In our age high technology We are constantly accompanied by gadgets. At work - computers, on the road - phones and tablets, at home - laptops and TVs. Undoubtedly, such close contact with technology significantly increases visual load and damages vision. In addition, hereditary diseases become “younger” every year, and visual impairment is no exception.
According to statistics, every fourth person today suffers from vision problems, some wear glasses, others wear contact lenses. But, in any case, a doctor’s consultation is required to select them. Therefore, people value optical salons with competent ophthalmologists.
From all of the above, it is obvious that optical networks are developing at a rapid pace today. A franchise gives an entrepreneur the opportunity to purchase ready business optics and open a salon under a brand that everyone knows.
Paperwork
Understanding the legal nuances of any business is quite a difficult task. It will be much easier for budding entrepreneurs to buy an optical business, because the franchisor usually provides comprehensive support, including on legal issues. Let's figure out what needs to be taken into account.
Choice of optics format.
If you plan to sell ready-made glasses and lenses according to prescriptions from third-party ophthalmologists, you will not need a license. If your optician is going to see a doctor, you will need to obtain a license.
Choosing a form of organization.
For start business will do both individual entrepreneurs and LLCs. If you do not plan to have an ophthalmologist on your staff and to select glasses and lenses, it will be enough to register as individual entrepreneur. Otherwise, you will need to register an LLC.
Registration of a license.
You will need to collect a rather impressive package of documents. Let me remind you that if you decide to buy a franchise and start a ready-made optical business, the franchisor will help you with all this. The package of documents must include constituent and registration papers, a conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor, documents for equipment and rented optical premises, as well as documents confirming the qualifications of doctors.
Just a couple of decades ago, young people wearing glasses evoked ridicule and sympathy. Today the situation has changed dramatically. Glasses have become not only a device for improving vision, but also an element of style. Tastefully selected frames and colored lenses create your own unique image, and not necessarily the image of a “nerd.” Much more often, it is thanks to glasses that a person looks representative and businesslike.
And experts classify the optical business as an “eternal” industry. Therefore, we can safely say that opening an optical salon is a promising undertaking and a profitable business that is not afraid of crises.
Optics market overview
The work of a modern optics salon occurs in two directions: the sale of corrective optics and vision diagnostics, followed by individual production of glasses.
Optical stores can be divided into three types:
— trays with inexpensive finished products , as a rule, made in China. The advantage of such points is the cheapness and availability of goods. The average price of glasses does not exceed 300-500 rubles. They are very popular among the poor. Sales volumes of such trays reach 65% of all corrective and sun protection optics. Income varies between 2-3 thousand dollars per month. Many of them became the first step in the development of a large optical business. But quite often there are situations when the total monthly income does not allow you to recoup the costs. Because, despite the cheapness, the consumer has become more picky and has begun to treat their health more carefully, and the quality of products from spontaneous outlets is usually not high.
— optical stores like medical institutions . Such points of sale are usually associated with pharmacies, shopping centers, and can be located as free-standing pavilions. They are distinguished by a high level of service, because implementation is carried out by people with specialized medical education. Typically, such a store has an ophthalmologist on staff who can provide advice and select the necessary glasses. The product range is quite wide, aimed at various consumer audiences: from inexpensive Korean-made glasses to expensive luxury Italian models. Some stores have workshops for making glasses to order.
Typically, large optical stores open several stores with diagnostic rooms, where consultations are held and orders are accepted. At the same time, the production of glasses itself is moved to remote areas of the city or outside its boundaries to reduce rental costs. The monthly profitability of salons of this class is quite stable and reaches the level of 4-6 thousand dollars. But to be called a brand salon, they lack the idea, uniqueness, and attachment to one well-known manufacturer.
— brand salons , as a rule, are distinguished by high quality and expensive goods. Many of them have a network of stores in different regions. The glasses can cost up to $1,500. Deliveries are organized directly from abroad or through official distributors. The profitability of the largest optical networks is in the range of 10-15 thousand dollars per month.
