How to start up a shoe repairing business

A shoe repair business offers a range of services to its customers. These can include mending tears and holes in shoes, as well as polishing and shining them. Some businesses also offer other services such as key cutting and engraving. A shoe repair business can be a great way to start your own business. it is relatively low cost to set up, and there is a steady demand for its services.

One of the key things to consider when setting up a shoe repair business is the location. it is important to choose a location that is convenient for your customers, and that has good foot traffic. Another thing to consider is the type of equipment you will need. You will need a sewing machine, polish, leather gloves, and other tools of the trade.

There is a high level of competition in the shoe repair market, so independents may have to offer other services, such as key cutting. Check out our guide for practical tips and guidance on starting a shoe repair business of your very own.

Research your target market

To start a shoe repair business in your local area, you will need to find out if there is enough demand. Take a look at your competition first. Make a list of the businesses that offer some or all the services and (less importantly) products you intend to provide.

In addition to shoe repair shops, DIY stores will also be included (these may offer key cutting, engraving, and sharpening) and watch/phone repair shops if you offer this service (they may replace batteries and make minor repairs, such as replacing watch straps, glass, or screens), as well as shoe stores. Stores, markets, and parking lots at supermarkets can also be used by shoe repair businesses.

Shop location

It is important to consider the location of your shop. Because there is so much passing traffic on the High Street, more people know about the shop and may stop in to make impulse purchases or to make repairs. A small, independent shoe repairer may have to consider other areas if High Street premises are too costly.

Premises in suburban shopping centres, for example, may be an option. It is generally more affordable to own a premises like this, but it will still serve a fairly large catchment area. Also, local markets and supermarkets may have suitable units available to rent, which will likely benefit from high traffic levels.

If you want to avoid excessive levels of shoplifting, break-ins, and theft, check out the local crime rates.

Why will customers choose your shop

You need to convince enough customers that your shop will be the better choice than any existing outlet. Take a look at the competition to see:

• Their range of services
• How convenient it is to access
• Their prices
• Their opening hours
• The type of customer they are attracting
• If the premises and fittings are modern and smart

In the shoe repair and key cutting market, Timpson has over 2,000 outlets, and much of the chain’s expansion has been into supermarkets and parking lots. If Timpson branches are placed in locations that attract the most trade, you’ll need to take them seriously as competitors, regardless of their distance from your proposed location.

Check out future developments

If your proposed area is changing soon, such as with new road systems, local traffic will bypass your shop. If your proposed location is in a competitive area, you might want to find out whether Timpson is planning on opening a shoe repair store there.

Even the opening of a new business – like a supermarket excluding a shoe repair shop – could be a real benefit to your shop since they can greatly increase foot traffic.

Find out what people want

Identifying whether the people living and working in your area are likely to use your shop can be a good idea. Surveys could be conducted to find out:

• The degree to which the economy affects shoe repair demand. In addition, you may want to talk to any potential trade customers you have identified, such as sports teams, police forces, equestrian businesses, shoe shops, etc., that may require bulk repairs to leather goods and footwear
• Consider offering other services if there is a demand for them
• In your area, what would people like to see changed about existing repair shops?

Customer profile

Your market

Your customers may use your services for shoe repairs, key cutting, and probably other things, too, depending on the range of services you provide:

• Engraving
• Sharpening
• Watch repairs, fitting watch batteries and new watch straps
• Luggage and other leather goods repair
• Mobile phone repairs
• Purchases of shoe care products, laces, padlocks, key fobs, house numbers and so on and possibly shoes as well

After your shop is established, you will probably have a core of regular customers and a few infrequent or one-time customers.

Your customers are likely to come from all walks of life and have varying expectations regarding the amount they will be charged and the quality of the repair. This can be accommodated by offering, for example, both a standard and a premium shoe repair service.

In addition to being more expensive, the premium service uses better quality materials and is less time consuming. Depending on the economic situation in your area, however, a premium service may not be needed. Also, you might be able to offer bulk repairs to your local police force or army unit.

For simpler repairs, you might consider offering a ‘while-you-wait’ shoe repair service. Unless a close competitor offers this service for free, customers may be willing to pay a little more for this type of service. If you need to repair shoes online, you can also offer this service, where the customer sends his or her shoes to you for repair and you return them once the repairs are complete.

Offer your key cutting services to local vehicle rental firms and other companies that operate fleets of vehicles since they are likely to need keys cut fairly frequently.

Saddles and other items of tack may also be requested from riding stables. Even if you have to send this type of work to a specialist, it is generally worth taking on this type of work. If you accept this type of work, you may add a ‘handling charge’ to the fee charged by the specialist.

Special offers and discounts

Throughout the year, you may want to consider running special offers. Your customer base can be increased by offering these services. You should monitor your takings during these periods, however, to make sure that you are getting more custom rather than just giving your regular customers discounts.

