idea for a business

ada · Nov 18, 2005

I am moving to DR next year and am thinking of opening a business. I am currently a teacher but do not want to teach in DR. I am moving to Santiago. I have an idea for a business and would to know what some of you Santiago residents think about it.
I am thinking about opening a "boutique" that sells lingerie, candles, massage oils, CD's, bed sheets,etc. I'm thinking about different things for couples to enjoy but nothing too exotic or at all porno.
I would really like to know what some of you who already live there think about such a store and if there are any like it already.
Thank you.

Robert · Nov 18, 2005

How much have you researched this, beyond "I have an idea"?.

Have you looked at how to import your products?
Do you have any info on your target market?
What about dealing with employee's, tax, rent etc etc?
Location? Santiago is large and diverse.
Have you ever run a business or managed a store in the DR?

It's not a bad idea, but it might be a bad place to open that type of business unless you know that business and the local culture VERY well.

Peterj · Nov 18, 2005

O oh

, one week ago somebody asked the same info for starting a business and they are still "fighting" over it in the thread. Good luck!! (you'll need it)

A.J. · Nov 18, 2005

It is not a bad idea - but location location location is what you will need to focus on if you want to develop a good clientele who will be willing to pay a price for the items that will cover your expenses. There are many women who go to the US and bring back luggage full to sell to friends and family.

Many of the women I know that would buy things like that get it in the states. There is at least two stores in Santiago and more in the Capital. One thing you will have to remember is the importing business can be hard you will have to pay your suppliers in dollars and charge your customers in pesos - you may lose out in the exchange rate.

jozzart · Nov 18, 2005

ada said:
I am moving to DR next year and am thinking of opening a business. I am currently a teacher but do not want to teach in DR. I am moving to Santiago. I have an idea for a business and would to know what some of you Santiago residents think about it.
I am thinking about opening a "boutique" that sells lingerie, candles, massage oils, CD's, bed sheets,etc. I'm thinking about different things for couples to enjoy but nothing too exotic or at all porno.
I would really like to know what some of you who already live there think about such a store and if there are any like it already.
Thank you.

i know a person who might be able to give you input, write me at JOZZART@HOTMAI.COM

I WILL GIVE YOU HER INFO.

I LIVE AND CARV STATUES THERE DURING WINTER

ALSO THINKING OF BUSINESS CATERING ONE OF A KIND TOURS FOR TOURIST.

GOOD LUCK JOE

jozzart · Nov 18, 2005

Ada

get in touch with me JOZZART@HOTMAIL.COM

i will send info as to who you can get in contact with in the DR

goog luck Joe

ada · Nov 18, 2005

A.J. said:
It is not a bad idea - but location location location is what you will need to focus on if you want to develop a good clientele who will be willing to pay a price for the items that will cover your expenses. There are many women who go to the US and bring back luggage full to sell to friends and family.

Many of the women I know that would buy things like that get it in the states. There is at least two stores in Santiago and more in the Capital. One thing you will have to remember is the importing business can be hard you will have to pay your suppliers in dollars and charge your customers in pesos - you may lose out in the exchange rate.

could you please give me the names of the stores in Santiago and location? I would like to see them.

MrMike · Nov 19, 2005

Your biggest problem is going to be completely unpredictable import rates. You might pay 30% on one shipment and 100% on the next.

The other problem is that Dominicans can be really unoriginal when it comes to new business ideas, and lingerie store is one of the few ideas they always have, once they rule out opening a cel phone store for one reason or other.

Chirimoya · Nov 19, 2005

You forgot children's clothes and birthday party shops!

Nelly · Nov 19, 2005

ada said:
I am moving to DR next year and am thinking of opening a business. I am currently a teacher but do not want to teach in DR. I am moving to Santiago. I have an idea for a business and would to know what some of you Santiago residents think about it.
I am thinking about opening a "boutique" that sells lingerie, candles, massage oils, CD's, bed sheets,etc. I'm thinking about different things for couples to enjoy but nothing too exotic or at all porno.
I would really like to know what some of you who already live there think about such a store and if there are any like it already.
Thank you.

An idea might be to set up an online store, and operate it from your home in the DR.

Robert · Nov 19, 2005

Nelly said:
An idea might be to set up an online store, and operate it from your home in the DR.

