Shopkeeping Made Easy by kairos12 |  |
NEOPIA CENTRAL - Most people in Neopia have their own shops, perhaps for more
Neopoints, or to attract people to their guild, or simply because shop are cool.
But are their shops really successful and cool? Is YOUR shop really successful
and cool? If the answer to this question is "No", then keep reading for more information
on how to make your shop better. If the answer to this question is "Yes", then
keep reading anyway because this is a useful article.
Before I start on the article, I think I'll tell you how this article came
to be. The idea came to me while browsing a few shops, looking for a place where
I could get some Iced Fish Cakes. While I was browsing, I thought to myself,
"Man, some of these shops are so dull. Even I could tell them how to make it
better." That's when the idea hit me: Write an article in Neopia's number 1
newspaper for all of Neopia to see and use!
Step 1: A Shop Name
The first thing that you want to do for your shop to make it better is to think
of a cool new name. Don't name your shop "My Shop". It's unoriginal and boring.
To catch the eye of more Neopians, simply think of a name that expresses what
you want your shop to be or something that somewhat describes you. For example,
my shop is called "Moxie's Pad" because the name I use is "Moxie Girl". If you
are a fan of a certain kind of Neopet, like Peophins, then make the name of
your store something like "Peophins R Us", or "Peophin Palace",or even "Peophin
Paradise". If your store sells mostly candy, then maybe your store should be
called "Ye Olde Chocolate Shoppe" or something along those lines.
Step 2: A Shopkeeper Image, Name, and Greeting
The next thing to do is to make a shopkeeper, complete with a name and a greeting.
If your store is something like "Peophin Paradise", then you really must love
Peophins, which probably means that you own one. I would suggest that you make
your shopkeeper with the name and looks of your own Peophin. If they don't have
your pet's colour, then try something new! If your store is called "Ye Olde
Chocolate Shoppe", then try one of the chocolate pets (they come in Blumaroo,
Kacheek, and Wocky).
After the shopkeeper is made, there will have to be a greeting to go with it.
I suggest that it have something to do with the shopkeeper and shop and that
it should be kept short, sweet, and to the point. If the shop is "Peophin Paradise",
then make it something like "PEOPHINS ARE THE BEST!" If your shop is "Ye Olde
Chocolate Shoppe", then try for something like, "Mmm. Chocolate." Some greetings
that are used a lot include : "Buy something!", "Welcome to My Shop!", "Wazzup?",
and "Welcome!" I wouldn't suggest using them because they are just too common.
Step 3: A Shop Description
After the shopkeeper and the greeting are made, you need to come up with a
shop description. I would suggest that you make a description that goes with
the theme that you already have. If your shop is called "Peophin Paradise",
then make the description about your love of Peophins and Peophin items. If
your shop is called "Ye Olde Chocolate Shoppe", then the description should
mention chocolate and how awesome chocolate is. Another method is to look at
some other successful shops and take some ideas from their descriptions. But
DO NOT COPY! Keep your originality.
Step 4: Stocking
When you are done with your shop description, then you should be done your
shop, right? WRONG! You still need items to put into your shop. If you have
a theme, like "Peophin Paradise" or "Ye Olde Chocolate Shoppe", then stick mostly
with that that theme unless you see a really good deal. The Shop Wizard, The
Auction House, and The Trading Post are all great places to get great deals,
so definitely check them out. Here is a list of things that you really shouldn't
buy because they are a waste of Neopoints and overly used: Sandals, Tiki Tack
Keyring, Volcanic Rock, and Toy Sail Boat. They are stocked by EVERYONE and
you want to keep your uniqueness, right?
Step 5: Extras
I don't really use them, but other people do, so I thought I'd mention them.
Blogs, dolls, and backgrounds are common in shops today. Some express individuality
and uniqueness, while some don't. Some of them would be terrific with your new
theme, like there are Peophin backgrounds and dolls and there is a Chocolate
blog. The way to get these into your shop is through HTML, which is taught under
the "HELP" section in the yellow sidebar.
Step 6: Pricing
When you get your items, they have a Suggested Price, but I have never seen
an item where the best deal is its Suggested Price. Take the Strawberry Artichoke,
for example. It's Suggested Price is 169 Neopoints. The first thing that you
must do is see the Shop Wizard to check for the lowest prices. When I looked
for the Strawberry Artichoke on the Shop Wizard, the lowest Shop Wizard Price
was 15 Neopoints. Waaaaaay lower than the Suggested Price. After you checked
out the Shop Wizard, go back to your shop and price your items according to
the prices on the Shop Wizard, but at least 5 Neopoints lower, just to make
your item be the better deal and appear first on the Shop Wizard list. The Strawberry
Artichoke would then be sold for 10 Neopoints.
Step 7: Step Back and Watch
After you have finished all of the above steps, then you should be raking in
the Neopoints soon! You should empty your Shop Till weekly, but leave at least
100 Neopoints as a sort of reserve. If an item isn't selling, then check the
Shop Wizard again to see the best deals there and change your price accordingly.
If you see a good deal, like a Dark Nova for 3,000 Neopoints instead of its
usual 4,500, but it's a little over your budget, which is, say, 500, then go
ahead and splurge, because you'll make a 1,500 Neopoint profit!
That's all you need to do to have a cool, successful shop! Make sure to add
new items as much as possible to add a little variety and remember to update
your shop frequently. This is kairos12 and thanks for reading!
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