profitable?

• History of socks
• Sock production business plan
• Business registration
• Sock production technology
• Equipment for the production of socks
• Renting premises
• Hired personnel
• Sales of goods
• Advertising

Socks are an essential attribute of every person’s wardrobe, without exception.

Our favorite woolen socks protect our feet from the cold and help keep us warm during the cold season, while knitted and cotton socks prevent our feet from sweating in the hot summer.

Therefore, we can safely say that this product is in great demand on the market. In today's article we will talk to you about the production of socks as a business that is in demand and promising.

We are opening our own socks production

Profit The amount of profit is 600 thousand rubles. minus 424 thousand rubles. equal to 176 thousand rubles. The payback period for all financial investments in the business is 18 months.
With a competent approach to business and careful study of all the nuances of the activity, from the production process to the sale of finished products, with sufficient start-up capital, you can organize a successful production of socks.

How to start a sock manufacturing business

Therefore, if the choice is made on machines from China, where there is good value for money, you will have to pay the amount of fifty thousand dollars, and the costs and operating expenses per month will be about 10 thousand dollars.

This includes employee salaries, expenses for the purchase of raw materials, rent, etc.
expenses.
$645, provided that the products are quickly sold and reach end consumers.

If the choice is made to purchase Russian equipment producing up to 350 pairs per day, one operator is able to manage twenty knitting units.

Sock production: business plan

Packaging Many manufacturers skimp on packaging a finished pair of socks, which lowers them as a businessman one step lower compared to other manufacturers. Here it is necessary to adhere to the golden mean: not to spend fabulous sums on developing labels that will be thrown away immediately after purchase, but also not to abandon packaging altogether.

The ideal option is a plastic case with a small sticker that carries the most necessary information for the consumer: size, manufacturer, location and contact phone number. Sales organization A business in the production of socks is impossible without a well-structured sales structure. This should be taken care of at the very beginning of the project, conducting a consumer market analysis.

To attract regular wholesale customers, you need to conduct an advertising campaign, the organization of which is best left to specialists.

Please advise about socks. trade in sock products

What do we have? It is possible to assess the effectiveness of the project by calculating standard financial indicators of the project. First, let’s sum up all the costs of starting production:

• equipment – ​​1,700,000;
• workshop – 60,000;
• raw materials and packaging – 200,000 (2 tons of raw materials);
• advertising campaign – 20,000.

The total amount of start-up costs is 1,980,000 rubles.

Taking into account the registration of production and unforeseen expenses, you can safely round up to 2,000,000 rubles. The production capacity of 1 machine allows the production of 2,000 pairs of socks in a 12-hour shift, which in a full working month allows for a volume of 60,000 pairs. With a selling price of 8 rubles for 1 pair, production revenue for 1 month will be 480,000 rubles. The cost of one pair is 60% of the selling price.

Assortment and suppliers It probably won’t be possible to open a sock store and sell only this product, since you will need to supplement the main assortment with something. Typically, such a business includes in its assortment not only socks, but also tights, panties and other inexpensive goods, which are also in constant demand among customers.

By 2002, he got bored with working in the press, and he switched to advertising - for two years he worked as a marketing manager for the Ekaterinburg Tinkoff restaurant, then he was appointed director of the advertising department of the entire restaurant chain and transferred to an office in St. Petersburg. Before opening his own business, he managed to work as a marketer in three more places - on the Geometria.ru website, at the St. Petersburg travel company Versa and the Novaya Pharmacy chain.

But Tonkov always dreamed of his own business. “I’m a creative person, so I was looking for an idea at the intersection of business and creativity,” he says. “When I found out that the production of socks is quite affordable in terms of investment and management, I began to look into it further.”

I wanted to start small - place orders for the production of socks at existing production facilities in Russia. But it turned out differently. In the summer of 2015, Tonkov found an advertisement on Avito for the sale of the Noskof factory in the village of Razbegaevo, Leningrad Region. “I immediately went to see this enterprise,” says Tonkov. — They made black, gray and white socks according to GOST: not very wearable, but not falling apart after the first wash. It was something we could work with."

