Thailand Live Tuesday 15 October 2024

[fritter1970]

I am hoping to get some advice. Hopefully from someone with actual experience!

The missus is interested in opening a mini-mart type shop in her village which is an hour from Chiang Mai.

Does anyone have any idea of the start-up cost of such a shop?

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

[Ulysses G.]

It would mostly depend on the rent that you pay and what you stock it with. I'm not sure that anyone can help much with your question.

[Dellboy218]

It would mostly depend on the rent that you pay and what you stock it with. I'm not sure that anyone can help much with your question.

Maybe Mr. 7-11 can. No harm in asking them how much for a franchise! I seem to remember someone in the wifes village doing just that.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

7-11 Franchise is pretty expensive; they also arrange quite a bit for that of course. I believe that's around 1.5 million.

For your own shop it's just the shelves and fridges inside, your inventory, and any cost in purchasing and transportation. You can do a good estimate by just plugging it all into Excel, that should give you a rough idea based on how fancy you want the shop to be. 500K should probably go a long way.

It's a typical 'piece of string' question though. You can basically spend what you want.

Best approach: Let the Mrs. plug it all into Excel. If she doesn't have a clue what to spend then she shouldn't be running a business.

Edited July 5, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hehehoho]

How long for a village mini-mart shop to make 500k net profit?

What's she going to say when all the villagers want credit and don't pay it back?

[Tonto21]

Sorry 'fritter1970' I really don't wish to sound rude,but I know at this point….Just thinking about it, it probably sounds a good idea. Set the wife up with a nice little business, maybe if things go well in a few years it will bring in some cash to sustain you living in Thailand.

Both 'winnie' and 'hehehoho' have hit this nail on thehead for me.

I would advise against doing this…..'Bottomless pit'and all that. You do know Thai villagers don't have any money….And they certainly are not going to give what little they have to any business with 'farang' connections. But what do I know……….Best of luck.

Edited July 5, 2011 by Tonto21

[CMSteve]

Good points... also, are you prepared to have your missus manning the shop all hours of the day/night? Do you live in this village? ROI on this is tough if not close to impossible, completely impossible if an employee is running it.

How long for a village mini-mart shop to make 500k net profit?

What's she going to say when all the villagers want credit and don't pay it back?

Edited July 5, 2011 by CMSteve

[Atmos]

We spent just over a year living rural, got to know a farang who'd set his wife up with a shop.

Built a new house with the shop running across the street frontage, open from 7am till late evening.

Heard similar stories many times over - between credit and her friends/family who didn't want credit - they just didn't want to pay, ever.

A lack of understanding that money received is not 'profit' - that stock costs money too . . . it was a 90km return trip to Makro or any other wholesale supplier, and due to limited cash available, they'd do this trip every week

He finally admitted that the best month they ever had money-wise was a month they went away and locked the place up, and just had to make payments for the freezers (leased) and electricity.

His defence was 'it keeps her busy'

A permanent drain on his pension.

And on his life, often she's be out with 'friends' leaving him with a pile of dvds and a bottle of Thai whisky for entertainment.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Atmos

[Dellboy218]

7-11 Franchise is pretty expensive; they also arrange quite a bit for that of course. I believe that's around 1.5 million.

For your own shop it's just the shelves and fridges inside, your inventory, and any cost in purchasing and transportation. You can do a good estimate by just plugging it all into Excel, that should give you a rough idea based on how fancy you want the shop to be. 500K should probably go a long way.

It's a typical 'piece of string' question though. You can basically spend what you want.

Best approach: Let the Mrs. plug it all into Excel. If she doesn't have a clue what to spend then she shouldn't be running a business.

'Morning Winnie. I mentioned 7-11 as a girl in my wifes home village in Issan bought one, I think it was 1 million (at the time), she did so well out of it she bought another one. I would imagine though that is the exception rather than the rule and the location of those shops would have a very large part to play in it.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Dellboy218

[uptheos]

Heard similar stories many times over - between credit and her friends/family who didn't want credit - they just didn't want to pay, ever.

A lack of understanding that money received is not 'profit' - that stock costs money too

It's usually a case of "you buy the stock and I'll keep the takings"........not really a sound investment.

I'm never quite sure why people need to buy things like this 'to keep the wife busy'.......how about housekeeping, cooking, gardening a hobby, taking a course or volunteering somewhere.......or heaven forbid a little job.

Weren't these wives busy before meeting a farang?........ Nuff said

[hehehoho]

Indeed.

[Semper]

Heard similar stories many times over - between credit and her friends/family who didn't want credit - they just didn't want to pay, ever.

