I havent been on this site in a while, but I moved here and now Im starting a business. I would like your opinions before I open up.

[Buffness]

I agree with all that has been said already about the ills and woes of doing business in RD ….been through most of those PIA….and still standing…..so best of luck with that part …

DR1…or DR as a whole ..IMO are not places to ask for opinions or “inputs” about your business if you want to keep your strategic advantage or avoid negative criticism and discouragement….

Our “secret sauce” to our most successful business in DR?? …..Don’t tell your plans cos it’s nobody else’s business …..keep ….as much people as you can….. out of your business ….government…employees…..so called business “partners “ etc ……or be ready for days and months of 🤬🤬🤬🙄😖😡😡…..”the less the merrier “ is the rule we follow in DR….and as abuelita used to say ….” Don’t tell what you are doing …get it done …. then tell them all to F off !!

 

[johne]

I feel like this thread really took a turn when the OP called the posters 'idiots'... I thought the advice given was very useful and informative.

Big turn, and the sad part was the advise was rock solid from ppl that have "been there, done that". I was suspect from the get go based on "the banks will throw money at me". From then on I knew what/who I was responding to.
Interesting in that people will follow a dream no matter what. A fraction of a fraction might find success but for most (of all of us ) the success is elusive.

 

[MariaRubia]

A fraction of a fraction might find success but for most (of all of us ) the success is elusive.

I agree, I have never come across anywhere as hard as DR to run a business. Most businesses here fail. The streets are full of closed-down shops and restaurants and bars that someone has spent a fortune on.

 

[MariaRubia]

Back to the OP's idea. My comment on the idea by the way is that if you go to Sambil shopping mall, they have a machine where you pay your parking ticket. All you have to do is insert the ticket and then it tells you how much to pay, completely normal in the US. But in Sambil they always have one or two staff standing next to the machine as people can't use them. I don't think I've ever seen an automatic vending machine in DR without a person next to it. It's like you see huge lines outside banks on pay day, people want to go in and speak to someone to get their money, not use a cash machine. I do like the idea of bus stations, but there aren't hundreds of those. But I think you definitely will need to employ someone to stand next to eacb machine with all the costs that will bring.

The other comment is that getting lower-level staff to do things on a schedule, like maintaining these machines, is almost impossible without supervision. Nothing here happens on time. If you are expecting to employ someone who will float around and maintain these machines unsupervised, you'll need to build in layers and layers of supervision to make sure this happens, unless you are paying decent money (i.e north of about RD$ 25,000 per month).

Finally, don't forget about tax. Even if you can persuade people to part with US$ 2.50 (which I doubt the majority will be happy to pay), you'll need to pay 18% ITBIS immediately, and 28% of your profits in tax. And then tax on your payroll which is 14.5%.

 

[JD Jones]

Finally, don't forget about tax. Even if you can persuade people to part with US$ 2.50 (which I doubt the majority will be happy to pay), you'll need to pay 18% ITBIS immediately, and 28% of your profits in tax. And then tax on your payroll which is 14.5%.

Last nail in the coffin with that one.

I'm more interested in how the OP's car dealer and T-Shirt businesses are doing.

 

[MariaRubia]

Last nail in the coffin with that one.

I'm more interested in how the OP's car dealer and T-Shirt businesses are doing.

Also I didn't mention the 13th salary and liquidation for your staff. You also need to provide funda for those.

 

[mboydii]

Not at 250 for a little cup. You missed his point.

That's where reading is fundamental. I clearly said I changed the price to $2.50. That comment I said was directly written for responses like yours.

 

[mboydii]

First of all,calling everyone on here an idiot will get you in trouble,second of all you are wrong about every supermarket having an ice cream shop,NONE of the supermarkets in Sosua have ice cream shops,the only one that had one failed so who's the idiot now?

I assume Sosua is more focused on selling condoms everywhere instead of ice cream. I'm kidding. Lol

 

[mboydii]

I guess thats why theres a Ice Cream shop in every grocery store in the DR. Name one without it? Im confused on how some of you even thought to comment anything at all on here. I assume, since you have free wi-fi why not say something? But damn, have you even been to the DR. Bravo has Sweet frog, La Sirena has Bon, Plaza Llama has Bon, hell even Price Smart sells ice cream.

 

[keepcoming]

That's where reading is fundamental. I clearly said I changed the price to $2.50. That comment I said was directly written for responses like yours.

Your comments are rude. If you did not want opinions, then why ask for them. Since the banks are "throwing" money at you maybe go there for opinions. Your rude comments are not necessary and will not be tolerated.