Factory with an area of ​​350 sq. m with a warehouse were sold for 10 million rubles. The previous owners had no time to deal with it: their main business was the production of metal structures. In addition, the business brought in almost no money. According to SPARK-Interfax, in 2014 the company’s revenue was less than 1.5 million rubles.

Tonkov did not have 10 million rubles, so he started looking for a financial partner. Sergey Zhivotov, his acquaintance from one of his past projects (he was a co-owner of Geometria.ru), agreed to become an investor. “I told him how, when and what we could come to,” Tonkov recalls. - Naturally, these were all assumptions. The business itself was still incomprehensible to us. But Zhivotov agreed.”

The partners acquired the company in early September 2015. The only condition of the Noskof seller was to leave all the workers who live in Razbegaevo at the factory. This was to Tonkov’s advantage: he did not need to look for personnel for production.

It took about two months and 2-3 million rubles to modernize the enterprise, search for yarn and determine knitting parameters. Tonkov's personal funds. From the very beginning it was clear that there was no point in selling cheap socks, which means they must be of high quality and contain at least 80% cotton. It was not possible to find such yarn from domestic manufacturers. “Russian manufacturers make only synthetic and blended yarn, which contains 50% cotton or less,” says Tonkov. “The fibers of this yarn are short, so there are a lot of tears when worn.”

In October 2015, Tonkov entered into an agreement with the companies Targen and Rivage, which distribute Turkish yarn, and began preparing the first collection. At the same time, he independently developed a website and set up online advertising. “I didn’t come up with the name St.Friday Socks right away,” says Tonkov. — At first I complained to friends that all possible words on the Russian and foreign markets were already taken. But once at a friend’s birthday they told me: the company is from St. Petersburg, call it Saint Socks. And then I remembered that Friday when the idea came and everything came together in St. Friday Socks.”

The first collection consisted of 80 models: 15-20 prints in different colors. The main difference from competitors was the aggressive color combinations: white and red, black and orange. “We opened urgently at the request of my friends. Everyone wanted gifts for the New Year,” Tonkov laughs. The first customers, who bought about 2 thousand pairs, came mainly through Facebook.

City fairs have become an additional channel for promoting St.Friday Socks. “The markets became free focus groups for us. I stood behind the counter and asked people everything. I wanted to see my clients and understand why they buy bright socks,” says Tonkov. — The most important conclusion I made is that we are on the right path. Most clients have only recently switched to designer socks. That is, demand is just beginning to form.”

Stylish detail

According to the Fashion Consulting Group, imports of hosiery in Russia in 2016 decreased by almost 30% compared to 2015, and domestic production grew by 7%. Most socks are sold in the budget segment (from 50 to 200 rubles per pair). St.Friday Socks belong to the middle segment; their retail price averages 300-400 rubles. for a couple.

“Socks, an intimate part of the wardrobe, have become an accent element of the image in the wake of the main fashion trend - individualization and freedom to choose your own image,” says Anna Lebsak-Kleymans, CEO of Fashion Consulting Group. — In Europe and the USA, bright socks have already moved from the conceptual category to the category of mass-market products. The first to master it many years ago were, for example, the Swedish Happy Socks and the American Soxfords.”

Russia, as usual, lags behind, but now the market for unusual socks in the country is beginning to grow. Most of the large domestic manufacturers are focused on the traditional mass market and therefore continue to produce the usual monochrome assortment, which is in guaranteed demand. The main players in the bright socks segment were the startups St.Friday Socks, Happy Socks, Funny Socks, Sammy Icon, Zaporozhets, as well as international lingerie and hosiery brands (Calzedonia, Falke, etc.) and international chains (H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, Mango, etc.), which also included colored socks in their range.

