Hardware.

[Gatua ng'ongo]

I am planning to start General hardware business. Now pros and cons of the business zikuje.
Then I'd like to have your ideas on where there is potential for the business to do well if you know of a locality where there are no hardwares or the few existing are poorly stocked you can guide me on that as I conduct site survey.
TIA

 

[sani]

a hardware thrives where there are other hardwares, kama ni town. capitalize on competitors weaknesses, kuwa na products unauza ile bei ulinunua, za kushika customers.

weka products kama zote, units kidogo kidogo, badala ya product moja unit mingi

 

[Masgwembe]

Good luck with that. It's easy to start, but maintaining it ndio noma. You'll Keep your bankers happy with the several loans and overdrafts.

Better find a niche product and specialize in it e.g. aluminium frames, decorative doors and windows etc.

Best location now is any county HQ plus online and offer free deliveries. Except kwa akina @Bingwa Scrotum there, they'll visit your shop for free spare parts....

 

[Randy]

Following...

 

[Old Monk]

Unaeka serious stock ya essential building materials cement brands kadhaa mabati brands na sizes kadhaa chuma nails pale mashinani na kagari ya deliveries.

Mahali niko I can count 10 hardwares that have since closed in the past 5 yrs,business was good like 6 -7 yrs ago

 

[Jimjones]

Since the margins are very small, you will have to capitalize on volumes. Then KRA nowadays are attracted to hardware stores kama inzi na mavi! Mara ETR, mara compliance audits, mara arrests! WTH!

 

[Randy]

Since the margins are very small, you will have to capitalize on volumes. Then KRA nowadays are attracted to hardware stores kama inzi na mavi! Mara ETR, mara compliance audits, mara arrests! WTH!

Juzi I was buying tiles somewhere in kasa... I was surprised to see a k.r.a guy wearing a luminous green coat with kra branding at the shop... tile nilinua last November 2020 at ksh 830 are now retailing at 940. This mofos are out to get us...

 

[Jimjones]

Juzi I was buying tiles somewhere in kasa... I was surprised to see I k.r.a guy wearing a luminous green coat with kra branding at the shop... tile nilinua last November 2020 at ksh 830 are now retailing at 940. This mofos are out to get us...

That is true! One day ask the hardware guys about KRA operations and they will scare you kabisa! In fact, many are still paying KRA debts after those visits.... if you make an error like not issuing ETR receipt, they quickly arrest you! Yet the margins are so small!

 

[Contractor]

Serikal

 

[Old Monk]

Since the margins are very small, you will have to capitalize on volumes. Then KRA nowadays are attracted to hardware stores kama inzi na mavi! Mara ETR, mara compliance audits, mara arrests! WTH!

manze wamehangaisha watu huku Naivasha

 

[mbwakali]

Enda kwa new areas where land is being/has recently been subdivided into plots or where the existing roads have recently being tarmacked raising the price of land ..
Pesa ya hardware IMO tamu ni ile site you are the first to deliver ile chalk humark mitaro. When they start kuchimba foundation they always have ready disposable cash and buy in huge volumes ...later on when they've spent a huge chunk of money on the project they may start bargaining/complaining "kwani hizi vitu ni pesa mingi aje?". Get customers at their excitement stage. Anyway if you start one ,by hook and crook jaribu sana (hata Kama wengine huwa wajinga tu sana) to not lose customers

 

[Jimjones]

manze wamehangaisha watu huku Naivasha

Many jua kali guys do not understand tax matters like VAT and income tax filing and payment.... wakishikwa and they get audited, the shops go bankrupt because of the demands for the payment of principal taxes, penalties and interests! Trust me, ni kubaya!

 

[Jura]

Sahi Kenya kufanya biashara ni triky

 

[olemarkus]

Kujaribu ndio kujua.Its a good venture though capital intensive and high competition inapunguza margin sana.Pia customer kukopa sana(it's a business which you can't avoid kukopeshana)

 

[Oti ulemsee]

not a bad idea, look for a place with many upcoming housing developments like around thika road ingia huko kimbo, k.road, juja huko ndani ndani ufanye market analysis

 

[Old Monk]

You also have to grease the palms of brokers,fundis,foremen...to get a steady steam of customers

 

[Wanaruona]

Juzi I was buying tiles somewhere in kasa... I was surprised to see a k.r.a guy wearing a luminous green coat with kra branding at the shop... tile nilinua last November 2020 at ksh 830 are now retailing at 940. This mofos are out to get us...

A friend told me in Kisumu hardware ziko na risiti mbili. Moja ni ETR ya KRA ile ingine ni manual Handwritten. ETR ni ya misumari na vitu za bei ndogo. Simiti,mabati na expensive zote ni Kwa manual. KRA ina pewa mashilingi noti hawakaribii.

 

[Jimjones]

A friend told me in Kisumu hardware ziko na risiti mbili. Moja ni ETR ya KRA ile ingine ni manual Handwritten. ETR ni ya misumari na vitu za bei ndogo. Simiti,mabati na expensive zote ni Kwa manual. KRA ina pewa mashilingi noti hawakaribii.

Trust me that they will be caught sooner than later! KRA officers normally go round make random purchases too and arrest you if you issue receipts without ETR if you are VAT registered! My friend was arrested after selling a screw driver worth 50 bob and did not issue an ETR receipt.

 

[Wanaruona]

Trust me that they will be caught sooner than later! KRA officers normally go round make random purchases too and arrest you if you issue receipts without ETR if you are VAT registered! My friend was arrested after selling a screw driver worth 50 bob and did not issue an ETR receipt.

You do it to your loyal customer. Mtu Ka @Randy anajulikana Kwa hardware mingi he don't need ETR receipts. Na this foreman buy things in bulk so pia yeye ataprofit Kwa hiyo commission ya juu.

 

[Jimjones]

You do it to your loyal customer. Mtu Ka @Randy anajulikana Kwa hardware mingi he don't need ETR receipts. Na this foreman buy things in bulk so pia yeye ataprofit Kwa hiyo commission ya juu.

True! You have to execute this with surgical precision! Else, you get nabbed! But it is not sustainable for growth. Because if your employees know about it, you would have to also bribe them before they sell you out.... is it worth it really?