Who is Your Competition ?

[Mojo]

Pardon me for being a rock here and asking this question but I was curious if you guys and gals knew who your competition is ?

When I was consulting it was one factor we looked at. We identified the competition, thoroughly researched their strengths and weaknesses and then developed part of the marketing plans around these factors. This is essentially what I have done with our business.

Every canvas shop, awning and topper maker uses Sunbrella and poly thread. I identified early on the hatred coach owners had for this thread. If they are in the North then they get several years out of their toppers and awnings. But if they are located in FL, CA, NV, NM, AZ or WA then poly thread has a very short life. I am making replacement toppers that others made that have lasted only two years. The Sunbrella is stretched out and the thread is rotted and broken. These are all weaknesses I identified and capitalized on by using Solarfix and Sattler/Recacril.

Since I have no clue when it comes to the majority of your businesses ( marine, furniture, auto's, etc. ) I am wondering if you have identified your competition. Is it the other upholsterer or canvas maker down the street ? If your a furniture person is it cheap manufactured furniture ?

Canvas and marine people. How much business do you think you loose to cheap covers and biminis you can find on e-bay ? Or the cheap seats you can buy ?

I know where my competition lies and it is with the big corporations. They drive the prices for me and I am in direct competition with them. These are huge corporations who can out spend me so I had to find their weaknesses ( shoddy materials and poor manufacturing techniques ) and capitalize on them. It has been a great experience and has worked extremely well for me.

My question remains - Have any of you identified your competition ?

Chris

[sofadoc]

There is only one other furniture upholstery shop in town. We've known each other for over 30 years. We have a very good relationship. I never publicly say anything negative about him or his work, and as far as I know, he has never said anything negative about me.

We both have more work than we can do in an 8 hour day, and that's enough to satisfy both of us.

This is a price-driven society, so cheap furniture stores make it difficult for shops to charge what they would like to charge. The most common response I hear upon quoting a price is "I can just buy a new couch cheaper than that!".

But having said that, I still don't consider cheap furniture stores to be my competition. I'm not interested in sinking to their level. I mean, does an expensive clothing boutique really care what K-Mart is charging? Probably not. They don't want the K-Mart crowd. How will people know what the good stuff is, if they don't have bad stuff to compare it with.

Anyway, I make my easiest money fixing cheap furniture.

I know that many furniture upholsterers are fond of the relationships they have with interior decorators/designers. But in a way, I probably consider them to be my main competition. They want me to do the same work that I'm doing now.........only do it through THEM. Why should I be happy about a "middle man" getting part of the money that was meant to go in MY pocket?

But as I said before, I have more than I can do. And I'm very happy with my income (betcha never heard anyone on this forum say THAT before). I'll let you guys worry about who the competition is.

[baileyuph]

Competition is not a problem at "what" I do.  Plenty of work.

Doyle

[Mike]

I don't compete with the cheap catalogue boat cover or seats. there not going to call me anyway they want to spend as little as possible on a cover so buy a $400 cover online  0r a $300 bimini top these are the ones you see 2' over the guys head standing they buy the cover and 2 years later its junk at $200 a year, that whwen they call me but usualy they still have a cheap old boat they didn't want to spend a lot on a cover for anyway  . as far as seats unless somone3 got a free POS there nor going to do it right there gona get a premade set ot seats , but it they like there boat to look right like yot welcrafy they will reupholster. but even I wanted a bow fishing seat so I bough online ,, its off color but when I ready I will recover in matching vinyl


but my real competition is my local canvas shop , some may be cheaper some more? I did last week get a referral through a upholstery plains cars boats in a neightnoring county that got the upholoostery and passed on a sweet canvas job to me :) even I try to pass on work that's far and small

[SteveA]

Chris -

I never really gave it much thought..... mostly opposite the boards responses.  I do my work  - speak to customers if there are concerns - and as long as work comes -  I've not labored over what the rest are doing !
I wonder if my competition is scoping me out ?  Naw - I don't earn enough to raise an eyebrow  :(

SA

[Mike]

steve what do you sew?