Photo: Askhat Bardynov for RBC

Socks between books

When the New Year's rush subsided, Tonkov began to negotiate the sale of St.Friday Socks with grocery retailers (Azbuka Vkusa, Bakhetle, Metro Cash & Carry, etc.), fashion stores (TSUM, Podium Market, Streat Beat, “Econika”, etc.) and even bookstores, which are actively increasing sales of souvenirs (“Read-city”, Moscow House of Books, “Bukvoed”, etc.). But no one wanted to sell expensive socks. “I didn’t expect that we would face such a failure,” Tonkov recalls. “Everyone said: “We’ll keep an eye on you.”

We observed for six months. All this time, Tonkov was content only with retail sales on the website and single wholesale orders. With average revenue of 500-600 thousand rubles. the business was making losses per month. “I spent my own savings on advertising and employee salaries, plus my mother helped. That’s how we survived,” says Tonkov.

In addition, for some reason the aspiring entrepreneur opened an office in St. Petersburg. “We sat in this office for probably only six months, after which I realized that this was a wrong move,” Tonkov admits. — The sales department still sits at the factory, assembly also takes place at the factory. We closed the office because we were throwing 80 thousand rubles down the drain. per month".

Sergey Tonkov (Photo: Askhat Bardynov for RBC)

In the spring of 2016, he was finally contacted by one of the employees of the St. Petersburg book chain Bookvoed, to whom St.Friday Socks had offered cooperation back in the winter. She said that Bookvoed is ready to place racks of designer socks in the souvenir department. In May, Tonkov made the first delivery of 700 pairs, and St. Friday Socks appeared in several stores in the chain. Soon, on the eve of the World Hockey Championship, socks with hockey symbols were purchased by ABC of Taste.

In the spring of 2016, the entrepreneur released his first lookbook - a catalog of St.Friday Socks photographs. For the shooting, Tonkov invited stylists working with fashion magazines and department stores, and freelance photographers. In total, the catalog cost him 200 thousand rubles. However, it did not bring any new clients.

Then Tonkov decided to try his luck a second time; he decided to release a second lookbook - a series of photographs of the new collection, released in collaboration with famous Moscow designers. “The famous buyer Gosha Rostovshchikov, who at that time collaborated with Podium Market, helped me a lot,” says Tonkov. “He introduced me to designers Alexander Arutyunov, Oleg Ovsiev and Konstantin Gaidai and convinced them to release a joint collection.” Gradually, with the help of his acquaintances, Tonkov assembled a team of six fashion designers, under whose names six limited collections were released.

Thanks to the fact that some designers carried out the shooting themselves and sent finished photographs to the entrepreneur, the new lookbook cost only 20 thousand rubles. Tonkov paid the designers royalties based on sales. In the fall of 2016, he spent about 200 thousand rubles on royalties to all designers. “I tried to squeeze every possible PR opportunity out of the collaboration,” he says. “And I succeeded: the entire fashion elite drew attention to our socks.”

Retailers Podium Market, Yunost, Good Local, Expedition, Capsula, Moscow Socks Club, Trends Brands have been added to St.Friday Socks clients. Following them, the largest online clothing hypermarket Wildberries came with an order. In addition, the company began to receive requests for the production of socks under the chain's trademarks. For example, Tonkov made several sets of socks under the Testosteron brand for the Red Cube gift shops. True, most retailers took the goods for sale and did not pay immediately, but only after someone bought the socks. “Back then we supplied a lot for sale simply because we wanted to be present on store shelves,” says Tonkov.

According to SPARK-Interfax, the total revenue of the legal entities of the project, LLC Noskof and LLC Friday, for the entire 2016 amounted to 15.5 million rubles, profit - 236 thousand rubles. 70% of all funds earned came from wholesale sales, the rest came from the online store. “It got to the point that business stopped eating up my personal funds and I set myself a salary,” Tonkov rejoices. “But there was practically no profit due to the fact that we spent a lot on advertising and packaging testing.” Thematic sets of socks from St.Friday Socks are now sold in cardboard and even wooden boxes - this increases the manufacturer’s costs, but gives the product a premium look and allows it to be positioned as a gift.