When shoe repairers are traditionally slow (usually the summer months, especially during dry years), offering discounts may boost business.

Alternatively, you might consider ‘agency’ work, where you perform shoe repairs on behalf of another company. You would normally be required to accept quite substantial discounts from your usual rates in order to secure this type of work.

Decide what services to offer

A shoe repair shop is often positioned as a ‘multi-service’ facility, offering some or all of the following services:

• Shoe, boot and general leatherwear repair
• Key cutting
• Shoe and shoe care product sales
• Engraving
• Sales of accessories, such as handbags, belts and dog collars
• Watch repairs, fitting watch batteries and new watch straps
• Sharpening (scissors and tools, for example)
• Mobile phone repairs

You should have been able to determine the level of demand for various services in your area from your market research. It may not be feasible for you to offer all the services shown above, both in terms of space and finances. You may consider hiring external specialists to perform some of these services during the first few months of your business. This allows you to gauge demand for these services without having to spend large amounts of money and time learning new skills or buying machines and equipment.

Something different?

Additionally, to the services listed above, you may want to introduce new ones that aren’t offered in your area. Customers could send you a photo of the item they want repaired so that you can give them a quote online for key cutting and shoe repair.

People may remember you and return to your shop if you offer something a little bit different.

Key cutting

Some shoe repair shops cut twice as many keys as they repair shoes, and this can account for as much as 50% of their turnover. You may consider buying second-hand equipment instead of purchasing a new key cutting machine.

Among the types of keys you may be asked to cut are:

• ‘Yale’ cylinder keys
• Double sided car keys
• Transponder car keys
• Steel mortice keys
• Other special car keys
• Coded alarm keys

In place of turning away business, consider using the services of a specialist key cutter rather than trying to cut all of these types of keys yourself.

Operating practices

Quality standards

Shops that are bright, clean and welcoming tend to attract first-time customers. It is for this reason that high street stores, such as Timpson, try to make their business premises as difficult to miss as possible.

As you set up your shop, make sure that you keep the following in mind:

• Make sure the shop is clean, tidy, and professionally fitted out (don’t forget to check the outside of the shop for smart paintwork).
• Be very clear about what your shop offers from the outside (don’t forget to advertise any special services you offer, such as while-you-wait repairs, engraving, key cutting, watch or phone batteries/repairs, etc.)
• Your company is staffed with smart and knowledgeable employees (if you have any)
• Provides high-quality customer service

Advertising your shop

You can advertise your business in a variety of ways, some of which are free or require a small investment.

Before you open for the first time, advertise in the local press to let people know you will be opening. To attract customers, you might also consider offering a ‘discount with this advertisement’ type of promotion.

Make sure you don’t overlook the potential of your window display. Passers-by will learn more about your products and services from your shop window signs. Shoe repairers are periodically provided with eye-catching posters promoting the different services they offer by the Society of Master Shoe Repairers (SOMSR). When offering additional services, make sure they are well advertised, since most customers will associate shoe repairs, key cutting, and perhaps engraving with a shoe repair shop.

As well as advertising special offers and promotions, your shop window can also highlight new services and product ranges.

Distribute leaflets to local households and workplaces introducing your business to new customers.

Potential customers can learn more about your services and prices by visiting your website. It would be helpful if you included some shoe care tips and before and after photos of the repairs you have made.

Advertising campaigns should be original above all else. Marketing your shop in a new and different way doesn’t have to be expensive, but people are more likely to remember you if you come up with some unique ideas. It would be great if you were able to support charity events, sponsor rubbish bins or benches around your area, or sponsor inflatable blimps, for example.

Open your shop’s door whenever possible to welcome customers. Making your shop visible to passers-by is also a good idea.

Advertising in a trade journal like Cutting Edge might allow you to advertise your skill in the trade, such as specialist repair or key cutting.

Price your services

Make sure you don’t price yourself out of the market by checking how much your competitors charge for various services. In order to charge higher prices, you may wish to establish a reputation for quality. Even if your work is of high quality, you’ll probably have to charge similar prices to your competitors in the first few months after opening to obtain enough customers.

A prominent trading location can result in Timpson branches charging quite high prices. If you want to get enough customers, you may need to lower your prices. The Shoe Repairer forum website provides annual price surveys.

The Cutting Edge trade journal also publishes them periodically. As well as Timpson’s prices, they give average prices charged by repairers around the UK. Many additional services offered by shoe repair shops are included in the price surveys as well. If you want to set your own prices, you can use these as a guide.

It is also possible to find out the usual retail prices of the various types of keys from the manufacturers and suppliers of key blanks. Additionally, the other suppliers that you will use can provide you with information about the retail prices of other items, such as laces, shoe polish, etc. The recommendation prices are entirely up to you, of course.