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More people buy online these days. Do you have an online presence? You may want to consider this.
And, no business should be dependent upon family and friends for its survival.
Review your advertising practices, do some in store specials, coupons, look at incentives and options to make shopping at your store more fun and affordable.
How unusual is your inventory? I frequent local boutiques for gifts for my friends because they offer one-of-a-kind handmade things I would not find elsewhere.
I use Amazon for children's toys because the selection is huge and I can find something fairly customized to the child's interests. It's also easy because they ship it for me.
Other solution is maybe to offer shipping for the holidays or something.
OP, I've found for our store the absolute best advertising dollar has been on Facebook. We've done TV, newspaper, radio and local partnerships, but I can't tell you how many times customers walk in and say, "I didn't know you were here, I saw your store on my Facebook." Our customers like us on Facebook and share our posts, plus we buy targeted ads. We put photos up when new products come in, including details like pricing and sizes, plus link back to our website in case they want to buy online - most don't though - they come in to the store. We post when we have sales, special events and later hours. Also make sure you have your store set up and verified on Google and keep it updated with hours so if people google you, they will see if you're open or closed.
But please, don't base your success on your friends. A 5 star rating on google or facebook from a customer who is a stranger is much much better - truth!
I wouldnt recommend asking friends why they're not shopping at your store. I think friends may be very reluctant to tell you the truth if the reason has something to do with your inventory or prices. They may just say that they're not buying gift items this year and you'll never know the truth. Too, they may feel you're putting them on the spot and they'll be even less inclined to come into your store.
Close relatives, however, might be more honest. If my sister or daughter asked me that question, I'd be upfront with my thoughts. But, if a friend asked me, I'd be gentle (and dishonest).
The week before Christmas I went to a branch USPS to ship gifts to my sister and discovered it was in a cute little gift shop. I had no idea that it existed. I do subscribe to the local paper, have never seen an ad for this shop, and found it in the first place only because of the USPS sign in the parking lot.
So, do you advertise your business in the newspaper and online, such as Facebook as noted above? If people don't know you exist, they can't shop at your store and they're not going to just wander blindly through a town looking for a gift shop. Are your items locally (US) produced or am I going to see the "made in China" sticker on the items or its packaging? I'm not going to pay top dollar for imported junk regardless of how cute it is.
I'm also not going to pay $5-$10 for a card when I can get one at Dollar Tree/Dollar General/Walmart for $1. It's a card and chances are it's just going to get trashed after the event occurs. Same with wrapping paper, tape, gift bags, etc. Dollar Tree is my close friend for those types of items.
I may or may not return to the shop I found as the prices seemed high compared to Amazon, where I can purchase pretty much the same items cheaper with free shipping and have them at my door in 2 days. Amazon is open 24/7/365, I can shop in my jammies, and returns are no hassle.
The week before Christmas I went to a branch USPS to ship gifts to my sister and discovered it was in a cute little gift shop. I had no idea that it existed. I do subscribe to the local paper, have never seen an ad for this shop, and found it in the first place only because of the USPS sign in the parking lot.
So, do you advertise your business in the newspaper and online, such as Facebook as noted above? If people don't know you exist, they can't shop at your store and they're not going to just wander blindly through a town looking for a gift shop. Are your items locally (US) produced or am I going to see the "made in China" sticker on the items or its packaging? I'm not going to pay top dollar for imported junk regardless of how cute it is.
I'm also not going to pay $5-$10 for a card when I can get one at Dollar Tree/Dollar General/Walmart for $1. It's a card and chances are it's just going to get trashed after the event occurs. Same with wrapping paper, tape, gift bags, etc. Dollar Tree is my close friend for those types of items.
I may or may not return to the shop I found as the prices seemed high compared to Amazon, where I can purchase pretty much the same items cheaper with free shipping and have them at my door in 2 days. Amazon is open 24/7/365, I can shop in my jammies, and returns are no hassle.
Yeah - a lot of this. I'm all for supporting local businesses, and there are quite a few that I like and patronize. I also think little standalone shops need to do more than basic advertising - they've got to foster a community. That's what tweets and facebook are good for - they're free and mostly just cost the time you put into them.
Given that you are hurt your friends aren't shopping at your store, OP, is there any point in doing something like an exclusive "friends and family" night at holiday time next year, where you have your friends come and tell them to bring THEIR friends and offer steep discounts on a few items you're looking to move, and lesser ones on other items? Have some coffee and a package of oreos set out, play some Christmas music and foster some chat among your friends? Maybe hold a raffle?
I know margins are tight for small-business owners, but I think little events like that can go a long way to generating interest.
(I didn't read all the replies here, so pardon me if I repeat anything that was answered.) You can't take it personally. Heck, you just own one little gift shop, which is nothing to be ashamed of, yet ENTIRE, still nice shopping malls that have 200+ stores, even here in Los Angeles area of California (& NOT some small town w/ a population of 300) are becoming dead as well as big stores like Borders Bookstore & Blockbuster, for example, have closed up & no offense, but your shop isn't even on their HUGE level.
There's a newly renovated mall in Los Angeles, CA called the Westfield Century City that did I believe a billion-dollar overhaul too & yes, that's all the rage right now w/ bringing in people, so can you compete w/ that? I was there on a Sunday at opening time & early afternoon on New Year's Eve Day & they still weren't that packed overall, soo as you can see, it takes a LOT to draw in crowds to B&M (brick & mortar) places. I hope shopping malls never die personally because I like walking through them & I'm still mad that Borders, Blockbuster, DVD Planet, etc. have closed up.
Maybe people don't like your merchandise?
Perhaps your prices are too high?
If I had good, genuine, or long-time friends, I'd think they'd at least come in about every 2-5 mos to buy something to support me. 'Often' or 'not coming in much' means different things to different people. How often do you expect them to shop at your place?
Online ordering with Amazon has seemed to just taken over. I personally order various items w/ them every 1-3 mos. Amazon's bought out Whole Foods grocery stores & some other big company I can't think of right now.
I personally like cute, little gift shops, but they tend to be expensive because they need to make up for the slow business they do have. Also, w/ cheap stores like 99 Cent store, Big Lots, & the newer Below Five & Daiso, it's tough for ALL privately-owned businesses.
Last edited by Forever Blue; 01-05-2018 at 07:42 PM..
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Until it's personal. 