Photo: Askhat Bardynov for RBC

In fact, designer socks are a very marginal product. The cost of a pair of St.Friday Socks is 40 rubles. (and ordinary black socks can be made for 3 rubles.) Their price on the store shelf reaches 400 rubles, but the retailer takes most of the margin. In September 2017, the company received 2 million rubles. revenue and about 200 thousand rubles. arrived.

The problem was also that the retailer was in no hurry to pay for the goods taken for sale. “For several months they simply deceived us, showing statistics on sales of 50-100 pairs per month. In fact, they sold many times more products, but did not transfer the funds to us,” says Tonkov. — For debts up to 30 thousand rubles. We didn’t even go to court.” Large debtors had to go to court: the entrepreneur won several cases, some are still being considered by the courts. For example, according to Tonkov, Podium Market paid regularly at first, but stopped in the spring of 2017. “We submitted an application to terminate the contract in April, and since then we have not been able to receive either goods or money,” Sergei sighs. The total debt of Podium Market to St.Friday Socks amounted to more than 700 thousand rubles. However, according to Vedomosti estimates, in total in 2017, 64 claims from counterparties were filed against Podium Market for a total amount of more than 1 billion rubles. Now the network, and no one knows when it will pay the suppliers. After this incident, Tonkov stopped working with retailers on sales terms and began demanding prepayment.

Tonkov associates the development of the project with supplies abroad. “We have already received more than a hundred requests from all over the world from people wanting to buy our socks,” he says. It is difficult to establish exports: the goods are inexpensive, and the cost of delivery eats up a significant part of the margin. However, St.Friday Socks are already sold in several offline stores in the USA, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Greece and Kazakhstan.

View from the outside

“We weren’t afraid to combine socks and books”

Olga Rogozina, head of the system communications department of the Bukvoed book chain

“We liked St.Friday Socks products right away. It was quite suitable for our new product group “products for self-expression”. It includes all products that allow a person to express his personal aesthetic tastes: T-shirts or bags with book and literary themes, quotes; caps, notepads, mugs. Such subcultural manifestations seem very promising to us. We are optimistic about the development of this product group and assume that it will occupy more than 5% of the company's total turnover. We were not afraid to combine socks and books, because we are used to surprising our customers and being ironic.

Sergey not only offered us his product, but also listened to our recommendations and changed the packaging design. The socks are popular, with sales peaking during the Christmas gift season. We are currently looking for opportunities to expand both the St.Friday Socks line and the entire “products for self-expression” trading group.

“Producing socks is one of the simplest”

Mikhail Labakhua, director of brand development "Zaporozhets"

“For the last few years, people have not been shy about wearing colored socks. Previously, it was a shame: people thought it was something indecent. Now they believe that such products can at least be given as a gift. Due to the increased interest in colored socks, new players have appeared. Since the production of socks is one of the most simple and quite developed in our country, the barrier to entry into the market is low. You can place orders at existing production facilities, or launch your own factory. The development of this segment can be judged by the appearance of racks with colored socks in shopping centers. Now I can say with confidence that we have our own strong players in this segment. Their advantage over Western brands is in price and speed of delivery.”

Starting your own business selling women's tights through a vending machine is a good idea for a budding entrepreneur! And you don't have to have a lot of money for this. It does not require much space, and there is no need to hire staff to maintain it. You can control the operation of such a device from a distance.

Tights are essential for women; no lady can do without them. But the huge disadvantage of these products made from nylon is their high sensitivity to external influences; they are very easy to tear, and at the most unexpected moment. A hole in tights can ruin your whole day, so in places that women often visit, vending machine selling women's tights it will be very useful. The demand for this product can be quite high if installed in the right location.

