Auto parts are one of the top topics that interest entrepreneurs. Why are they so popular? The thing is that these are components that constantly fail and due to this there is a huge demand for this product. The second point is the diversity of trading formats and the fairly large breadth of the niche. Even if there is competition, you can carry spare parts that are not available in the nearest similar stores.

In this article we will talk about how to open a business selling auto parts and in what format to develop it, and also identify the main pitfalls that can await you.

Business format and features

What do you mean by the vastness of this niche? This is the presence of a huge number of different brands and models of cars. There is also an increased demand for used parts and other factors. We have identified several main formats for operating a business in the auto parts trade.

1. Trading in the automobile market. This is a business with minimal investment, both in terms of rent and advertising costs to attract customers. A great option to start with. In fact, if you manage to rent a sales tent or kiosk at the car market, which is actually difficult, then you will be guaranteed a flow of target customers with a competent pricing policy.
2. Resale of auto parts. Various disassemblies work successfully in many cities. The cost of such parts is significantly lower, which contributes to the growth of trade in used auto parts. Separate dismantling shops mainly specialize in specific brands of cars, for example, only Renault or Volkswagen. With proper advertising on auto forums, they raise large sums from their business.
3. Organize this type of business as a franchise. Here are just a few options. For Ukraine: Novaton, Admiral-S. For Russia: Auto-Moe, Gearex and others. You receive a ready-made solution, implement it in practice and the result is profit. But there are some points that stop it, since no one wants to overpay. But it’s much easier to start in this format.
4. Open a small store selling auto parts in rented premises. This is the most popular format for launching this business. Usually a small room is found somewhere in a public area and a retail outlet is opened. The main thing is to correctly assess the competition and find a good place to do business.
5. Online store. In the century modern technologies An online store can become not only an additional source of customers, but also successfully operate as the main business selling auto parts.

• for foreign cars
• for domestic cars
• for trucks

The choice of format depends only on your preferences. You can navigate by the popularity of the car brand in your city, especially if it is a small city, so that in the end there is constant demand.

Selection of premises and equipment

Now let's discuss a few points regarding where to open an auto parts store and the nuances of selecting premises. If this is a full-fledged store, then there must be 2 conditions:

• convenient access with parking;
• high foot traffic or a busy city road with a lot of car traffic.

If this is the resale of used spare parts and components, then you can work directly from the garage. Customers, if necessary, will find you if you have the parts they need, and at a good price.

The size of a room for a small store can be about 10 – 20 sq.m. It would be great if there was a pantry or mini warehouse for storing goods.

The next point is what you need to get started, and here it is important to include the equipment. And you need to buy the following:

• racks with shelves;
• hanging showcases;
• counter;
• furniture for the seller’s workplace;
• computer equipment, internet and printer. To select auto parts, especially if you will transport them to order;
• cash machine;
• mobile communications for receiving and processing orders;
• packaging products.

Rules for trading auto parts

As with any type of business, you will need to get everything Required documents and permissions.

Here's the main list:

• you must be registered as an individual entrepreneur;
• OKVED is indicated. For Russia this is - 50.30.2. Retail trade in automotive parts, components and accessories. In Ukraine it is - 45.32 .
• trade permits must be obtained from the SES and fire service.
• availability of certificates for the goods.
• decorated buyer's corner.

It is better to check all the details of taxation of this business with lawyers, especially if you are a beginner entrepreneur.

Range

If you are wondering where to start selecting an assortment, you can go through the main positions of product suppliers and decide what you will purchase and what you will bring to order.

Here are the main product categories in this business:

• engine;
• suspension;
• transmission;
• brakes;
• electrician;
• cooling system;
• exhaust system;
• filters;
• body and optics;
• oils and auto chemicals.

