Wandering Idiot
INTL Premium Member
Surely something dumber has come up since my apparent forgetfulness for STDs and doctor visits.
Ballkicks: (+257 / -16)
Posts: 2130 (0.344)
Reg. Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arms' reach of my wifes' bitchslap
Gender: Male |
Reply 3 of 26 (Originally posted on: 05-02-07 01:38:44 PM)
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Quoted from ExtraKryspi:
I assume there is an established adult industry in your area such that politics won't be a bitch?
I can beat prices, but local politics are crazy when it comes to the adult market. The current state laws say no adult business shall operate within 1000 feet of a church, school, government facility, or cemetary. That's the second reason I want to put the store on the interstate, because there are none of those hassles within 1000 feet of I-24 in my area. Right now the only adult store in town, which just opened last year, is in a legal battle because of a dance school, which is 1500 feet away from the store, but parents of students are being peksy asshats and want them to move.
As far as the market, have you ever been in an adult store? The average feature movie costs about 1/3 of what the customer pays, and that's not including the 4 hour film bundles that wholesale sites offer for about $2 a disc, which can be marked up to $10-15, and will sell like ice in the desert. Vibrators and other toys are usually marked up around 400%, but that varies greatly on what wholesaler you go through. I have connections to work with on getting magazines, mag packs, soft goods (toys, novelties, etc), and getting a DVD wholesaler is as simple as looking it up through Google.
I'm also trying to think of promotions for this place when it first opens. I like the idea of 10% discounts for first time customers, but that could be problematic with people coming in on different shifts to get discounts through other clerks. Also, clerks are going to be a bastard to keep in line. There is truly no shortage of people who want to work in the adult retail field, but getting good ones is the tricky part. I won't be low-balling employees either, but benefits are something that'll be hard for me to handle right off, so I probably won't provide health/dental/etc insurance, which would require me to write that up in the employment agreement paperwork.
Speaking of clerks, and their concerns, I won't have a strict dress code. Nor will I do an initial drug test. People from alternative lifestyles will be accepted just as regular straight folks, and if a customer or another employee has a problem with it, harassment charges tend to make problems like that disappear quickly. Speaking legally, pandering is another problem to be addressed. It's all too easy for an employee to say, "I sell a lot of these and have heard good feedback about X product" instead of saying, "I have/used X product and it's great blah blah". Pandering laws are a consistent problem, and one I really don't want to cross lines on.
I will be keeping a lawyer on retainer throughout the entire endeavor. It's not only wise to do this, but it's practically a necessity. What with the theft rate in adult stores, constant harassment from local establishments (churches, conservative based businesses and local government).
Also, the mention above in the first post about limiting my profit, I probably should expand a bit more on that. I want to keep a tight-knit trustworthy crew on board, and that means more than lining my pockets with all the profits. Clerks will obviously start out with next to nothing, $8-9 an hour. My webmaster and other staff will all be on a salary base, which is going to be determined after expenses (rent, bills, inventory, etc). I don't want to put myself in a place where I'm hurting for staff, so the people working with me will see equal compensation. The person I have in mind for my assistant will be sitting in the store management position, and I'd probably start him off around $600/week salary with an overtime program so that he's not working 60 hours one week, then 40 the next, and not seeing any compensation for his extra work. I'll also offer a 50% employee discount (off retail, so it's still over wholesale price), but that'll only be available after 90 days and will have strict guidelines (no friends and family discounting over 10% retail).
Basically, if my store manager is making $30k a year, that's the same I'll be making until I can expand and see profit from two or three stores. I'll also offer employee bonuses, probably like a christmas fund or something.
I know it sounds like I'm not making room for all the expenses I'll have to account for, but really, it's very easy to see $60k-$100k a month in the adult business with just one store. Local controversy is practically free advertisement, but I'll have to shell out the cash for a few billboards and proper signage, as well as advertising in local periodicals and newspapers. I plan on working with other businesses on this as well, with a referral based program. This means printing up discount cards and flyers for distribution at bars, clubs, headshops, and other adult oriented businesses.
Customers are still going to be the number one priority. Requests will be taken, product will be able to be placed on hold (for certain time lengths), and the store will be lined with security cameras like crazy to keep them in check. That also means cameras hidden outdoors to capture plate numbers of shoplifters and other crime stirring indigents. I'm not going to watch my place get ripped off blind by crackheads and fucknuts looking for a quick endorphin bump.
With everything I've seen from the inside of the adult retail world, I know that it's easy to make the money in the business, you just have to do the legwork to get it started. I'm more than motivated to do 80-90 hours a week to get this place going, because I know that after it's up, running, and profitable, I'll be able to take the time off and enjoy myself again, relax, and cut stress down. I've got partners lined up for this, mostly family but a friend or two thrown in for good measure, so balancing the operations on a day to day basis will be easier, especially when I can trust everyone running the show with me.
It's a challenge, and that's what I'm looking for. I'm sick of just being the guy sitting behind the counter, and I'm also fucking tired of bringing nothing home after paying bills. I'm clearheaded (quit daily pot smoking a few weeks ago), I'm focused, young and energetic. Now all I need is the financial bump to start this off and keep from running it into the ground.
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
-Dave Barry
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