The advantages of this type of business, which does not require significant investments, include:

• low rent for installed equipment (for its operation it is necessary to rent 1 sq.m. of space);
• no need to hire staff;
• the machine can operate around the clock, without breaks and days off;
• the ability to install several machines in different places;
• business mobility (if demand for a product is low, you can move trade to another, more profitable location at any time);
• good forecasts for payback.

Step-by-step plan for starting a business

What do you need to start a business selling through vending machines?

To do this you need:

• make a list of the places most visited by women where such equipment could be installed;
• Having determined the installation location, you need to conclude a lease agreement with the owner of the premises;
• purchase a vending machine that sells women's tights;
• purchase goods at wholesale prices;
• advertise the point of sale of tights at the point of sale by distributing flyers (advertising leaflets).

How much money do you need to start?

To buy such equipment, you do not need major capital investments. On average, such a device can cost from 250,000 to 260,000 rubles.

The cost of a pair of tights purchased in bulk is about 100 rubles. The price in the machine can be increased to 200 rubles.

How much can you earn from a pantyhose vending machine?

If you make approximate calculations, you can say with confidence that by setting a markup, for example, 100%, you can make a profit of about 10,000 rubles when selling 100 pairs of tights.

Approximate calculation:

The main expenses include:

• automatic, costing about 260 thousand rubles;
• rent 1 sq.m. area, approximately 2 thousand rubles per month (total 12 thousand rubles for 6 months)
• Internet connection with modem 250 rub. per month (only 1.5 thousand rubles for 6 months).

The costs in this case will be 273,500 rubles. In order for it to pay for itself in 6 months, you need to sell goods worth 45,600 rubles per month.

In the product, this amount is expressed as follows. If you mark up the product by 100%, then with the average cost of women's tights being 200 rubles, the profit received will be 100 rubles.

To find out how many tights you need to sell per day, you need: 45,600 divided by 22 working days and 100 rubles. In total, you need to sell 21 pairs per day.

Where is it more profitable to install a vending machine?

Such a machine can give good results if the location for its location is chosen correctly. To get a good profit from this equipment, the most successful installation locations are:

• large business centers;
• educational institutions (universities, institutes, schools, etc.);
• shoe boutiques;
• places where many women work;
• retail outlets selling underwear, etc.

You can increase the income from the machine by expanding the range of products sold through it. These may be products belonging to this group

• footprints;
• socks;
• panty liners, etc.

The developers have equipped this machine with shelves to accommodate a fairly large amount of products. It can be adjusted using settings. This device is capable of independently giving change to customers.

The machine's basket, into which the purchased product falls, is conveniently located. You don't have to bend low to pick it up. The “smart” machine also collects sales statistics, and the number of products in the machine can be controlled using remote access.

What documents are needed to open?

To start your business as an individual entrepreneur and install a vending machine selling women's tights, you need, as at the beginning of any business, to register as an individual entrepreneur. Individual entrepreneur is the most acceptable option in this case, reporting in this case will be simpler, the taxation system will be more profitable compared to other types of business activities. The imposition of sanctions for individual entrepreneurs is much lower; he does not have to record his decisions and he can dispose of his own revenue more freely.

To register as an individual entrepreneur, you need to prepare a package of documents:

• application (form P21001), which indicates the OKVED code;
• copy of the passport;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• a copy of the individual's TIN certificate.

It is important to know, what is the KVED code for vending machine selling women's tights. In the classifier, the activity of trading through machines has a code of 47.99, more precisely 47.99.2.

Registration with state registration authorities is carried out within five working days. After the end of this period, the entrepreneur will be issued a Certificate of state registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur, and an extract from the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs.

Do I need permission to install a vending machine that sells women's tights?

You do not need to obtain a license to trade using a machine. When purchasing a machine, you need to ask the seller:

• certificate (letter) from the certification center stating that such a device is not subject to certification;
• conclusion of a sanitary and hygienic examination of the device;
• technical passport for this device;
• invoice;
• warranty card;
• invoice.

