Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

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Does Wal-Mart hurt screen printing shops?

Yes
2
13%
No
11
73%
Whats Wal-Mart?
0
No votes
Have to wait and see...
2
13%
 
Total votes: 15

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ROADSIDE
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Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Post by ROADSIDE »

Ok....
My shop is located on a major highway that leads from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. Currently the stretch of road I am on is somewhat rural.
BUT thats all about to change.

2 years ago they built a dinner 2 doors down from my shop. Since then business has gone up. Yesterday I received a letter from the zoning board and they are trying to re-zone the entire area around me to build a TGIFriday's, Old Navy, Bed Bath Beyond.....
I am think theses store could help my business.....

but here is the killer they are also trying to build a Wal-Mart across the street from my shop!

Is this going to put me out of business? Everyone always says that Wal-Mart kills small business.....

What do you think .... What should I do?
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
boraxx
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Wal*Mart vs. Small Business

Post by boraxx »

We had a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter open a few years ago, but the only businesses that realy suffered were KMart and a family-owned clothing store. Both busineses closed down within a year of Wal-Mart's opening. After four years a long-time local hardware closed down but I think it was as much a result of Ace Hardware opening as it was Wal-Mart. Like in a small rural area is rough enough without businesses being closed down but I think the increase in local employment far outweighs any negative impact.
Just my personal opinion.
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ROADSIDE
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Post by ROADSIDE »

I look at it this way.... With a TGIFridays across the street people that dont know I am here will start to notice.
More cars = more customers!

I am concerned that people will want to buy sweatshirts and such from wal-mart and have me print on them. I am not really comfortable doing that because I lose money and sometimes mess up and item.

I might even try to open a small retail store off my shop.... maybe sell goods that wal-mart doesnt carry...
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
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Wal-Mart

Post by boraxx »

More traffic is a good thing and I wouldn't worry about Wal-Mart. If they want you to print on Wally's shirts...just say no, the quality can't be depended upon. Wal-Marts pre-prints won't cut into your business because they don't have that good of a selection.
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Post by Travis_Underground »

for the most part I would figure that you can get shirts and sweatshirts at a cheaper price per shirt than walmart...
I wouldn't worry about it. The restaurants should help business... like the person above said... more cars= more money...

I know our shop is located about 10 mins from walmart, 5 from a Kmart, and like 5-10 from a mall so we do print alot of shirts that are just brought in... but when they are customer provided its understood that We will try our best to make them look fantastic but we cannot garuntee that they will be perfect everytime... when we mess up we do USUALLY replace them... sometimes its You get what we Give type of situation...
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Post by jaydlbug »

Unless Wal-Mart decided to do custom screenprinting why would you be worried? But opening up a retail shop, well that doesn't make any sense, that's where Wal-Mart will be directly in competition with you and you will not win that.
"It beats ditch digging!"
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ROADSIDE
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Post by ROADSIDE »

Roadside wrote:maybe sell goods that wal-mart doesnt carry...
CUSTOM ITEMS
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
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Post by Tagg3r »

Before putting up the money for retail space, I would find out how you can get in-touch with Wal-mart's regional buyer. We have a small shop, and have had some success with bringing in our stuff to Wal-Mart with "hit & miss" apparel. (Local event stuff) If that doesnt work, I would go retail, You have the ability to react on the local stuff faster then them.

One thing that we have noticed with our Wal-mart is they are trying to get into our school spirit wear business. now that is the part that sucks :x

We are more of a design driven shop, not so much price item... So keep your designs better then theres, and you should do fine!!! But hang in there, It will all work out.

Later,
If everyone wears a t-shirt, should'nt they be good looking ones!
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Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Post by HelpRunMyshop.com »

IMO if they bring you walmart shirts tell them to take them back and have walmart print them i just hate cheap people lol
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Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Post by VVP »

I know this post was forever ago, but have they built the Walmart yet? What was the result?
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ROADSIDE
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Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Post by ROADSIDE »

actually the economic downturn put the breaks on the project from what I am hearing.
Has not hurt us any. We are trying to buy up the land while the going is good.
.... I can give you my opinion but I can't tell you if it's right or not.
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