Hello from Greenville, SC

[Justwhatineed]

I opened my shop, Just What I Need Shop, last month.  I'm already getting frustrated and starting to feel like I made a mistake because I have not made money to cover rent.  How do I go about getting customers?  One thing that's hurting me is I have a full time job and work from 3 - 11 PM.  I'm at my shop from 10 am to 2 pm and sometimes have no customers.  I can demote myself and become a sub so I can work when I want to because I think my potential customers would come during the hours of 3-9 PM when I'm at work.

[roman50]

Hi, I just opened recently but our hours are from 10-5pm Tues-Fri and Sat 9-6pm and also having the same issue and yes the rent is due soon, so far 3 customers and 2 were family members.  I would like advise also.

[accentsnmore]

We've had many days with no customers.  We have run the business with other sources of income and my partner (fiance) is working to cover our bills.  We are close to our 1 year mark for the store.

We have seen our average sale double or more, and have learned most of what sells.  Only Women's clothes and jewelry sell in our store.  Plus sizes are a hit, also we have pretty many thin 20 somethings that love to shop.  Rarley a guy will shop here.  Most of our first costomers are gone and now we have new ones.  It seems like a regular only stops in every month or 2, so really would need a lot and keep them.

I think we could be close to covering our rent this summer with store sales.  durring rain or cold weather, we have almost no sales. 

We started a punch card, and give out a certain amount of free stuff after they spend so much to get them to come back or spend at least $10.  Now I have to figure that in to each sale, because they still get a puch on sale items.  That can be a problem if you don't make a card with enough punches required.

We do craigslist 2x a week and try to put an add in each catagory.  We are on Google Places, so the customers can find us.  Those are free.  We mailed out 500 post cards the last 2 months with a coupon that expires in 3 days.  That was our first paid advertising, with only 3 people mentioning they got a post card.  Not good.  Not free. 

A huge mistake...We are not in the yellow pages yet, because we are always so poor and it was like $275 to get in there.  So that's next.

Hope everyone has great sales this summer!