[SteveA]

I'm a cabinet maker turned furniture repair/refinisher. Self employed now 39 years.  I started doing furniture upholstery about 10 years ago but never apprenticed in/with an established shop/upholsterer.  The jobs I take on given my self learned skills and a 31-15 machine are fairly limited - but I love learning and this site has been a haven for me - Thanks to all here who let me look on, continue learning, and listen to my failed attempts at humor -  Merry Christmas !
SA 

[kodydog]

I'll bet most of the upholsterers on this forum are at the top of there game. The folks who visit this site are looking for ways to improve their business. And my bet is most of them are the only shops in their area doing this. Always looking for ways to improve quality, customer service and more efficient ways to do business. So when you ask "who's your competition" most would say they have none.

Furniture stores are not my competition. I can honestly say manufactured furniture no longer makes a quality product. Not one stinking company. A lady called last week for an estimate. When I gave her a quote she told me she could buy new for cheaper. She is not the type customer I'm trying to attract.

Other upholsterers are not my competition. I've met or have seen the work of most in my area and can say with certainty that they are in it for the money first and quality second. Most will talk a good talk to the customer but when it come to doing the work a lot of important steps are left undone. For instance covering over old upholstery when obvious repairs need to be made. Often they do not have the skills required to perform the job properly. A lot of shops have no QC. Just throw the finished piece in the van, deliver it and hope the customer doesn't notice obvious mistakes.

If one is trying to formulate a advertising strategy a more important question may be who's your customer? Like most of the business owners who frequent this site most of my customers are upscale and educated. They know the stuff coming out of Asia is cheep and second rate. Often they have tried several different upholsterers and found them to be unprofessional and having shoddy workmanship.

My business model is use the very best materials, give exceptional service and unmatched quality.

My question is how do I advertise to attract these customers to my business and convince them I'm the guy they need to use?

[baileyuph]

Very profound response Kody, you hit all the notes to subject issue.

My short comments to the points/questions you raised or pointed out as very important matter to "us" types is:

How to spread the word about us:  Like Paul says, there are several but WOM (work of mouth) continues to be the most effective.  I took in numerous jobs this week, completed several to point out none ask the price and when paid by one repeat received not one extra but "Three"!  Yes, she gave me three gift cards to a very nice steak house.  Several others  verbally stated as soon as they get back from Hawaii/Florida and the like in a couple weeks, more work would be dropped off.  

Also, equal to spreading the word, is the sustained interest in getting better and more efficient.  As things change, this is an ever challenging effort, one that is even interesting and enjoyable.  Part of the execution is communicating on this site.

The importance of learning has been stated and continues to be a big part of the custom business.  One never learns it all, outside going to the bank, learning is one of the most enjoyable features of being a businessman.

Diversification adds to the business volume and actually it adds to the challenge of being more efficient, all said it makes the business more interesting.

Have a happy and prosperous -  fellow business people.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

.......... a more important question may be who's your customer? Like most of the business owners who frequent this site most of my customers are upscale and educated.

I'm not sure if "upscale and educated" best describes the majority of my customers. Sure, many of them are. But to put it simply, most of my customers have "discretionary income". They aren't bound by a budget. Their kids are grown. Their mortgage is paid off. If they want something, they buy it.

That's why women over 50 comprise the largest demographic of my business. Men just don't give a rat's behind about the furniture. And women under 50 don't always have the extra cash that they can spend any way they want to. They have to wait until the husband has bought all of HIS toys first (bass boat, golf clubs, hunting rifles, etc.).

I don't really think that upscale and educated are really key factors as they apply to MY main source of customers.
In fact sometimes it seems like the dumber they are, the more money they have. :)

[Mike]

Kody. I only onow the location of one upholstery shop. There is one on tv advertisi g far south of me but i do know of 5 other canvas / marine upholstery sop in my county. And im sure a few mobile set ups.   But i have a upholstery shop boats cars planes who recers me shen he has somthing in my area that is canvas that he dosent do.