The vending machine must operate according to the rules established by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Article 498) regarding retail purchase and sale, and be guided by the Law of the Russian Federation No. 2300-1 of February 7, 1992 on the protection of consumer rights.

Article 498 of the Civil Code requires that the owner of the machine familiarize buyers with information about the seller of the goods. This step is easy to complete: you need to place the following data on the machine:

• about the name of the seller;
• where can it be found;
• its operating mode.

It is necessary to provide the machine with instructions (sequence of actions) for using the machine.

A vending machine selling women's tights is a great idea for budding entrepreneurs. The demand for such a product is quite high, and the income received from its work is stable. At the same time, investments in the implementation of this business ideas will be one-time maximum at the very beginning of activity.

Trading from a machine can be either an independent business project or additional to the main type of activity, for example, if you already have your own small store or a chain of stores selling shoes and underwear. In addition, if this business successfully develops, you can invest in the same machines to expand your distribution network.

What equipment to choose for business

Vending machines for women's tights come in different configurations. For example, they take into account the possibility of payments by bank transfer and cash, various options for issuing change from certain bills, etc. The higher the level of configuration, the greater demand will be for the goods from your machine. If you plan to place a vending machine at the airport, then the mechanism should also accept the currencies of different countries.

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Begin

Trade in tights and other hosiery products, being a profitable business, is very popular among small businesses. Why? The sale of women's tights is not at all difficult to organize - it does not require large investments or special knowledge.

You can feel the return on investment within a few months. With a well-thought-out approach to this seemingly simple area of ​​business.

Profit strategy for the tights business

The target audience, that is, the “portrait” of your typical female buyer, is where you should start your sales strategy. At the same time, marketers advise choosing a narrow niche - it is easier to find a common language with one group of customers than to please everyone at once.

Having decided on the audience, proceed to the assortment portfolio. Remember, each model of tights for women is aimed at a specific consumer segment.

Perhaps you should not limit yourself only to classics proven by demand, but also include something non-standard in the assortment, say: rhinestones, openwork options, tights with a pattern, print or, corrective and slimming, large sizes or others.

So, classic is a universal option, attracting not only older ladies or women “fettered” by the dress code. Fantasy and playful options - clothes for young girls and passionate fashionistas. Just keep this in mind when shopping for tights.

It’s okay if you haven’t decided on your niche yet. At first, you can implement multi-brand popular models. Literally a month or two and you will understand who your target audience is. Aged ladies, business women or young fashionistas.

Maybe it makes sense to buy, the sale of which is active almost all year round, and attract the attention of mothers.

Point of sale with selling power

After you have drawn up a “portrait” of a potential client and decided on the assortment, it’s time to start looking for a point of sale.

If the price level of your products is above average or average, hosiery products will be of interest to women with good incomes. Such shoppers will be able to find you in department stores, prestigious shopping centers, and shopping and entertainment centers. But not on the market.

Another important point for those involved in the tights business. Place your retail space in high traffic areas. Don't count on anyone looking for you at the end of the second row on the third floor. Although 20% of buyers may get there. But will you have a good turnover from this? Doubtful.

Your concept

The success of the tights business is not “tied” only to the right location and attractive pricing policy. However, this is already halfway.

A bright, unique, attractive atmosphere of a retail outlet will help ensure a stable influx of customers. Use interesting equipment to sell tights, place beautifully dressed mannequins, and don’t neglect good lighting. The showcase symbolizes the face of your business.

Do you have an alternative

Why is it necessary to have a retail outlet for selling tights? You can organize a wholesale sale of lingerie and tights, and use your own as a key sales tool. Its visitors will be not only women, but also representatives of the stronger half who would like to give their beloved a gift, but were too shy to go to a regular store.

The tights business today is quite well developed, but do not be afraid of competition. On the contrary, you always have a chance to distinguish yourself and carve out your own niche. Create a unique selling proposition that is hard to refuse, and success in the tights business will certainly follow.

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