Within each category there are a number of subcategories. Plus, all these are different parts for different makes and models of cars. That is why large suppliers have special catalog programs in which you can find a part code and, using this code, make a specific order for the product the client needs. It is precisely this scheme that small auto parts stores operate in, for example, when they open in a provincial town. Delivery is carried out using courier services, or the order is transferred directly through bus services.

Advertising

In addition to standard advertising solutions in the form of distributing leaflets or banners with promotions and bright signs, you can try to attract clients via the Internet, especially if you work in big city. There are three directions here:

• an online store with search engine optimization and customized contextual advertising;
• social networks with specialized groups;
• car forums.

How much money do you need to start?

To open an auto parts store, you need to have a certain start-up capital on hand, which will mainly be used at the initial stage to purchase the initial assortment, rent and promote the store. Below we have given calculations for a small store and indicated how much it costs to start in this direction.

• Room rental – $200 – $250
• Taxes - $150
• Salesperson salary - $200
• Initial purchase of goods – $10,000 – $15,000
• Purchase of equipment – ​​$1500 – $2000
• Advertising - $250 (+ advertising on the Internet).
• Delivery service costs - $50
• Mobile communications and Internet – $10

How much can you earn?

It's difficult to estimate how much your store will bring in without knowing the whole situation. So, for example, you need to clearly know which spare parts will be purchased domestic or for foreign cars, what price segment, how much the rent for the premises will cost and much more.

The average markup on auto parts is on average about 30 - 40%.

For accessories and consumables it reaches 100%.

We indicate only these numbers in our business ideas; they allow us to estimate the required sales volume to cover expenses and gain profit.

Conclusions. The business of selling auto parts is a rather complex and competitive environment in which money is made due to the constant demand for goods. Whether this business is worth starting or not is up to you. We tried to describe as much as possible all the nuances of this business, but the decision is up to you.

What can you say about this line of activity? Is it profitable or not?

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Trade in auto parts in Russia – highly profitable business, the success of which is accompanied by several factors. The number of car owners is growing year by year, it is always necessary to maintain the “iron horse” in technically sound condition, wear and tear constantly occurs various parts and mechanisms.

The stable income of the owner of an auto parts store is facilitated by the love of our car enthusiasts for their brainchild, which goes beyond all boundaries. They are ready to get the necessary parts for crazy money, just so that the “swallow” runs like new and is in no way inferior to the neighbor’s.

Such observations push many businessmen to the idea of ​​getting seriously involved in the auto parts trade. They immediately face the question: how to open an auto parts store? What nuances should be taken into account so that the business does not go bankrupt? Let's figure it out.

Where to begin?

Conduct market research

Explore the car market in your region

It is important to know the brands of cars that are in demand in a particular city or area. Find out which cars locals prefer: domestic or imported. Research data states: major cities Foreign cars of the “premium” class predominate; in the province the share of imported and domestic cars is almost the same. Among foreign cars, budget versions of Chinese and Korean cars and used cars from European manufacturers are in demand.

Assess the solvency of future clients

A metropolis and a provincial town with a population of 150–200 thousand inhabitants are, as a rule, different level income. Give priority to dynamically developing regions with developed infrastructure and good performance growth in gross income per capita.

Assess market capacity

It is known that a fifth of the Russian population has their own car. When a town has a population of 150–200 thousand, the number of cars will be about 30 thousand. If we take into account that the population density decreases with distance from the capital, this figure will still be real: the niche is filled by residents of surrounding villages who come to the city to buy spare parts for their cars. There is room to develop.

Assess your competitors

Take the time to get to know your competitors' stores. Evaluate their location, assortment, niche that each of them occupies in the market, price level and bonus system, if one exists, facade design, interior, types of advertising they use. Of course, this project is quite difficult to implement in a large city. But, in the middle and small towns visual inspection retail outlets realistically produced in 1–2 days. The addresses of car dealerships are easy to find on the Internet. After analyzing the work of your competitors, you will understand what to focus on.

Choosing a location for an auto parts store

In large cities, it is advisable to locate the store in the center, where there are always many owners of expensive foreign cars. Convenient access roads are required.

