Reply to THIS thread
Start a NEW Talkback Thread
Talkback Home

FAO SUE - Eneida (22nd Mar 2007 - 11:55:35) Well Sue you have only been posting here for a few days and already you've made a sale you may not have made otherwise!! Others may well follow....that's the power of the internet for you. So here is a serious, well meant, suggestion....why don't you set up your own web-site? With the vast stock you carry why not exploit all the channels open to you to reach a bigger market? Many specialist shops already do this. Why not you too? A simple site would probably be adequate to start with and I'm sure the clever people at Liphook.co could give you some advice on how to go about it. It would be another string to your bow....at least think about it !! Good Luck Eneida :)

Re: FAO SUE - liz (22nd Mar 2007 - 16:47:06) Good idea, Eneida. Sue, I hadn't realised your shop sold bedding - so will call in next time I need some! I thought it was mostly buckets, pots, pans and that sort of thing. Maybe a bit more advertising itemising your range of goods would pay dividends!

Liphook Hardware - sue (22nd Mar 2007 - 19:17:11) To you all Thank You!! I have considered website and we should be on the Liphook Business site, but Im a simple soul really, and am not convinced that it would change the situation we now face, and certainly us running our site would not encourage shoppers down to Station road. The problem is bigger than that. Liz I would like to invite you to brouse our wares and oh, you are not alone - many, many people do not know what we stock, mores the pity, we opened the second shop 2.5 years ago, and right up to today people still comment on either they didnt know we were there or they knew and had never been in to see what we sold. The irony of the whole thing is that 2 years ago, we invested over £1,500 on an advertisement board to last 2 years in.....SAINSBURYS!!! The very place everyones goes. its still there - albeit in totally the wrong place - on the exit wall to the right. Just proves people do not read. Another advertisement costing £25 per month is in .. the CO OP on the TV screen. We have placed regular ads in the Magazine, unpteen pounds have gone on Delta radio, newpapers, carnival pamphlets etc and much shoe leather has been worn by my personal delivery of Flyers. We even have some of the laziest people in the county here - its too far for some to walk from our Hardware to our Houseware shop a mere 6 average paces to buy things they need. Just to make you laugh, a while ago 3 senior people asked for a good frying pan in the Hardware(thats where they used to be) and was informed of our then new shop. Where is that? they said. next door but one on the right was the reply. Oh we never go right was their response. They proceeded to turn LEFT, try to cross the road to the charity shop to look. My husband took one hand and walked them into the shop, hey presto they were so amazed bought pan and much more!!. Actually this is a great opportunity to clear any confusion over the possible shop closure. I think Paul was confused too, The HARDWARE is NOT under threat YET, but the HOUSEWARES is. I had 14 customers today buying 16 items(in total) spending £75.68(in total). this has been the norm for the past 6 days (except Saturday and yesterday when the nice lady purchased her bedding). Now do you understand why i say it is seriously under threat. 2 shoppers spent £35.95 between them. A comment was made to me that I should concentrate on infill products that sainsburys no not sell which has been where the sales are comming from - but I know that the range in there now will not remain so in the near future, they will jiggle the stock once they have reached saturation point and move onto something else .. like bathroom sets, bath mats bathroom scales - just the very thing i do too. Hay Ho.

Re: FAO SUE - Dave L (22nd Mar 2007 - 23:01:03) If (and I know it wont be) its any consolation, I had a business in Farnham with a good turnover, and bending to public pressure I included an Off-License at a cost of £30.000. After three months of trading the great god Sainsburys shut the access road (with permission from Waverley B.C) for two months. After Sainsburys built their superstore I had no customers left and in the last week of trading I took the grand sum of £35.00. I will as always shop locally, and by the way your herb cutter and box is still going strong after twelve months use!!

Re: FAO SUE - Steve Read (22nd Mar 2007 - 23:30:53) Without wishing to rain on your parade Sue and with all due respect to yourself and Trevor, yours is not the only business hurting. We all are! Are Sainsbury's alone the whole reason for the business stalling? Why are there so many vacant shops down at Station Rd? Look at the business rates and rents as well. I know how frustrating it can all be, there are many times you wonder if its all worth it. I think a great many of the regular posters on this site really don't have any idea what its all about. I would look into Eneida's suggestion for sure, it might gain you some business. Advertising as we all know is one of the biggest scams going especially for small business's. You can literally throw thousands at it with next to no return, the art obviously is to advertise in the right place for you business. For me although different to you I find Yellow Pages and Yell.com the best. Tried all the others over the years and not bothered since. Wish you all the best, diversify and look for the niche market I'am sure things will pick up for you both.

