Business idea - to use a warehouse

A

anan

Registered User
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Hello,
I am newbie to this forum. Have a question which Iam little embarrassed to ask - I will ask anyway. I did read about 100 previous threads in this forum to see if there is any similar question. Most of them are about 'How to'. Mine is about 'What to' and that is the embarassing bit.

I had planned to start a business in Jan 2007. I was planning to import Grocery and sell it through local deliveries. I completed all the fomalities - CRO / VAT / Accountant / Bank account / website etc., I did a course on Business startup, had a proper business plan and I was all geared up. I was about to sign lease on a property and even placed the order with the supplier.

Unfortunately things took a wrong turn as the stuff that I was importing ( pulses) was on a temporary export ban in the country of origin. Thought of changing the supplier (from a different country) but cost was not viable. So, I decided to put things on ice for a while until the ban is lifted but it was getting too long.

Meanwhile I have taken a full-time job and am quite happy with it. My commitments / Mortgages have increased and cannot now risk leaving the job. At the same time, I just can't think of working for somebody else in the long-term.

I also did another thing - Invested the money I had kept for business in acquiring a small commercial warehouse in an industrial estate in Dublin.

Now, I have the keys to the property and I feel really sorry to just rent it out and kill my ambitions of starting up my own.

At the same time, I don't have the money to go back to my import business, nor can I do it now with my full-time job.

I need a business idea where by I can start something without giving up my job. I can spend about 2 hours in the evening everyday and can spend all Saturday. My wife is ready to give about 3 hours ( 10 to 1) 5 days a week.

I was thinking of some warehouse storage and distribution kind of business where we could schedule deliveries in the morning or late evenings and I can do all the paperwork over the weekend. Is there anything like that which you know?

Basically, I need a business which requires storage space as the main ingredient and not big money. I can raise upto 15K by way of personal loans if I have to stock something.

I have a lot of experience on IT and am a regular ebay user. Haven't sold anything yet on ebay but can start if required. But what to sell is the question ?

Can you throw some ideas please ?

Thanks
 
Thanks Contemporary. That is what I will do as the last resort. I have to repay the mortgage:(

I re-read my post and realised that I am putting too many constraints. No time, No money, only space and what business is a ridiculous question ?

I will have to take the time constraint off. Maybe employ somebody full-time to look after the business with me and my wife taking turns to manage the show.

Any more ideas please ?

Do you think I can get a courier depot franchise or something like that ? Where can I get info on that ? I have looked all the franchise sites mentioned in the earlier posts.

Any help much appreciated.
 
Can you not source a different supplier somewhere that is even a small percentage more expensive? What kinda groceries are they? Can they only be got in one place?

There are millions of suppliers all over the place, ya just gotta research until you find what you are looking for.

You say you are good at IT, why not an IT mail order shop. Or an IT shop on Ebay, or make computers up from parts and sell them online etc.

You asked what to sell on Ebay? Try and find a niche in the market, ie something only you are selling and it harder for other people to get then you would make money, altho it has to be in demand or it wont sell but you get the idea. Another for Ebay is something you are passionate about, if you love musical instruments sell them, if you love model cars sell them. Get the idea?

You mentioned a courier franchise, try fastway couriers. Seen an ad for a franchise for those before. Altho youd want a lot more time for a courier depot.
 
Could you offer a budget self storage facility? I know of one such place in the uk which utilises wooden pallet boxes. Customers simply rent a box which is say a 3ft cube for storage purposes. You would just need the pallet boxes, a fork lift and someone to operate it and of course insurance but it should be possible to offer budget self storage for a lot less than the big boys are offering.

Worth looking into.

Matt

Better Business Results Ireland
 
Thanks folks.

Those are great ideas. I like the budget storage one better as I have done some research on the Computer hardware assembling and discarded that. Thanks again.
 
BetterBiz, If you don't mind can you PM me the details of the UK business which does Budget self storage please ?
 
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