 

[JD Jones]

That's where reading is fundamental. I clearly said I changed the price to $2.50. That comment I said was directly written for responses like yours.

So I missed a punctuation point. Sorry.

 

[melphis]

My philosophy on opening a business in the DR is that if you have the money to open a business here don't do it. Beyond the endless grief with employees and the ridiculous taxes you have to pay, if it is remotely successful there will be 3 of them within spitting distance within a week.
That's why there are so many unsuccessful business's here. A complete lack of originality

 

[Manuel01]

I do have several Busineses in the DR and all of them are making good money. Anyway, all the negative coments about doing business here ARE TRUE !!!
But it is still do-able. There is one Formula or advise i would like to give you that always worked out for me very well; If you do not have the money to run the entire business for one entire year without any income or sales; DO NOT OPEN IT !!!! It might sound extreme but for me this worked (almost) all the time.
And in the beginning (if possible) ; ZERO EMPLOYEES !!!! The magic way to sucess is here or anywhere else : keep fixed (monthly) costs to an absolute minimum. One more thing !!!: no female employees NEVER

 

[MariaRubia]

One more thing !!!: no female employees NEVER

Nice attitude

 

[Manuel01]

Nice attitude

Well, if i can be nice and make money, i be nice. If it's either; you guess what i choose. Somehow i am old fashion in believing that the father of the child should finance the pregnancy and the birth and not the employer. But that's just me !

 

[johne]

Manufacture Commercial Soft Ice Cream Vending Machine Italian Popular Self Service Automatic Ice-cream Vending Machine - Buy Ice-cream Vending Machine,Automatic Ice-cream Vending Machine,Commercial Soft Ice Cream Vending Machine Product on Alibaba.co

Manufacture Commercial Soft Ice Cream Vending Machine Italian Popular Self Service Automatic Ice-cream Vending Machine - Buy Ice-cream Vending Machine,Automatic Ice-cream Vending Machine,Commercial Soft Ice Cream Vending Machine Product on Alibaba.com

www.alibaba.com

Anybody want to buy the newest and greatest ice cream machine in the universe? Step right up folks there's one for every price range.

 

[johne]

Well, if i can be nice and make money, i be nice. If it's either; you guess what i choose. Somehow i am old fashion in believing that the father of the child should finance the pregnancy and the birth and not the employer. But that's just me !

Deep. Profound.

 

[Astucia]

mboydii said:
I guess thats why theres a Ice Cream shop in every grocery store in the DR. Name one without it?

Playero (both), Super Pola, US1, Janets, Supermercado De La Cruz, Supermercado Marinero

 

[FGUnsworth1]

I have a been living here for the last 18 months or so, and finally decided to start a business. I decided to mix tech with ice cream. Just looking for a little input, from what a remember, majority of people on here are comedians, so I assume I will get the blunt truth. I would like an honest opinion of what people think of my machine and busines idea. What kinda prices to you think are ok? WHere would be good locations to install these machines? Should I change the name? I placed pictures of my 2 sons on the side of the machines. This machine is currently in the corner of my office in my home. I live in Alameda if anyone is local.
I picked this business because I have a 3 and 4 year old. They are crazy about Ice Cream. This place is perfect for Ice Cream and the ROI would make Harvard Finance professors heads spin. Basically Im turning 30 cents into like $2.50. All automated and I can control things from an iPad.

Hermanos Helados
The Ice Cream Brothers

Check the video out and tell me what you think. I want to say thanks for any input at all. I even appreciate the negative, I understand Im not perfect so I need to hear everything. God Bless

I might even be open to some help in the future.

You are definitely right about the ROI. All the bells and whistles will grab a customers attention enough to try the product. but it takes a great tasting ice-cream to keep them coming back for more. Without it you just have another ice cream dispenser.
Keep in mind, a pig gets fed, while a hog gets slaughtered.
With these in mind you should do well.
Congrats!

 

[MariaRubia]

I still can't see it working. Dominicans always like to go up to a person and do business, they're not big on self-service things. Internet supermarket shopping hasn't really taken off here, nowhere near like it has in other countries. I keep seeing these empty ice-cream shops selling ice creams for 150 pesos a scoop (there are a lot of them in Santo Domingo), and I just wonder how long they are going to last. A lot of the Bon places seemed to close down in the Pandemic.

The other thing is that people "eat with their eyes". If you see a machine you're not able to see the product. An ice-cream shop has everything on display, you see other people being served and that tempts you to buy.