Re: FAO SUE - sue (23rd Mar 2007 - 09:50:51) Steve thanks for your message - even though i have been embroiled in a conversation recently about my Business - the whole underlying message, and why i started this was to heighten awareness of the WHOLE street, and all those along it. I may be wrong but it certainly feels that more are aware now than if I hadn't done it!! I feel so passionatly that Station Road needs to up the anti and place it firmly in the minds of locals that it just may be worth a visit. Many, Many times I have heard people say 'New Town' Station road, never go there - nothing there, or I live at the other end of the village its too far!! As far a I am concerned this them and us is so outdated, and to refer to it a New Town in its self only adds to the problem we are after all LIPHOOK. I Had an Idea after visiting the new store to counteract their advertising scheme, which was more to attract those living out of the area, than those here,; to club together as a Street and promote each business. I talked to Delta, worked out a trial ad, sent full letters explaining why it was important, 2 price options for different levels of description, personally delivered them, was greated with 'Fantastic, great Idea, something needs to be done' ... you would think easy. Not so - apart from one definate, 2 we will wait and see the rest would not pay for anything. Some have not even had the decency to reply. So if i harp on about My Business it because the others can do it for themselves!! Maybe the idea wasnt that good? - so new fresh ideas welcome. Perhaps we could errect an new canopy over the entire street, from the station to the Dentist, so it is then undercover, and the shoppers would not get wet, darting between shops - after all it would become a new shopping centre - very popular places they are to shop - modern, obviously the traffic would be banned. then we might beat the the decline. Just another mad scheme - probably. Got any? could do with a laugh. I have got other ideas for the shop - still hush hush and its NOT what sainsburys will ever do. Have to do a bit more market research. Unfortunately, it would mean loosing many of the lines we do now, putting much backinto the Hardware - squeeze it in somehow, but Im buggered if my family livelihood and future will suffer for too long.

Re: FAO SUE - Eneida (23rd Mar 2007 - 09:58:48) Steve you are so right and have hit the nail on the head!!! My husband and I had a small shop once too, so I do know how hard it is to compete with big business....you can never do it on price and there's no point stressing about what they're going to stock next. It's essential that you find your niche market and advertise in the right place, as you've said. To be honest Sue, I didn't know you sold bedding and towels either (and I bought a whole load of both recently!) and from what you're saying it's obvious not many people in Liphook are aware of YOUR shop...I've been in your husband's of course. I don't think you quite understood what a meant by having your own web-site. It can serve two purposes you see, one would be as an advertisement for people to go into your shop, of course. But the other, which might be even more profitable, is that you can do mail order. You would be surprised how much business people do over the internet!! Eneida

Re: FAO SUE - sue (23rd Mar 2007 - 10:14:30) Dave, Yes, I know i am not the first - or the last, people lose business everyday and jobs. My feelings go out to them all. In the great scheme of things I do truly believe that every cloud has a silver lining - we only need to find it. Now I sound optomistic. I believed myself to be a realist. May be all I need is a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, shoppers in abundance (because no fear of getting wet!!) EVERYTHING back to normal. Silver linings or something silver may appear!! Hope you managed to turn yourself around quickly?

Re: FAO SUE - John (25th Mar 2007 - 11:51:19) FAO hardware Sue. Hi Sue, For future reference :do you stock the bags of ready mixed mortar/concrete ? Been meaning to ask for ages. All the best,John .

Re: FAO SUE - sue (26th Mar 2007 - 10:26:08) John Re: Sand/cement ready mix bags(small) Of course we do!!. Thanks for the enquiry just checked while writing this and we have at least 10bags(10.20am on Monday morning) Liphook Hardware

Re: FAO SUE - Sam (26th Mar 2007 - 17:44:46) Hi there Sue, After reading your hilairious vitriolic comments, it would appear you have a slight grudge (albeit a little one) against Sainsburys????!!! Am I on the right track? I visit Sainsburys in Liphook every week, sometimes, two or a three times a week and the staff are fantastic and very professional. I love shopping there and will continue to do so. A+ for Sainsburys and all its staff!!! The staff in Sainsburys are only doing a job and a great one at that. I have been into the store since the extension and I love the new products, the clothes etc. I am sure if the staff in Sainsburys read your comments they would be very upset and probably would not be willing to visit your shop and purchase your hardware. Move on Sue, life's too short! Sam.

Re: FAO SUE - sue w (28th Mar 2007 - 19:34:29) Sam You obviously didn't read all the comments properly. I have NO problem with the staff!!. LOL

Re: FAO SUE - Sam (30th Mar 2007 - 13:47:06) Hi Sue, LOL (laugh out loud to those not in the know!) I wonder if the hard working people earning an honest wage in SainsburysLOL at your posting - methinks NOT. Just been in to the store and its packed, obviously they are doing something right. Lots of happy shoppers enjoying the experience and the lovely new products! LOL.