VIP-class salons have their own sales concept and take into account the latest fashion trends. They certainly have in their assortment luxury goods and, of course, branded models from famous brands. Such glasses models are made using modern technologies production of expensive materials for frames, and in some cases, valuable metals. The category of citizens who can afford to purchase optics in such salons is not large. Therefore, many chains target their assortment to buyers with average incomes.
As for forecasts for the development of the optical business, they are quite optimistic. The profitability of salons remains confidently at 15-20%. Market oversaturation is not expected, because, according to statistics, every person over 40 years of age has vision problems. And this line is falling lower and lower.
The younger generation prefers not to save on their health, but mostly purchase contact lenses. The level of sales of lenses, in relation to the sale of glasses, is in the proportion of 2:3. And, quite possibly, this figure will grow. In addition, the attitude of Russians towards their way of life is changing. People want to spend money on quality products purchased in specialized stores. And this ensures an annual increase in buyers of up to 20%. Therefore, the optics market remains quite attractive for investment.
Selection of premises
Depending on the services provided, the area of the premises is selected. For trading floor 40-50 sq.m. is enough. Optics is a specific product. Even small areas allow you to accommodate a wide range of products. In addition, as a rule, there is no need for storage areas. If the salon will engage in diagnostics and self-production points, then total area should be at least 80-100 sq.m.
The location of the salon plays an important role in generating profits. Therefore, it is advisable to set up a store in a crowded place, with good access roads and equipped parking. The interior should be appropriate - stylish, harmonious and not flashy. A skillfully selected design should bring aesthetic pleasure and a desire to return here again. You may need the services of a designer and project development.
Legal aspect of activity
Optics related business belongs to medical activities. Therefore, to create it, in addition to legal registration, it is necessary to obtain a license for medical and pharmaceutical activities. Documents are issued by the Ministry of Health and Federal service for supervision in the field of healthcare and social development. Necessary conditions to obtain a license are:
— presence of a person responsible for carrying out the activity;
— availability and legal ownership of premises and equipment;
— availability of personnel with appropriate education.
The premises will also be subject to increased requirements from regulatory services - Rospotrebnadzor, fire supervision, SES.
The time frame for issuing and approving documents may take several months. And the cost of paperwork will be about 5 thousand dollars.
Diagnostic room equipment
In accordance with SNiP for medical institutions, area medical office must be at least 18 square meters, and it must be equipped with a sink. Sanitary standards provide for compliance with the requirements for interior decoration and ensuring optimal conditions for the microclimate of the premises. Natural lighting must be provided in the office.
The cost of equipment for a diagnostic room will cost about 15-20 thousand dollars. Moreover, purchasing used equipment is not acceptable, because... when preparing legal documents, its metrological examination will be required. And the risk of failing these tests increases with the period of use of the devices being examined.
IN required kit diagnostic equipment includes:
— autokeratorefractometer, a device for measuring refraction and parameters of the corneal surface – price from $6,500;
- dioptrimeter - a device for measuring diopter and selecting optical glasses - price from $1,500;
- ophthalmoscope - a device for examining the fundus of the eye - price from $1,500;
- slit lamp - apparatus for microscopic analysis of the eye - price from $2500;
- pupillometer - a device for determining interpupillary distance - price from $200;
- sign projector - a device for determining the acuity and nature of vision - price from $2000;
— a set of trial lenses is used for examining vision deviations and selecting corrective optics using the trial method – price starts from $600.
It is also necessary to arrange a medical office necessary furniture and an ophthalmologist's workplace.
Glasses workshop
Usually, optical shops, in addition to sales, provide the following types services:
— production of glasses, taking into account the chosen frame;
— manufacturing and tinting of optical lenses;
— repair of frames and ultrasonic cleaning of glasses parts.
To perform these services you will need the following equipment:
— a machine for turning lenses. It is designed to scan the frame parameters, center and give the desired geometric shape to the lens. And also for polishing the end of lenses - price from $2200;
— a manual machine for final processing of lenses. With its help, the grinding of lenses for a specific frame is completed - price from $220;
— dioptrimeter, necessary for marking the diopter in the optical center of the lens and restoring the required center-to-center distance in glasses - price from $520;
- heating hair dryer, softens the plastic frame, for subsequent installation of the finished lens - price from $130;
— a device for ultrasonic cleaning of small parts of frames and hard-to-reach areas of glasses – price from $1,300;
— a manual forester is used to cut a groove at the end of the lens, intended for subsequent installation in forest (semi-rim) frames – price from $230;
- a drilling machine, necessary for drilling holes in lenses for the manufacture of glasses with screw fastenings - price from $210;.
