Someone I supported is now opening a rival business

[Bluebells81]

I run a small retail business. Not an easy way to make a living. I've been working hard for 2 years and am now just about making minimum wage.

As part of the business I sell items made by other people. Over the summer I worked with a lady who'd been made redundant get started with selling. I tried very hard to be supportive because from experience I know that redundancy can be a really mentaly tough time.

Anyway, I've just learnt that she now plans to take a shop lease across the road and open a business that competes directly with mine. I'm gutted. There really isn't enough money in our small town to support both of us.
There are so many other places she could have done this - why directly across the road!? As well as being a bad business move it also seems just plain rude!

Having just started to get on my feet, this feels like a massive blow.
I know I am going to have to start protecting my business and tell clients that they can only sell with me if they don't sell with her. It all feels like it is going to end badly and cause upset in this small town.

Should I try and put her off and point out to her that I'm hardly making any money after 2 yrs?
Is there anything else I can do?

Or is this just life and I should suck it up and knuckle down?

Agree with this. Get on Instagram and Facebook. I left a Google review for both dress shop owners praising them but that’s what I look for myself, a good review.

I used to work in a bookshop and we used to send people across the road to the other bookshop when we didn’t have what they wanted and they did the same. Op you’ll get a very bad name if you tell sellers not to go with her

shops in my local are that sell small brands tend to have an agreement to not stock the same brands, unless she’s stocking the same things and undercutting you on price I think it might actually benefit you having the competition, particularly if you make sure your opening hours are sensible and consistent. A local shop that recently closed down was always opening at 11-3 and missing footfall from people after school drop off / commuting. Unsurprisingly it’s closed down

If it's taken you two years to get to minimum wage then it may well be similar for her and the business will fail before it is established. Can she afford to live below minimum wage for that amount of time if she was struggling before?

Even so, I would use this as motivation to go even harder. Online selling, clever adverts, brush up your shop front so that it will stand out from hers, be especially lovely and helpful to return customers. New exclusive merch (source from somewhere that won't put their name on it so she can't nick them) can you sell stuff made by friends and family so you know you have loyalty?

I imagine she won't find it as easy as she thinks, shitty of her though. I don't think I could stay close with her considering it a betrayal of sorts.

Also if you are established as a business you will know what sells and what won't. You will be able to buy in bulk or from abroad and get better deals that way??

😂 That’s just what I was thinking- what a ray of sunshine!

@Bluebells81 I would not be happy about this. It feels like she has taken advantage of you. There won’t be restrictions on what shops can open and I assume it doesn’t need a license.

You need to find a special reason for your customers to stay loyal. I think there’s a need to attract clients from a much wider area too. Can you offer something slightly different? Offer a different experience? Do special events? Obviously I don’t know what you sell, but think of a way to be different. I wish you well.