Business Broad Wholesale Product Sources

Sport Clips Franchise Opportunities?

businessbroad — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:41:43 +0000

For those of you that own multiple local businesses, have you ever ventured outside the world of pure retail? I haven’t as of yet, but lately I’ve been putting a lot of thought into franchise ideas like a Sport Clips Franchise. I’m still in the research and thinking process, but so far I like the idea a lot.

Why? Well, for starters, retail is highly seasonal. While my gift shops peak around the big holidays, a Sport Clips franchise location would be much steadier. After all, hair doesn’t stop growing during certain times of the year.

I also like that a Sport Clips franchise specializes in men. Women are a tough audience because they tend to switch places when the economy goes up and down (going to fancy places when times are good, then heading for the discount chains when times are tough). Men, on the other hand, tend to form habits and stay loyal. They also have to go frequently to maintain a clean look. They can’t decide to let their cut go an extra month or two in between visits just because times are right.

What do you think of opening a Sport Clips franchise? Would you go for it? In case you’re curious, here are some more Sport Clips franchise resources.

Article about a successful Sport Clips franchise

A man opens a Sport Clips franchise post-9/11

Sport Clips franchise hits the $1 billion mark

Wholesale Ergonomic Backpacks

businessbroad — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:39:31 +0000

If your retail customer base typically has school-age children, ergonomic backpacks have the potential to be a major hit during the back-to-school and holiday seasons. I was recently informed of a new line of backpacks by Airbak, and they’re designed to make a child’s (or adult’s) load feel lighter.

Airbak backpacks use a patented air chamber system that puts more of the weight on your rump and less on your shoulders. The end result is that the pack feels lighter and your spine can stand straighter with less effort. Airbak backpacks retail for between $50 and $150, and I don’t have the specifics on wholesale pricing or requirements. Contact the company directly if you are interested in becoming an Airbak retailer.

Need Additional Business Training?

businessbroad — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:05:58 +0000

We all want different things from the business world. Personally, I prefer an entrepreneurial life where I can work as much or as little as I like, and I can assign hours in my shop to people who need jobs. It feels good to create something in my community, and to provide employment for local people.

On the other hand, some of us are more enticed by Wall Street - the stuff of Boiler Room, Wall Street, and other Hollywood films. Although it’s not for me, it’s a challenging and exciting road for those who choose to travel it. If you do, you’ll need a lot of training. A top undergraduate degree, followed by a good MBA program and additional financial modeling training are pretty much assumed.

Where do you fit in in the business world? Do you know where you’re headed? Are you there yet?

Wholesale Digital Cameras

businessbroad — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:03:12 +0000

For a small business, it can be difficult to find good sources for things like wholesale digital cameras. Luckily, Chinavasion has provided a solution to that problem. Chinavasion is a company based in Hong Kong and the UK designed as a wholesaler for small to mid-sized businesses that aren’t yet ready to commit to $100,000+ container loads of products.

I’ve included a picture of one of their available digital cameras (as of 2/19), but they have quite a selection. View more wholesale digital cameras here.

Artsy Shower Curtains for Bathroom Daredevils

businessbroad — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:22:13 +0000

If you’ve ever thought about adding shower curtains to the product lineup in your store, definitely check out Izola. Their products are eco-friendly, they donate to a great charity (St. Jude’s), and they’re pretty darn cool besides. They probably won’t be right for you if you have more of a country store, but if your shoppers are more hip and trendy, these shower curtains should go over very well.

The Man Can

businessbroad — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:15:58 +0000

It’s tough to market healthy and beauty products to men. Still, some brave companies try - and a few actually succeed. I would be proud to sell The Man Can in any of my stores.

As you can see below, the packaging is in keeping with what you’d expect for manly health and beauty items. Although you may not see too many men venturing into gift shops to buy them, I’m sure plenty of men will be happy to receive their Man Cans.

My Store Wishlist

businessbroad — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:56:17 +0000

Like any shopkeeper, there are a ton of different things I’d love to change about my store. For one, I’d just like it to be bigger. It’s very cramped as it is. A few other things I want?

-New windows - The old ones aren’t well-insulated.
-Kohler sinks - because they just look nice.
-Better lighting - It’s pretty dark at the moment.
-A better location - Something with more foot traffic would be nice.

So basically, you can see that I want an entirely new store - but I get by as it is

My Recent Stroke of Genius

businessbroad — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:52:43 +0000

Recently, I decided to set up an Xbox360 in a corner of my shop. Although most of my customers are older women and mothers, they often bring children who drive them insane while they shop. Do you think women with bratty 8 year olds tugging at their coats like to spend a lot? Of course not. Half of them get fed up and drag their kids out of the store before they get a chance to find anything they want.

Now that I have a gaming system, the kids are silent. It was a little expensive, but it’s been worth every penny, even with the occasional broken game to replace. If you want to do the same, I’d recommend getting an Xbox360 or Playstation 3 - not a Wii. I started with a Wii and the controllers kept going dead or getting un-synced with the system and it took up way too much of my staff’s time.

Furniture in the Shop?

businessbroad — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:33:51 +0000

Given the number of people buying flat screen TVs these days, I’ve been giving some thought to carrying tv stands in my shop. It seems like a lot of people are coming in with concerns about the digital switch, and in addition to new flatscreen TVs, they’re also buying new TV stands since they no longer need enormously strong furniture to hold their TVs.

What do you think? Is it wise for a gift shop to get into small furniture pieces?

Christmas Gifts

businessbroad — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:31:27 +0000

I’ve spent so much time helping people find Christmas gifts over the last two months that it was almost a surprise when the time for me to receive gifts actually rolled around. All in all, I’m very pleased with the results of the holidays, including the gifts that were purchased for me. I got several great books, a George Foreman Grill for healthy grilling, and a new coat. It’s not a ton like some people I know, but everything was very special and from the heart.

What did you get for Christmas?