- welding machine, designed for repairing and soldering frames - price from $10,000;
— a set of hand tools – price from $100.
If such equipment is available, an experienced master optician will spend no more than 1-2 hours to complete the task. For an optical salon with an impeccable reputation, this is a good indicator. Therefore, in order not to lose customers, you should not increase the order fulfillment time.
But the order assumes that ready-made frames are already in stock. However, most companies are expanding their capabilities and manufacturing frames themselves. In terms of profitability, the production of glasses from the initial stages occupies a leading place among small and medium-sized businesses. Moreover, frames can be used not only for vision-correcting glasses, but also for sunglasses.
The cost of a complete line for the production of frames will be 25-50 thousand dollars. The manufacturer largely influences the price of equipment. The cheapest will be Chinese machines, the more expensive will be German and Swiss. For service production workshop, you will need a team of 3-4 people. And the productivity will be from 1000 to 2500 products per shift.
Formation of assortment and personnel selection
The cost of purchasing the goods will cost from 25 to 50 thousand dollars. The wider the choice, the more productive the salon will be. Therefore, the assortment should include at least 500 types of frames, 10-15 types of contact and spectacle lenses and at least 80 diopters of each a separate type, as well as sunglasses and accessories. Contact lens care products must contain at least 10 items.
Recruiting qualified personnel can be the most difficult task when organizing eyewear business. In particular, this applies to experienced opticians. A shortage of this profession has long been evident in the labor market. And each salon deals with the current situations in its own way. Some lure specialists from competitors, others recruit graduates of universities and colleges. One of the options for solving the problem is self-training. Training a master optician, followed by his employment, will cost about $320. Also, the mandatory staff must include an optical consultant, an ophthalmologist, a manager, and an administrator.
The total amount of initial investment will be at least 100 thousand dollars. The payback period for optical salons depends on the number of services provided. On average, this figure is 1.5-2 years.
Currently, approximately 30% of the population has serious vision problems. Considering the large amount of time spent in the evening near the TV and computer, these indicators increase almost every year. And glasses become not only a tool for vision correction, but also an attribute modern style. Most people love to use them without having any vision problems at all. This, in turn, increases the number of potential customers. Based on this fact, you need to seriously think about how you can create your own points trading point. And in this article we will try to tell you about Surely, our publication will allow you to learn a lot of interesting information.
Market and competition analysis
This publication will help you find out whether it is profitable to open an optical salon in your city. Of course, this is a profitable event, but it is important to take into account many features.
It is worth starting the opening of such a point by conducting a market analysis. But it is worth saying that many entrepreneurs have already done this. And the results of the study of this market turned out to be very optimistic. It turns out that over the past few years retail network, engaged in the sale of optics, has increased almost 8 times. And, according to many experts in this field, the optics market is only 55% full. But still, there is a limiting factor called the Russian mentality.
Many Russians cannot afford to buy frames that cost several hundred dollars, and very rarely visit an ophthalmologist, while wearing optics for several years that no longer corresponded to their level of vision.
How much does it cost to open an optical salon?
conclusions
It is excellent in creating an optical salon. In this area there is quite a lot high profitability and fast payback periods. But still, you will need to obtain licenses, special pharmaceutical equipment and have a decent start-up capital. And remember that this cannot be done without personal efforts. Therefore, be patient and hope that everything will work out for you.
Current ideas for making money
- Is there a need for external financing? For what purposes do you use it?
Happens. For example, when they opened a new outlet in St. Petersburg, additional funds were required to purchase a large number of goods.
Sometimes money is just needed to replenish working capital when you need to fulfill a purchasing plan for certain brands.
- Which banks did you contact?
