Business Plan. Opening a motor oil shop at a car service station
A car oil store – is one of the promising business niches in the car maintenance industry. Judge for yourself, the number of cars is growing, which means that the demand for consumables, including oils, is also increasing. Naturally, before diving into the world of narrowly focused business, you need to feel the ground, assess competitors and your own capabilities.
What documents are needed to open a motor oil shop
Like any type of commercial activity, the point of sale of oils for cars requires registration. To open a single outlet, it is sufficient to register a sole proprietorship.
So, you will need a number of documents:
The following documents are required
- Certificate of registration of a legal entity or sole proprietorship.
- Agreement of purchase or lease of premises for sale.
- Licence and authorisation for the sale of explosives and flammable substances.
- Certificates from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Facility and the Fire Department.
- Certificates of quality of sold products.
In addition, it is necessary to arrange a Buyer's Corner, where you need to place useful information about the shop, the Book of Complaints and Suggestions, advertising materials.
Facilities and staff
The usable area of a shop selling car oils should be from 15m2. It is best if its façade is adorned with an eye-catching advertising sign.
Additional signage is best.
Equip the space with shelving, display cases, cabinets.
If possible, purchase equipment to sell motor oil on draught. Give the customer the choice of which oil to take and in what quantity. Such a service is very popular with owners of mid-size cars. And a free oil change at the service station will further boost your company's rating.
And if you can, get a free oil change at the service station.
When planning your point of sale, you can prioritise both customer self-selection and vendor dispensing.
When recruiting your staff, look at their qualifications first and foremost. An experienced salesperson will not confuse the specification of motor and gear oils, their difference in colour, the effect of different additives.
An experienced salesperson will not confuse the specification of motor and gear oils, their difference in colour, the effect of different additives.
Note:If your car repair shop services climate systems, you'll probably need a modern air-conditioning system flushing unit.
Search for suppliers
The most popular oils among car enthusiasts are Castrol, Motul, Shell, BP, Elf. To find reliable suppliers of these products, visit the official websites of the brands. Either you can co-operate with them directly or find out the coordinates of certified representatives in your region.
Cost of opening
It is difficult to say how much money is needed to open a car oil shop, as the costs of starting a business vary considerably in different cities of the Russian Federation.
If we take approximate figures, we can talk about 20-25 thousand dollars for the registration of documents, purchase of products, equipment of the sales area, covering utility costs, wages and advertising.
At the end of the day, it is difficult to say how much money is needed to open an automotive oil store.
Business Promotion
As we pointed out above, beautiful attractive signage – is already a big part of your shop's success. But you can't do it without a quality advertising campaign.
At first, you can attract customers with promotions and gifts, as well as free services at your car service. Also order advertising on leaflets, which are better to distribute near shopping centres and other places where people congregate in cars. A catchy commercial played on themed radio stations will work well.
What are the prospects of opening a motor oil shop?
If you put together a well-thought-out auto oil shop business plan, hire professional staff, and offer a wide range of products at affordable prices, your business will pay for itself in as little as 1-1.5 years.
