Business Studies homework

This week for Business Studies, you will be evaluating business ideas with your evaluation appearing in your blog. The evaluation should include:

a. details of the product/service idea
b. strengths/weaknesses of the idea
c. pictures if possible
d. if a product, details as to how the product works
e. website address(es)

In time you will know more. Visit this site, explore it, look through the checklist...

Saturday’s blog

Car Valeting/Washing in Supermarket Car Parks

CONCEPT: While shoppers shop at big, busy supermarkets, in the car park, their cars are being valeted or simply washed or cleaned at a certain agreed level of service. An agreement and fee will usually need to be paid to the supermarket in return for the ‘use’ of their customers.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.wavescarwash.co.uk

Sunday’s blog

Smoothie/Juice Bar Operator

CONCEPT: In high traffic locations, fresh juice and Smoothie bars offer instant cashflow and plenty of retail action to a small business entrepreneur. According to Boost Juice, for example, their franchisees sell a collective total of 1 million juice drinks every month.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.boostjuicebars.com; www.vivajuice.com.au; ww.originalsmoothie.com; www.juicejunction.com

Monday’s blog

Novelty/Fancy Dress Costumes for Kids (Online/Market Stall Sales)

CONCEPT: As mentioned in several new small business entries here, those ventures that can appeal to impulse buying spontaneity - especially with children - are usually on to a winning entrepreneurial formula. Look at coin operated gumball machines, an ancient technology, but

still profitable in 2008/9. Here, we are tapping into children’s love of costumes and fancy dress, especially through a market stall where children can see, touch, and try on dazzling costumes.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.fancydress.com; www.allfancydress.com; www.joke.co.uk;

www.pinkpineappleparty.co.uk

Tuesday’s blog

Gourmet Ice Cream/Frozen Yoghurt Stand/Gelato Stall/Shop

CONCEPT: Gourmet Ice Cream stores appeal to impulse-buying behaviour and thus can do very well in high traffic locations. They also offer novelty appeal compared to other fast-foods that consumers feel jaded with.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.valentinesicecream.com; www.honeysgourmet.com; www.chapsicecream.com; www.gourmeticecream.com.au; www.milwaukeejoes.com;

Wednesday’s blog

$1/$2/$5/$10 Store

CONCEPT: This small business revolves around a discount store where every single item inside is under $1 or $2 or $5 or $10. This can be operated as either a standalone venture, which is harder given the need to source all of the cheap inventory, or as a franchise where that side of the business has been sorted out. The websites below have more information on such franchises.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.poundland.co.uk; www.dollarstore.com; www.dollarstore.ca;

www.dollaritem.com; www.dollardiscount.com

Thursday’s blog

Old-Fashioned Barber with Cheap Men’s Haircuts

CONCEPT: Men (especially older ones) want cheap, fast, no-frills haircuts. Even barber shops are franchised in today’s franchise-mad small business world! Also consider variations where attractive women are the ‘barbers’, like the ‘bikini car wash’ business model as a point of difference.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.rudysbarbershop.com; www.vbarbershop.com; www.belmontbarbershop.com

Friday’s blog

Gold/Gemstone Prospectors Store

CONCEPT: A specialized store for amateur/semiprofessional gold or gem prospectors. Many individuals enjoy this pastime as an outdoor hobby and are willing to spend considerable sums on getting the right equipment – dredges, metal detectors, sluices etc. One variation is to set up the business as an online store, possibly within eBay, even as a stepping stone to a ‘real world’ store.

REAL WORLD BIZ: www.lifestylestore.com; www.armadillomining.com; www.abprospecting.com; www.modernprospector.com

Also...

Order a company report on a company in an industry that is of interest to you. Place the order here: http://ft.ar.wilink.com/asp/P003_search_ENG.asp