A lack of understanding that money received is not 'profit' - that stock costs money too

It's usually a case of "you buy the stock and I'll keep the takings"........not really a sound investment.

I'm never quite sure why people need to buy things like this 'to keep the wife busy'.......how about housekeeping, cooking, gardening a hobby, taking a course or volunteering somewhere.......or heaven forbid a little job.

Weren't these wives busy before meeting a farang?........ Nuff said

They were busy looking for one.

[fritter1970]

Thanks to you all for your feedback. Your advice has aided me in making the decision to abandon the idea... I think you have probably just saved me several hundred thousand baht!

[uptheos]

Thanks to you all for your feedback. Your advice has aided me in making the decision to abandon the idea... I think you have probably just saved me several hundred thousand baht!

No one can tell you what to do or what not to do, in the end it's your decision.

A lot of advice on TV is good and much of it comes in a different form than you thought.

However, I think the bottom line is that there aren't many TV members that want to see a fellow farang lose money.

Our fee for saving you several hundred thousand thousand baht is.....................................just kidding, good luck.

[Dante99]

If it was a good business, 7-11 would have done it already.

[clinique]

If it was a good business, 7-11 would have done it already.

This is probably the most spot on post.

7-11 do continual research on where the right customer traffic is to open a mini mart.

As I understadn from a friend who owns 2 of them, 7-11 franchises cost between 1.5m and 3million depnedingon size and location.

hey provide (as partof thecost) all the systems etc, so if I was going to open such aplace it would be thru them, as the likelyhood of losing money (by lost takings, unpaid credit or lost stock) is very low.

I havent read their materials but my friend tells me basically 7-11 'guarantee' that your investment will be paid off in 18-24 months..

My friend makes about 300,000- amonth from his 2 stores now, been doing it for about 3 years.

A local village store would be rife with problems in respect of credit and systems.

As said, the choice is yours, we dont want to see anyone lose money..

[Atmos]

^ 10,000 profit per day from 2 stores?

That would be daily turnover of ? 75-100,000 baht every day of the week, for each store?

Other threads on this site suggest 40k per month from a 7-11 once all franchise and staff costs paid.

[clinique]

Just telling what the owner says. They are larger stores in busy areas is all i know and have been open for 5 yrs +.

But with the figures that you suggest, then the profit margin wouldbe between 3 and 5% - which also would be unrealistic me thinks. Assuming a 10% profit margin on turnover of say 1,500,000- would be turnover of 50k per day, which if 500 customers per day is an average spend of 100- baht. In high turnover area not unrealistic.

[Semper]

fritter1970.

Let her open the shop in her parents house in her village. No rent, stay for free etc. You just have to stock up the store (beer is essential), buy a comfortable chair, have a beer or two and supervise the commerse.

And you have to buy a TV for the Saturday-Sunday Muai Thai Boxing, this will attract the locals for some gambling and drinking.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Semper

[uptheos]

Let her open the shop in her parents house in her village. No rent, stay for free etc. You just have to stock up the store (beer is essential), buy a comfortable chair, have a beer or two and supervise the commerse.

And you have to buy a TV for the Saturday-Sunday Muai Thai Boxing, this will attract the locals for some gambling and drinking.

Now that's a sensible idea.

[OlafStapleton]

Thanks to you all for your feedback. Your advice has aided me in making the decision to abandon the idea... I think you have probably just saved me several hundred thousand baht!

Baby keep wife busy and more cheap than shop!

All shop/beauty salon/restaurant lose money for foreigner.

[uptheos]

Thanks to you all for your feedback. Your advice has aided me in making the decision to abandon the idea... I think you have probably just saved me several hundred thousand baht!

Baby keep wife busy and more cheap than shop!

All shop/beauty salon/restaurant lose money for foreigner.

Good thinking, but I just don't get this 'keep the wife busy' thing......anyone would think they like to lay on the sofa watching soaps, whilst the underpaid Burmese maid skivvies her heart out......which of course is not true.

Don't any of these wives work or volunteer or something?

Edited July 6, 2011 by uptheos

[Raindancer]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture where the Thai woman has no concept of business practice nor research of footfall to support the wonderful dreams of her fantastic business venture and future proposed prosperity that bear no reality. All because she says ..."I need to keep busy".

Come on guys ...wake up....this is typical and normal "modus operandi" from the "phoo ying Thai"

Thailand does not offer a social system of old age pensions in the private sector.....thus Thai women believe that they can make it in business .....but they cannot do so unless a Farang helps them to start the business.....and even then ..I have seen so many so called businesses fail.

Why....because they repeat the same ill conceived business plans and this is a recipe for disaster and the Farang husband/live in lover just wants to keep his woman happy., because of his soft heart...thus he supports a failing business idea from day one, from his hard worked pension or savings. Eventually he may, through ill judgement, end up with nothing to show for it, including a so called loving wife.

