Proshop - what would you include?

[Fluffy]

So, as some of you know. I'm opening a full time school. A good chunk of the profit will come from a well run proshop.

If you were to put together a martial art proshop what would you include?

And does anyone know where to pick up good MA rings at wholesale cost?

 

[IcemanSK]

Congrats, first of all!

I'd include things that students would actually use & then fun stuff. Let me explain. I'd sell only the sparring gear they'd use in class/tournaments, uniforms, patches, etc. & I'd sell fun t-shirts w/ the school's logo on it. I wouldn't sell stretching machines & things like that that I wouldn't recommend (nor use) just to make a buck. If weapons aren't a part of your curiculum, don't sell it. I've always found it disingenuos when an instructor sells things aren't a part of their class. T-shirts, hats, gear bags, uniforms....all that stuff w/ the school logo is a great idea. IMO.

 

[HKphooey]

If you can, keep track of your students sizes in your databse or files. Sounds like a lot of work but if you do it when you sign up, it helps you decide what average sizes to keep in stock.

Also, keep track of what is selling and waht people are special ordering. That will determine what you keep in stock.

Patches are a great source of margin, but you have to sell a lot. If you have any books or training DVD's that are specific to your style you should stock those. New students love to learn about the style they just started.

Because you have such a cool logo, I would get some neat t-shirts made up with your logo and sell those too.

Some other small things... Power Bars or sanck bars.

Gotta have the lime green saprring gear in stock!!!!!!

 

[bushidomartialarts]

a lot of studios have success setting up packages that go with the signup.

say, your beginning student will need a few things: curriculum manual, spare gi, tshirt, gear bag. put it all together, offer a discount.

when they are ready to spar, have that package ready, too.

this ups the volume of each sale you make, and helps you decide what to keep in stock.

it seems to work pretty well.

 

[MBuzzy]

Although TKD books are much more readily available than most arts, I would definately keep a stock of good, approved reference materials. That also is a great way to keep track of what your students are looking at. I know that in TSD, I have a hard time finding good references and there are often differences between the material and what I am studying.

Some people like to use books to job their memory at home...and as long as you maintain the disclaimer that no one should LEARN Martial Arts from a book without an instructor, I think that books can be very helpful.

 

[Andrew Green]

It's a easy question. What can YOU sell. If your sales skills suck and you don't like selling stuff, don't expect to make money on a pro-shop. Sell them the stuff they need obviously. Whatever uniforms you use, club t-shirts maybe, sparring gear, etc.

And what else can you convince them they need to buy?

Proshop never did much for me, but my sales skills suck. I sold people what they needed for class, and that was it generally it unless they asked for something special, in which case I usually ordered it, not having it stocked.