On the periphery, the options for locating a future trading enterprise are different. If you decide to open an auto parts store for foreign cars, central part cities where the offices of large companies, banks, government institutions are located, where the public with money gathers, will be a suitable place. The “Red Line” with its dense traffic flow is always attractive for locating business facilities.

Another option: create a similar business project on the outskirts, next to which there is a busy highway. Every car enthusiast passing by should notice your window display. Only in this case will you have clients.

Business plan

After studying the market in a given region, draw up detailed business plan to open an auto parts store. Contact an experienced economist who will develop a detailed business plan taking into account your opinion and the specifics of a particular city, district or region. If you do not have enough personal funds at the time of preparing to open a shopping complex, contact the bank’s credit department. Credit funds will not be provided to you without a clear action plan and detailed calculations.

Important: this detailed description preparatory process is necessary for the businessman to take the possible risks and really assessed the prospects of opening another auto parts store in his chosen region. It's no secret that some businesses fail. The main reason is neglect of market capacity research and overconfidence.

Yes, this is a troublesome task. Be prepared to work around the clock at first. The better you test the waters, the better your decisions will be. It’s not enough to just say: I want to open an auto parts store. You need to make an effort, show interest, and the costs will pay off.

Prospects

You have conducted a preliminary market analysis and decided that there is a free niche. What does the auto parts trading business promise?

This business is profitable. The gross margin ratio ranges from 25 to 75%. What does it mean? After deducting all costs from the revenue, you will still have a decent profit. Having invested about 1.5 million rubles in your business, with a well-organized trading process and a sufficient number of buyers, you can receive up to 300 thousand rubles every month. arrived. The investment will pay off within a year.

Are these numbers real? Certainly! Trade margins are often 20–100%. Remember how much spare parts cost. Their owners spend up to 15 thousand rubles a year on car maintenance. Spare parts account for a significant share of costs. Multiply 30 thousand motorists in a provincial town by 15 thousand rubles. Get about 400 million. It’s possible to grab a few million from the total pie.

Preparation of documentation

What documents are needed to open an auto parts store? The package is standard.

Your steps:

1. Complete entrepreneurial activity. Receive a certificate of state registration legal entity. If you do not plan to carry out large wholesale supplies of parts and components, (IP).
2. Get codes from Goskomstat. First of all, “Spare parts”.
3. Contact the tax service and receive a certificate for tax registration.
4. Conclude agreements: for renting the selected premises and for garbage removal.
5. Get a report from the fire inspectorate that your store meets fire safety requirements.
6. Pay for a patent to open an auto parts store.

Financial expenses

The initial capital is at least 1.6 million rubles. Components:

• payment for rent of premises - 40 thousand rubles. monthly;
• inventory in the warehouse and on the sales floor - 1 million rubles.
• purchase of commercial equipment (racks, shelves, display cases), computer equipment, connection to the Internet, arrangement of the premises and its repair - up to 500 thousand rubles;
• staff salaries (two salespeople, an accountant). Monthly from 40 thousand rubles;
• utility bills - up to 15 thousand rubles;
• other costs (advertising, promotions, office, unforeseen expenses) - up to 100 thousand rubles.

The size of the trade margin is set by the owner based on a comparison of this value among competitors. By lowering your prices a little, you will increase your sales volume. The minimum markup is 25%. Sellers often increase the markup to 40–50% or more.

Recruitment

Get ready for the fact that at first you will perform the duties of director and purchasing manager (supply manager) yourself. There is a positive aspect to this. You will not only save on the fund wages, but also delve into all the intricacies of business.

Mandatory staff:

• sales consultant (2 people). Salary level – from 15 thousand rubles. per month. The piecework type of remuneration increases the quality of work and interest: rate (from 5 thousand rubles) + percentage of sales;
• accountant. Until sales volume reaches the planned level, use the services of an invited specialist. Salary – from 5–6 thousand rubles. per month.