I do not recall in all my time here, hearing of a Thai man bankrolling a Thai woman to help her build a business. I wonder why?

A bit harsh....but true.!!!

Edited July 6, 2011 by Raindancer

[Semper]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture where the Thai woman has no concept of business practice nor research of footfall to support the wonderful dreams of her fantastic business venture and future proposed prosperity that bear no reality. All because she says ..."I need to keep busy".

Come on guys ...wake up....this is typical and normal "modus operandi" from the "phoo ying Thai"

Thailand does not offer a social system of old age pensions in the private sector.....thus Thai women believe that they can make it in business .....but they cannot do so unless a Farang helps them to start the business.....and even then ..I have seen so many so called businesses fail.

Why....because they repeat the same ill conceived business plans and this is a recipe for disaster and the Farang husband/live in lover just wants to keep his woman happy., because of his soft heart...thus he supports a failing business idea from day one, from his hard worked pension or savings. Eventually he may, through ill judgement, end up with nothing to show for it, including a so called loving wife.

I do not recall in all my time here, hearing of a Thai man bankrolling a Thai woman to help her build a business. I wonder why?

A bit harsh....but true.!!!

This is why they want to get married to Farangs.

[Raindancer]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture where the Thai woman has no concept of business practice nor research of footfall to support the wonderful dreams of her fantastic business venture and future proposed prosperity that bear no reality. All because she says ..."I need to keep busy".

Come on guys ...wake up....this is typical and normal "modus operandi" from the "phoo ying Thai"

Thailand does not offer a social system of old age pensions in the private sector.....thus Thai women believe that they can make it in business .....but they cannot do so unless a Farang helps them to start the business.....and even then ..I have seen so many so called businesses fail.

Why....because they repeat the same ill conceived business plans and this is a recipe for disaster and the Farang husband/live in lover just wants to keep his woman happy., because of his soft heart...thus he supports a failing business idea from day one, from his hard worked pension or savings. Eventually he may, through ill judgement, end up with nothing to show for it, including a so called loving wife.

I do not recall in all my time here, hearing of a Thai man bankrolling a Thai woman to help her build a business. I wonder why?

A bit harsh....but true.!!!

This is why they want to get married to Farangs.

spot on Semper...There is one born every minute. No apologies for my cynicism...Just plain truth. Buyer beware!!

[Ulysses G.]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture...

I know of several businesses - that are losing money hand over fist - where the farang husband insisted that the Thai wife open and run it, even though she had gainful employment for a decent salary, that she enjoyed, which he made her quit.

It is not only Thais who know nothing about how to run a business.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Raindancer]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture...

I know of several businesses - that are losing money hand over fist - where the farang husband insists that the Thai wife open and run it even though she had gainful employment that she enjoyed before which he made her quit.

It is not only Thais who know nothing about how to run a business.

Another good observation of failing businesses because the investor, Thai or Farang does not understand the Thai economy of supply and demand.

[uptheos]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture...

I know of several businesses - that are losing money hand over fist - where the farang husband insisted that the Thai wife open and run it even though she had gainful employment for a decent salary, that she enjoyed, which he made her quit.

It is not only Thais who know nothing about how to run a business.

Indeed, how often does a farang open a bar for about 500,000 Baht (half of which probably goes into the wife's secret bank account) and then he sits there all day bored off his chuffer, trying looking like a customer, hoping someone will order a beer and give him 25 baht profit for that day......oh dear.

[hehehoho]

Let her open the shop in her parents house in her village. No rent, stay for free etc. You just have to stock up the store (beer is essential), buy a comfortable chair, have a beer or two and supervise the commerse.

And you have to buy a TV for the Saturday-Sunday Muai Thai Boxing, this will attract the locals for some gambling and drinking.

Now that's a sensible idea.

Demanding drunk, poor village men pay you, the rich farang their hard earned money would be interesting. Can I come and people watch?

[mccw]

How many times must we hear of a Thai wife married to Farang who asks them to bankroll them into a business venture...

I know of several businesses - that are losing money hand over fist - where the farang husband insisted that the Thai wife open and run it even though she had gainful employment for a decent salary, that she enjoyed, which he made her quit.

It is not only Thais who know nothing about how to run a business.

Indeed, how often does a farang open a bar for about 500,000 Baht (half of which probably goes into the wife's secret bank account) and then he sits there all day bored off his chuffer, trying looking like a customer, hoping someone will order a beer and give him 25 baht profit for that day......oh dear.

And drink more than that profit while hanging and bored