Not possible in the DR. How are you going to collect your money?
Online transactions just don't work in the DR and you would need to take RD$, so that excludes every third party merchant on the planet.

carina · Nov 19, 2005

We have/had one shop like the one you describe in Puerto Plata ( on 12 de Julio ).
I know Puerto Plata is completely different, and more "village like" if you prefer. Anyhow here it did not work at all.
People, no matter if you are rich or poor, are used to pay 60-100 pesos top for a CD ( yes, I know pirate-copy, and they do not care ).
They use oils alot in this country, and about any oil, you can buy for 30 pesos in the department store, essens, lights etc as well.
Now instead, the same couple, re-modelled ther shop and have a huge success in ladies fashion in Plus-sizes.

Nelly · Nov 19, 2005

Robert said:
Not possible in the DR. How are you going to collect your money?
Online transactions just don't work in the DR and you would need to take RD$, so that excludes every third party merchant on the planet.

Couldn't you have an online store, based out the US, even selling to US customers and run it online from anywhere in the world, including the DR?

Jumbo · Nov 19, 2005

Nelly said:
Couldn't you have an online store, based out the US, even selling to US customers and run it online from anywhere in the world, including the DR?

Sure, i think they are called porn sites.

Robert · Nov 20, 2005

Nelly said:
Couldn't you have an online store, based out the US, even selling to US customers and run it online from anywhere in the world, including the DR?

What about shipping?

The OP is asking about doing business here in the DR.
That means dealing in pesos (RD$).

MrMike · Nov 20, 2005

Nelly said:
An idea might be to set up an online store, and operate it from your home in the DR.

No good reason to do this from the DR. Since most of your orders and your products are not from here, being in the DR just ads minimum 60% to you logistics overhead and maybe 3 weeks to your order fulfillment. Unless you are selling something Dominican made, and you somehow figure out a way to feasably export piecemeal. Dominicans do not shop online - well not in any quantity that would justify setting a DR targetted webstore.

J D Sauser · Nov 20, 2005

Selling online in the DR locally has at least two technical problems:

One, as mentioned before, is collection of payment.. Sure you can try to collect from those fortunate ones that do have a credit card, but you are reducing an allready small number of potential clients.

The second problem is how to get it to your customers within the DR.

One way one might solve both problems at once is to do what TVentas (an Ecuatorian Television sales chanell) did about 12 years back. The clients would order by phone (in your case online and/or by phone) and then merchandise would be sent out to known pick-up locations for for reception and payment right there one site. One could make a service agreement with a third party business which has offices thoughout the country like those mail box places, which in turn would also promote the site and/or catalogue for comissions... well, that's just an idea...

... J-D.

Criss Colon · Nov 21, 2005

Take A Job Teaching English For Six Months at a school in Santiago.

Once you learn the business,start your own school.Cater to "High End" students who might be going abroad to study.Your only overhead would be a copy machine,and a room in your apt.to teach.For very wealth students,do "outcall"!
Saturdays and evenings,"Groups" of 4 to 6 students.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Hey,this is the kind of "advice" people get paid for giving!!!!!!

SamGompers · Jan 20, 2006

I can't see this kind of thing going over big in Santiago - - your market would be more middle-class Dominicans . . who will shop for this stuff elsewhere unless maybe you really aim for the upper niche. You would need contacts and local knowledge . . lots of it . . for that.

As for online business . . . you wouldn't have to use DR pesos . . just set up a paypal or other online account in the US . . . you would have to be selling to the US . . . you would also have to purchase and ship from within the U.S. . . . i.e. using your DR home/office as the place where you keep the books and manage the money end of the business. Kind of like setting up an eBay shop. Better to find something that you can export out of the DR . . .or even Haiti . . .but set up all the money stuff on the US side .. .

carina · Jan 20, 2006

SamGompers said:
I can't see this kind of thing going over big in Santiago - - your market would be more middle-class Dominicans . . who will shop for this stuff elsewhere unless maybe you really aim for the upper niche. You would need contacts and local knowledge . . lots of it . . for that.

As for online business . . . you wouldn't have to use DR pesos . . just set up a paypal or other online account in the US . . . you would have to be selling to the US . . . you would also have to purchase and ship from within the U.S. . . . i.e. using your DR home/office as the place where you keep the books and manage the money end of the business. Kind of like setting up an eBay shop. Better to find something that you can export out of the DR . . .or even Haiti . . .but set up all the money stuff on the US side .. .

But the client still need to pay from here?
Most Dominicans have local cc, not international, and those are not accepted as payments on paypal etc.

idea for a business

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