I only contacted Sberbank. I realized that it was an extremely tedious process, a lot of documents, certificates and collateral.
I myself have been a client of Alfa-Bank for 8 years. I learned about a new lending service and decided to try it.
- What is the essence of the service? How does he work?
An easy way to get money to develop your business. But it’s not the bank that lends you money, it’s the people. Risks are distributed for investors, and the loan approval process is simplified for borrowers.
- How do you evaluate the service?
Everything is done easily and simply with one click in personal account. You don't even need to communicate with technical support. You can repay the loan at any time with one button. So I clicked on Friday and the loan was repaid on Saturday.
- How is it different from banks?
Of course, the ease of submitting documents and the speed of decision-making. But in addition, if you look into the question, the interest rate in Potok is optimal for a loan for a period of 180 days (2% per month). On average, banks take out a loan for 12-24 months. At the initial stage, in the monthly payment, most of the amount will be interest, but in the Stream in the payment, interest takes up a fixed amount.
In general, I am sure that even at the current refinancing rate for 180 days, you will overpay less in Potok than if you took out a regular business loan and repaid it ahead of schedule on the 180th day.
How quickly did you collect documents and receive money into your account?
For one day! I uploaded a bank statement from an Alfa-Bank client to Potok, and the very next day in the morning the money arrived in my account.
- How much did you borrow for? Why were you sure that you would return it?
I took out two loans for 500 and 700 thousand rubles. Closed both ahead of schedule. Took amounts
not large, based on the average monthly turnover, so that payments do not create a burden on the business.
- Do you plan to use the service in the future?
Next week, perhaps, I’ll take some more money to purchase goods. I believe there may be a cash gap.
- Do you plan to act as an investor?
I've already tried it. I checked how it works. It turned out to be convenient.
- Advice for entrepreneurs. When is it worth and not worth taking out loans?
I would not recommend taking out loans for startups or businesses in the first stages of development. First you need to understand how it works and how much money it brings you. There must be experience and some statistics on turnover. And for development, expansion or specific projects - it’s possible.
Today, 25% of Russian residents suffer from visual impairments, and the rapidly increasing computerization of the country suggests that this figure will only increase. In such realities, the most favorable conditions are created for the development of the optical industry.
In addition, now glasses are not only a correction tool, but also an attribute of style, which means that there is no doubt that the products offered will be in demand. How to open an optical salon? What costs does this require? How to properly establish trade and bring your business to a level good income? Read about all this in the article.
Legal basis
Theoretically, you can open a salon while being an individual entrepreneur. However, practice shows that you should start by registering as entity(LLC), because most likely you will need a license. Opticians cannot work without it. There is an exception: if you are simply going to sell ready-made glasses, you do not need a license. But then the circle of buyers will be quite narrow, so don’t expect good profits.
If you want to offer clients corrective glasses and lenses that comply with a doctor’s prescription, you will need to equip a special office (workshop) for the production of glasses and, of course, purchase a license to engage in medical activities.
Its design will require numerous permitting documentation. These are constituent and registration papers, a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion, documents for equipment and premises, documents confirming the qualifications of optometrists, and so on.
Yes, the list is scary. In this regard, many novice entrepreneurs who do not fully know how to open an “Optics” are beginning to think about the services of legal agencies, which, by the way, are not cheap. Although, in fact, you can collect a package of documents yourself in three to four weeks. In this case, you will only pay government fees.
Selecting a room
As you understand, find suitable premises should be done before obtaining a license. Where to open an optical salon? Here, too, everything depends on the range of services that you plan to provide. Experts recommend placing such objects in shopping centers, in close proximity to large stores, on the central city streets.
If diagnostic services are not included in the business plan, an optical salon can have an area of 40 square meters - this is quite enough, because it is possible to provide a fairly wide range of goods within a relatively small space, while warehouses will not be required.
It’s a completely different matter if you plan to immediately position yourself as a large salon offering vision diagnostic services and making custom glasses. In this case, you cannot do without additional territories. According to GOST, only the diagnostic room must have an area of at least 18 square meters. But it will still be necessary to equip the premises for a workshop. In this case, all objects must respond sanitary standards and fire safety requirements.
