Women's Boutique Shoe Store Business Plan

One, Two, Step! will carry only top of the line quality in women’s shoes and accessories. Our selection will range from the basics of comfortable flats and sandals to the trendy style of stiletto shoes and boots. We will be purchasing through sales representatives and manufacturers in a variety of sizes, colors and style to fit our customer base. The greatest percentage of merchandise will be in shoes, followed by accessories.

One, Two, Step! is organized as a sole proprietorship in the name of Chloe Goodlowe. One, Two, Step! will be located at 123 Shoe Lane in  Houston, TX, temporarily, until it is vast enough to expand into a store of its own, located in West Houston.

The hours of operation will be Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and closed on Sundays. Customers will be able to purchase directly from our website and VIP Showcase Events. There will be extended special hours designated during Christmas holiday shopping season.

All merchandise will be purchased according to the company’s mission and customer focus of shoes ranging from sizes 5-13 and accessories. Management will rely on customer feedback, suggestions, and sales reports to introduce or eliminate certain brands, styles and sizes.

The Concept
Recognizing that the market for quality shoes in extended sizes is quite competitive using the larger shoe retailers, One, Two, Step! will minimize the competition by targeting specific niches, generally focusing on other retail stores whose prices are too expensive, lack quality and are not “shoe size efficient”.   

One, Two, Step! has three keys to success. The first is establishing a high quality, high value relationship with its vendors and customers. The second key is to ensure reliable and timely delivery of their products. The last key to success is reliable administration of the organization. This boutique business plan is intended to provide the structure to make sure this last key to success is realized.

One, Two, Step! is set up as a home-based business, with plans for expansion into a store/boutique in the near future. This will be the most cost effective arrangement, yet provide the requisite amount of service and support.

The Market
One, Two, Step! will grow at 3% and there are many potential customers now, patiently awaiting the start of business. One, Two, Step! will differ from other retail shoe stores because we will always be less expensive than the competition, but we will still maintain the high quality of our shoes.

Also, we will offer a sales promotion on a monthly basis, such as:

• buy one, get one half price
• buy one, get one free
• half off on shoes from the previous season
• “One, Two, Step!” dollars (for every $50 dollar purchase, the consumer receives an additional 20% off of their next purchase)

In the future, One, Two, Step! will design its own, custom-made shoes for women and men.

The Sales Strategy
Our marketing strategy will not exceed 5% of our annual gross sales. We will use a wide range of approaches, including our website with free shipping, postcards, business cards, and word of mouth.

Objectives

The objectives of One, Two, Step! are:

1. To market trendy, elegant shoes, ranging from sizes 5-13, that will cater to the needs of the everyday woman.
2. To receive a 50% profit margin within the first year.
3. To provide customer service, measured through new and repeat business (our goal is that 50% of our customers will return within 6 months for an additional purchase) and multiple sales (our goal is that 30% of our non-running and 60% of our running shoe sales are accompanied by an additional purchase).
4. To achieve a net profit of $5,000 by year two and $15,000 by year five.

Mission

The One, Two, Step! mission is to offer quality, name brand shoes and accessories in an assortment of sizes and styles to accommodate the chic in every woman.

Keys to Success

In order to succeed in the women’s shoe industry One, Two, Step! must:

• Carry an assortment of shoes sizes and style to fit the personalities of any woman.
• Provide customers with top-notch personalized customer service in an atmosphere of southern hospitality.
• Advertise and promote in all areas so that our customer base will learn more about One, Two, Step!
• Continuously review our inventory and sales and adjust our inventory levels accordingly.
• Most importantly, always stay on top of the latest trends in the style of women’s shoes.