photography store

[murtaugh]

i know this is a little different that photography business but it is actally close to the same, at the same time. i was just wondering if any of you have ever looked into opening your camera shop. i know in my area there are really no stores so business would be good at least i think so. but anyway if any of you own your own business or had one time thought about, what do you think? any clue on the start up cost? mininum purchase amounts from companies like canon, nikon, sandisk, mamiya? just thought i would ask, any info would be great, thanks.

[cgratti]

10 years ago it would be a great idea, but the Internet ruined all that. Its tough to compete with the online stores.

[Vegas Poboy]

local stores hurt here in vegas, we have two that the pros try to help keep the doors open but the WWW has put a damper on items also the switch from film to digital. When we where shooting 2 1/4 & 4x5 the pro shops was the only place to go. The digital world has changed that greatly.

[ssim]

If you have really deep pockets and you are willing to carry those hard to find items and you will cater to the pros you might have a small chance at moderate success.

What is more easy than sitting down at the computer and ordering your next camera online. Two days later someone in a funny colored vehicle drops it off at your door. How much easier can this get.

I live in a community of approx 100K with a service area of around 160K. All our specialty camera stores (used to be as high as 5 at one time) have come and gone. Between the big box stores and the internet I certainly don't feel there is much room for a brick and mortar shop unless you can beat the online pricing. This business model would be flawed, imo.

The next largest city to me is slightly over 1 million people and even at that population base there is only 4 or 5 decent stores of which 2 I would call serious stores.

[liza]

I think Roberts Imaging in Indianapolis has the right idea. Not only do they have a successful brick and mortar store with well informed staff, they also have a thriving online business.

[NickSimcheck]

I would like to open an online store solely for Canon equipment, selling stuff at B&H prices plus a new 10% off coupon every month.

I wonder if Canon would let me swing it... Our family company has a nice brick and mortar location that I could run it from, so it's not like I'm selling stuff out of my home.

[barryburgard]

Having been in a retail business (not photography) and sold it years ago...the words "are you crazy?" come to mind. Or as someone else said long ago when things were easier, "To be successful in business you only have to work half a day. It doesn't matter if it's the first 12 hours or the second 12 hours."

I support my local store, but I can see it suffering day by day.

Another thought is, that if you love to take photographs .... you won't have the time to do it if you are in the retail business.

Just my experience and opinion. Good luck.

Barry

[danhughes]

Have you looked at the money involved?

First you rent a store - say $1,000 a month.

Add insurance - $100 a month.

Then utilities - $200 a month.

Open six days a week? If so, you're doing business about 26 days a month.

Your $1300 overhead comes to fifty dollars a day. You have to make that much profit just to break even.

It gets better. Your initial outlay in stock - how many thousand there? What about help? How many employees will you hire? Do you know how much money it costs to hire someone - and salary is just the beginning. The gov't paperwork is unbelievable.

Can you beat Wal-Mart's prices? Or the internet? What can you offer that the internet can't? How will you stay in business when guys who have survived on shops like the one you are contemplating have gone bust the last few years?

Normally I tell people to chase their dreams, but this is one I'd run from.

[murtaugh]

I think everyone might be confused a little bit. First off I am planing on starting out online for the next few years while I am still active duty Air Force. I just want to get started online and then possible grow into my own store in a few years when get out of the military if I get out at all, and if not I will just run it online. And if I do actually get a store front in the future, it would be a family business and we would be running it in the begining to min cost. I also live in a huge tourist town and the next closest photograohy store is about 45 minutes away at least. So that being said I think I explained myself a little more clearly in this one, sorry for the confusing. Any comments and opinions are more than welcome. I could use all the advice I can get.

[liza]

Honestly, I'd find some sort of government job after retiring, if I were you. Unless you're already established like Roberts or B&H, success in this sort of business would be difficult at best. Most people do everything via the internet, including photo processing. And you can buy most of the little accessories at Walmart, Target, or some other discount store with whom small businesses can't compete. I don't mean to sound negative, just realistic.

[BradT0517]

My thing is that I HAVE to shop online as there is no store supplieing canon other than bestbuy and such till atleast new orleans

[Carzee]

I think with the booming DSLR market -have you been to a local event and seen how many people now have a DSLR!!- you got to look at the market; the goods and services. I would go with services not goods. On line shops have the goods end of the market but don't have a studio to rent and/or tutor. Objectively, the demand on DSLR "goods" resembles a vertical line on the graph since the 300D. Some correlative demand will reflect and follow that sales graph for services of various kinds. Picking a winning idea is the hard part. Hmmmm... the other day I mentioned that Belmondo should hire a tripod caddy... :)

[BradT0517]

I think with the booming DSLR market -have you been to a local event and seen how many people now have a DSLR!!- you got to look at the market; the goods and services. I would go with services not goods. On line shops have the goods end of the market but don't have a studio to rent and/or tutor. Objectively, the demand on DSLR "goods" resembles a vertical line on the graph since the 300D. Some correlative demand will reflect and follow that sales graph for services of various kinds. Picking a winning idea is the hard part. Hmmmm... the other day I mentioned that Belmondo should hire a tripod caddy... :)

I have noticed a lot of DSLR/SLR but i might have before and just not cared my question is how many people only buy the kit lens never shoot raw only use the idiot modes and never PP

[Ronald S. Jr.]

how many people only buy the kit lens never shoot raw only use the idiot modes and never PP

An awful lot, I'll tell you that. Hey, it's still better than most all P&S cameras, even if you always use auto mode.

[liza]

I have noticed a lot of DSLR/SLR but i might have before and just not cared my question is how many people only buy the kit lens never shoot raw only use the idiot modes and never PP

Far too many. And then they complain about their images not being sharp. :)