Before opening an “Optics”, you need to properly decorate the premises. The design should be thought out in advance. An abundance of light, a stylish interior, good display cases - all this creates the atmosphere of a professional salon.
Difficulties shouldn't scare you
Many businessmen who think about how to open an “Optics” ultimately give up this idea, afraid of the difficulties. And in vain! Most entrepreneurs who do implement their plans eventually gain a foothold in the professional optics market and open entire chains of stores where, in addition to the direct sale of vision correction instruments, they also provide diagnostic services and also accept orders for the manufacture of optical instruments. At the same time, the production itself is usually moved to one of the peripheral branches, where the cost of renting premises is lower.
Formation of assortment
You have already learned how to open an optical store. No less important is the question of what models of vision-correcting devices to sell there. Here everything again depends on the format you choose. When targeting middle-class consumers, it is necessary to create the widest possible range to satisfy the needs of people with different incomes. In addition to corrective glasses, you should also sell contact lenses, sunglasses, eyeglasses, vision training equipment, chains and other accessories.
Separately, it is necessary to say about sunglasses, because their presence in the assortment can significantly increase profits. You can start putting such optical devices on display in February, because already in March the sun begins to shine brightly, and the peak demand for glasses is reached in April.
Equipment for Optics
The diagnostic room must be equipped with at least the most necessary devices: an ophthalmoscope, a refractometer-keratometer, a sign projector, a slit lamp. You'll also need a set of trial lenses and more.
On average, such equipment for Optics will require costs of 350 thousand rubles or more. A professional line for assembling glasses, including devices for drilling and painting plastic lenses, machines for processing lenses, a diopter meter, an ultrasonic cleaner, a centralizer, etc., will cost between 1.2-1.8 million rubles.
Staff
In the salon where diagnostic services are provided, the appointment should be conducted by a competent ophthalmologist who can give recommendations on eye care and the choice of corrective instruments. Ideally, this specialist should also be a contact specialist in order to be able to prescribe contact lenses. As a rule, two doctors work in shifts at Optika.
Experienced sales consultants should be present in the hall where optical instruments are sold. Their task is to help clients choose glasses frames, brand of lenses, and also advise on any other issues. Therefore, such workers are required to know everything about glass and plastic lenses from a variety of manufacturers.
The salon also needs a director. He must have a professional pharmaceutical education, work experience in his specialty, and an accreditation certificate.
If two doctors, two sales consultants and a director work in the store, then labor costs per month will be at least 150 thousand rubles. About forty percent of this amount will have to be given to the state budget as tax deductions and payments to various funds.
Point Collector
We did not include the specialist who makes prescription glasses among our employees. In a professional salon, of course, you can’t do without it. How qualified a specialist you need will depend on the quality of the equipment.
So, if you have in your arsenal a modern semi-automatic or fully automatic machine for turning lenses, the qualifications of the master may be low; the job can be handled (subject to minimal training) by a person interested in technology and capable of making at least something with his own hands. If the salon only has a cheap manual machine, then to work on it you will need a highly qualified craftsman, who is currently very difficult to find.
Activities with children
Do you want to increase your income? Then open an office in the optics salon where classes will be provided for children with vision problems. In every city, unfortunately, there are many children with astigmatism, myopia and other pathologies. But they can be helped not only surgically, but also with the help of special sets of exercises.
Modern treatment programs allow you to train the eye muscles and slow down the loss of vision in children and get rid of strabismus. Parents are willing to pay any amount for this opportunity, and queues form for such offices. You will need a separate room, some equipment, but not as expensive as for diagnostics and assembly of glasses, and one or two nurses on staff.
Finally
So, the question of how to open an “Optics” sounds very relevant today. The domestic market in this segment has not yet been filled, as a result of which the trade in optical devices that correct vision, their production according to a prescription, as well as carrying out diagnostic measures, in total can be called a promising type of business. If you first understand all the intricacies of the business, choose the right trading format, overcome all the initial difficulties, then you will certainly become the owner profitable salon optics, and perhaps even several. Good luck!
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