Requirements for sellers:

• knowledge of the entire range of spare parts offered for sale;
• It is advisable to have your own car so that the consultant can give useful advice regarding the replacement of parts (if the buyer hesitates when choosing) or offer an alternative option;
• grammatically correct speech. If the seller is well versed in the design of the car and can advise the client inside and out, then at first you can turn a blind eye to the vernacular or lack of knowledge of terminology. But a specialist who does not want to improve his literacy level will, after a while, begin to irritate some clients. A culture of speech must be developed.

Auto parts suppliers

Reliable suppliers - guarantee successful work enterprises. If you have friends who supply auto parts, that’s great. If not, look for suppliers' addresses on the Internet. Read reviews about them, collect more information.

Specify:

• supply details;
• payment procedure;
• guarantees;
• availability of bonuses and discounts.

Where to buy auto parts?

Options:

• from intermediaries;
• directly at the manufacturer.

The second option involves lower prices. At the same time, intermediaries for regular customers establish a system of discounts and offer bonuses for the volume and number of orders. When purchasing large quantities of goods, the benefits can be significant.

• after studying the market, decide: you will open a company store selling spare parts for one brand of car or offer customers parts for cars of different brands;
• perhaps you will occupy a niche of spare parts for foreign or domestic cars, Japanese, European or American cars;
• dumping is a good option. But, don't go overboard with price cuts. Competitors will become angry, and customers will begin to doubt the quality of the products supplied. Better - small discounts, but with every purchase. A cumulative bonus card for regular customers is a rational solution;
• Place information about the store on billboards and banners along the roads so that the car owner’s eyes are caught during trips. Distribute brochures and leaflets. Newspaper - not the best option. Over time, reviews from satisfied customers will be your best (and free) advertising.
• do not spare money on buying or renting a car to deliver spare parts to the garage or to the client’s home. "GAZelka" is an acceptable option. Fast delivery is a definite plus in your piggy bank.
• ensure the availability of popular, in-demand spare parts in stock;
• organize work according to the catalogue;
• create a website for your store on the Internet. Sales volumes will increase. Remember that additional investment will be required. In this case, fast delivery of goods - important condition for a positive image of your company.

Consider the recommendations that will help you open an auto parts store from scratch. A competent strategy, perseverance, instinct, and quick response to fluctuations in demand will help bring your trading enterprise among the best in the region.

If you want to start a profitable and stable business, then we recommend that you open an auto parts store. Spare parts are always needed - the number of cars in Russia is growing, but the quality of roads is constantly falling. With the right approach to business, you can quickly recoup all your investments and even create an entire chain of stores.

Introduction

Despite the outbreak of the crisis, there are no fewer cars on the roads. Few people have switched to public transport - people continue to drive private cars as before. Some employees have even increased the number of trips - more meetings and consultations need to be held in order to maintain the desired level of product sales.

Even those who were directly affected by the crisis do not put their car on hold - they simply reduce the number of trips. But if something happens to the car, they will definitely repair it. And for repairs you always need spare parts. Let's figure out why start an auto parts business and what is needed for this.

How to start

First of all, study your competitors. There are probably stores in your locality that sell spare parts. Visit them, consider the range of products and prices, opening hours and location. Think about ways to entice local service stations and car repair shops to purchase spare parts from you. Perhaps you can offer them preferential prices or short delivery times.

An auto parts store is a fairly profitable and interesting business. Initially, you will not have many customers - people, out of habit, will go to buy spare parts in trusted stores. But if you trade wisely, sell only high-quality spare parts and organize various promotions, you will quickly build up a customer base. And one more thing - people always buy spare parts. There will be no such principle as in an electronics store, when a person makes one purchase every 2-3 years. The car is constantly in need of spare parts.