Re: FAO SUE - candyfloss (30th Mar 2007 - 18:38:25) Sam I have no gripe with you or any one, but reading sue's comment, it would appear that the LOL was to you for not reading the situation correctly - Not laughing at the staff!!.

Re: FAO SUE - Sumi Beken (2nd Apr 2007 - 13:52:11) Hi Sue and All Completely agree with the idea of the website; I spent almost twenty years in the book business and the plight of the small independent bookshop vs the giant chains and supermarkets is well documented. The indies have fought back by a) using the website to list their wares and promote their specialist knowledge - they were on an equal footing with the giants and could beat them with the knowledge and b) customer service - nothing beats personal service and knowledge. I believe that Haslemere are currently working on an initiative with Wey Hill businesses - something that Station Road traders could learn from. I would have expected all traders to have got themselves advertising slots on this site here and have put their profiles in the business section. There are various local business and save the highstreet campaigns going on at the moment - perhaps an opportunity to link up and share knowledge and experiences. This is an issue perhaps the Liphook Herald and Messager could take up? Localism is only as good as the locals want to make it; I read this weekend of a village in Dorset which has made itself self-sufficient by growing its own food and working with local farmers and small-holders. If we want to change our environment, we need to make small but determined changes to the way we live and shop.

Re: FAO SUE - sue W (2nd Apr 2007 - 19:54:46) Sumi, Yes, you are right there are a few organisations very interested in the plight of small traders vs Large supermarkets. Unfortunately, these take a long time to collect and collate the information given, submit them to the correct body, and then that body to act upon it. It is possible that it is all ready too late to help Liphook, but I have passed on what has happened here to the Office of fair Trading, who passed me back to the Complaints Commission, who are expanding their investigation into unfair price fixing to now include competition at local level with independant traders, the Rural Shop alliance are especially interested, and I have been speaking to them. It does now seem that people are taking more notice of my original reason for opening up this discussion about station road, because more people used Somerfield's. There are a lot of business and people who use that store EVERYDAY, and to Treck to the big 'S' is not practical or CONVENIENT! The big 'S' just can't do 'quick shopping' - the Co-Op is the only alternative, and no matter how hard they try, will not help those in Station Road. (have you ever tried to park there in the mornings, fight your way past mums & dads dropping off kids) We at the hardware are looking to expand our cleaning section, and if we can strike a good deal with suppliers - perhaps our prices can be more competitive, at least it can perhaps give locals a bit of hope!!

Re: FAO SUE - Allan (3rd Apr 2007 - 17:36:58) Hi Sue, Bought an outdoor weatherproof spotlight bulb in your shop today. It cost £4.20. Just for the craik, I looked up the cheapest price it was available from specialist next-day-delivery suppliers. £3.99, Sue, What you think about that? Course that didn't include delivery charge as min. ord. of £70 required to avoid that. I came to the conclusion that for an extra 21p it's a bargain 'cos it's on our doorstep, service given with a smile and you are there at the disposal of all of us at the drop of a hat. Worth a darn sight more than 21p, I reckon.

Re: FAO SUE - sue (3rd Apr 2007 - 19:41:31) Allan, Thanks for your support. what a great deal extra you get for 21p! Just spoke to the Boss Man, he said if you ever feel the urge to spend £70 on spot bulbs - speak to him first - you would get them for a lot less than £3.99!!. (cash customers only!) Just for the record, we normally run a promo on lightbulbs, normal 40/60watt bayonet bulbs are 45peach, buy 10 for £3. (30p), BRANDED name ones too, not cheap 'own brand'. If anyone ever wants to purchase large amounts of anything - just ask if a discount is available - you could be very surprised. Sue

Re: FAO SUE - Eneida (5th Apr 2007 - 09:27:07) Hi Sue, I'm sorry that my suggestion that you could set up your own website to highlight your shop and what was sold there (ie sheets, towels etc) has upset you so much....it was meant to be helpful advice, but obviously just my opinion!! BTW I'm glad that your business has increased since you 'upped your profile' by posting on this internet website :) Eneida

Re: FAO SUE - sue W (5th Apr 2007 - 10:29:12) Eneida You havn't upset me at all - just frustration!. Your suggestion i realise was 'in the best possible taste', but even a staunch advocate of 'web' selling failed to do exactly that!. The information you needed was on this very site all along. Having spoken to most customers, very very few have even heard of this Liphook.co.uk site, or if they have - never used it. I have passed on the details of the FREE advert for local shops - some didn't know anything at all others said they had known about it but never used it. Ed - perhaps you should do more to sell your site? - Tried going on the web (- sorry just my sense of humour!!) Most of the sales have been generated by the good old shoe leather system - the cheapest. I have offered voucher to enter a draw of £20 off when they spend in my shop - so i have proof that it is working.!

Reply to THIS thread
Talkback Home