Is a Town Market with just one trader legal?

lesleydn

Following redundancy I re-trained as a Dog Groomer opening premises offering grooming and pet related supplies a year ago. I chose the location based on the closure of existing grooming salon /pet store due to retirement.

What I did not know that each Friday there is a local market in the town square directly opposite my shop - consisting of just 3 stalls and of course one of them is pet goods!! (stand in corner with dunces hat on for insufficient research). Over the year the 3 stalls dwindled to 1 - the pet supplies trader. Having the whole Town Square to himself he now parks his van right in the middle to advertise to passing traffic utilising an ever greater space outside of his stall to display goods - all this for £10.00.

Is a market consisting of one just one trader a market? I spoke to my local Councillor who felt it was perfectly ok & said the Council are committed to keeping the market (of one) going. From a purely self-interested view I see it as unfair competion supported by the Council. Interested to know if anybody would agree with my view , and, if I have any basis to challenge it?

greyteam1959

It would annoyed me as well !!!!
Don't really think there is much you can do to be honest.
Maybe discreetly check with the Council that he is not breaking any trading rules ie size of pitch / type of goods etc ??
If he is then shop him !!
Only thing is he might be drawing customers in that might shop with you ??

Mistral001

It is only one day a week and as mervyn11 has said it actually could bring in more customers to your shop.

Shops grouping together often bring in more trade for both businesses because people make an effort to go to the location when they want to buy a certain product.

Maybe on market days ith you put up a bigger notice to try to make your shop more noticeable to people visiting the stall across the road that would bring more trade.

It is just competition everybody in business has to live with competition.

Lighthouse_in_the_dark

why not spend £10 and get your own stall and use it to drive traffic to your shop?

lincroft1710

There were 3 stalls, 2 of the stallholders have decided they no longer want to trade. How can the actions of 2 unconnected people make this market illegal??

The competition existed before you bought the shop and was probably another reason why the previous pet store decided to close.

The remaining market trader is maximising his display to attract custom - he'd be an idiot not to. He has competition in a permanently based outlet trading 6 days a week - you!

I'm not unsympathetic and I think a charge of £10 for a market stall is ridiculously cheap, and probably is uneconomic for the council. But as you yourself said, you did not do your homework and if you want to beat the competition, you're going to have to be more creative.

cavework

You are a business and business will always have competition.
Take it as a challenge to make sure you offer the best service to customers
Instead of trying to remove the competition start looking at ways to use it . You are there all week , you are established. Build your reputation , maybe take a bit of a hit on profits on the day the competitor is on site.

phill99

How can it be unfair competition? It sounds like sour grapes to me. You have had your nose put out of joint because you didn't do your research properly.

He could easily say the same about you.

Welcome to the world of business.

Savvy_Sue

I'd make a special offer on Fridays for something not on offer from the stall, eg 5% discount for grooming, maybe more for pensioners or if you can spot any other group who use the market stall. Study his customers and see how you can benefit!!!

Mistral001

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'd make a special offer on Fridays for something not on offer from the stall, eg 5% discount for grooming, maybe more for pensioners or if you can spot any other group who use the market stall. Study his customers and see how you can benefit!!!

Savvy_Sue. I thought of that one when I first read the post, but when you think about it the best days to have promotions is on any day other than the Friday. Having it on a Friday means that the customer does not feel special. Most regular customers will will figure it out that it is only because of the guy across the road that there is a promotion and not speciffically to do with serving their needs or because there is an end of the line item or some other reason that all customers recognise and appreciate. The guy is only there one day. The OP needs to keep his regular customers happy for six days.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Business is business.

He/she might be having some sort of effect on your dry goods sales, as he is prob cheap, and under cutting you, and people will wait to buy off him if the goods are cheaper.

Don't forget he has been there a long time by the sounds of it, so he has his loyal customers...

Also you might not be gaining on the selling of the dry goods etc, BUT he could be generating business for your grooming side of the business.


I dont know how long your shop has been open, but to me it sounds as though maybe your shop is quiet, and you want to blame it all on this guy..

If you are a dog beautician, then this should be your main source of income, and the dry goods are added extras..

If you are quiet with the dog grooming, then it could be a few things..

either..

you are not getting enough repeat/returning customers, this could be down to, price, quality of work, attitude, shop location, no easy free parking, starting from scratch so building up clients.

The area you are in, people are cutting back, so doing their own dogs, other groomers which have built up a good reputation..

Its tough out there... so please dont be blinkered and blame the market guy ...

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Go and talk to him and see if you can work together for the mutual benefit of your businesses; he could give out 20% vouchers for grooming and in return you give 20% off vouchers for his friday market; between you could could make your area the hub for the doggie and pet owners in that town.