Types of spare parts stores

Stores selling spare parts are divided into two broad types:

1. Online stores.
2. Classic stores.

Classic stores are also divided into several types. Some sell spare parts exclusively to order, others have their own warehouse and showcase, while others sell only parts for certain types of cars.

For a small spare parts store, it is usually enough to register a regular individual entrepreneur. This will allow you to save on taxes and quickly submit reports without unnecessary headaches. If you want to open a large store, enter into contracts for the supply of spare parts to well-known service stations, etc., then it is better to choose an LLC. This will allow you to get more clients, but will increase the tax rate.

Your store should have everything from oils to tires

Premises requirements

Any costs of starting a business can be divided into two types:

1. Permanent (salaries, taxes, rent, purchase of goods, repairs).
2. One-time (purchase of premises, equipment, registration costs and furniture).

One of the main expense items will be the building for your store. If you plan to open a full-fledged establishment, then you need to find a room with a size of 50 m2 (preferably at least 80 square meters), which should be divided into a warehouse, a sales area and a staff room. It is best if the premises are located near a car wash or car service center, near garage cooperatives, near a major highway or in residential areas. The building must have water supply, sewerage, electricity, ventilation and a fire alarm system. The best option There will be a room with two entrances: customers will come through the main one, and goods will be delivered through the back one. There should be at least minimal parking in front of the building itself. For equipment, you will need durable shelving, display cases and racks.

For accounting you will need a computer with appropriate software, internet, telephone and furniture.

Online store

An online store allows you to organize a business with minimal investment. To do this, you only need an office (you can even work from an apartment). You will save on:

1. For rent.
2. Staff.
3. Utilities.

Many novice businessmen open an online store and resell spare parts, buying them in classic stores. This is the wrong approach and will not bring you serious profits. It is still better to purchase the most popular goods yourself and send them immediately after placing the order, rather than running around the city looking for the right part.

An online store can significantly expand your customer list

Some warehouses allow you not to buy goods, but to take them for sale. This is a great option for online stores.

let's consider how to open an auto parts store from scratch and take goods for sale without investing money in it.

You will need a website, which you can order from freelancers or create yourself using numerous free engines. Then you will need to promote it in search engines for given key queries. After this, you will have real visitors who will place orders, and you will send them goods. To take it for sale, you need to agree with suppliers . Usually they give the goods for sale on the condition that a certain amount is returned to them monthly. If you go for it, you can save a lot on your investment.

But usually an online store is not opened as a separate business, but as an addition to an existing one. When you have an active parts store, you will open your website in order to attract a large number of clients.

Staff and assortment

You will need:

1. Shop assistant.
2. Administrator-accountant.
3. Loader-cleaner.

At the initial stages, you can play the role of administrator and accountant. In this case, you only need a seller, who can also become a loader. But in the future it is necessary to hire people for this work.

To choose an assortment, you need to decide what exactly you will sell. Perhaps you will focus on domestic cars. Or for freight. Or for some specific brands. You should always have all spare parts and consumables available:

1. Motor oils and other technical fluids.
2. Ball joints, gaskets, various rubber bands, etc.
3. Optics.
4. Tires, wheels.
5. Glass.
6. Spare parts for chassis repairs (shock absorbers, springs, struts, etc.).
7. Candles, screws, wipers, pumps, first aid kits, etc.

In order to successfully fight competitors, it is necessary to set prices 5-10 percent lower by organizing high-quality delivery of spare parts to order. Your assortment should include both original spare parts and “analogues” - people often buy cheaper goods.

A separate building will allow you to open an additional business - a car wash or tire service

Suppliers

Where to find suppliers? On the Internet, in newspapers, in the media. You need to choose several high-quality sellers who will not only offer the required range, but will also guarantee that delivery times are met. If you constantly miss deadlines, the number of clients will drop sharply.

Advertising

You can start promoting your store even before it opens. Launch an advertising campaign with flyers, banners, and banners. Focus on a good assortment, affordable prices, discounts, and minimum delivery times. Conduct various promotions and competitions, make yourself a good sign, create groups on social networks and topics on local forums. Offer a discount to regular customers, make small discounts for pensioners and students - you need to focus on regular customers.

Profitability

In this article we will give only an example auto parts store business plan , since everything depends greatly on location and many other factors. To open a standard store with an area of ​​80 m2, equip it and fill it with goods, you will need about 2 million rubles. The profit for the year with the right approach will be at least 1.4 million rubles, that is, the store will pay for itself in about 15 months and after that will begin to bring you additional profit.

In order to increase income, you can organize a car wash or service station near the car shop. This business has excellent prospects for development, and the profit will be constant and high!

In contact with

the main objective any commercial activities- Receiving a profit. To make a profit, customers must buy something from you. And the more successful sales you make, the more you will earn.

Everyone understands this.
But what surprises! It turns out that most salespeople in auto parts stores do not even know basic sales techniques. Moreover, many business owners do not pay enough attention to this issue.

What is the result? There is an operating business, there are reliable suppliers, serious money has been invested in its own warehouse, but the store is not operating as efficiently as the owner would like. Why? One of the most important reasons is that you don’t know how to sell.

In fairness, it is worth noting that in some stores business is going well due to the enormous hard work and outstanding personal qualities of the owner and sellers. However, would you agree that even in this case you will not refuse to increase your sales?

So, the indisputable fact is that Mastering sales skills is a big plus for any salesperson.

Therefore, we invite you to learn how you could earn more by simply learning the basic principles of building communication with a client.

Let's start with the basics that any seller should master.
Experts identify and formalize several sales techniques.

What is a selling technique?
This is a certain sequence of actions, the precise implementation of which leads to the expected result, in our case, a sale.

There is a so-called "Classical scheme" consisting of five stages.

First stage - Establishing contact
Second - Identifying needs
Third stage - Product presentation
Fourth - Overcoming objections
And fifth - Completing the deal

At first glance, everything is clear. If you conduct the sales process according to this scheme, the likelihood of completing a transaction increases significantly.
Many sales managers, having seen this scheme, will now say to themselves: “I already do all this... first I say hello, then I find out what the client wanted to buy, I offer the product, sometimes I make a discount, and I get money.”
That's all true... but this only works if a loyal customer comes for a specific product to buy it from you at a price that he has previously determined to be acceptable.

What's the catch?

Having worked according to this scheme:
- The seller sold only one specific product.
- The seller made no attempt to sell the product at a higher margin.
- The sales process was controlled by the buyer, not the seller.
- If something had gone wrong, the sale would not have taken place at all.
- You won't see most buyers a second time.

In our opinion, these disadvantages are already enough to seriously reconsider your view of working with a client.
IN real life Many sellers, even having heard about this selling technique, do not use it in practice, or do not use it correctly. Unfortunately, most sellers have flaws at every stage. It’s even worse when some stage seems unnecessary to the seller and is simply skipped. Why is this happening? And many people don’t know any other way!

For example, about fifteen years ago, in order to sell something, it was enough to simply have the product - the buyer was not spoiled. The level of market development did not give the buyer the opportunity to choose among hundreds of offers. The market situation has long changed, but this image of the person behind the counter, who simply serves goods from the shelf, still lives in the minds of many sellers. And they continue to work on the same principle today.

I recently spoke with a bankrupt entrepreneur who said that even with a markup of only 4 percent, he could not attract customers.

4% !? Why even engage in this business with a 4% markup?

If you want to sell more and more expensively, you will have to figure out the stages of sales.

It is worth noting that currently specialists in sales methods are subjecting the Classical scheme to some revision and clarification. This is due to the fact that as the market develops, consumer behavior patterns also change. But, nevertheless, the scheme continues to remain relevant, and in order to better understand other schemes in the future, you should first understand the classics. You need to understand the features and importance of each stage and not just understand, but train and begin to apply.