Leagal and morale issues of doing this???

[matthewpcook]

Ok i have started a computer repair business aimed at home pc users.

However, i have been flyering and would like to know the legal issues of doing the following;
I wanted to go and flyer outside PC world, is there anything they could do? Am i asking for trouble? Is it against the law?

Basically i offer the same service they do for half the price and without people having to visit their store.
I think their prices are morally wrong so surely i am really in the same boat if i do this. Would they try and destroy my business?
Thanks
Matt

[EmmaLivewire]

Think i am correct in thinking you need a distribution badge from the council to hand out flyers (well you do in newcastle anyway)

Emma

[irishnutter]

hiya matt,

This is a legal minefield and im not really sure on the legal aspect, i would contact the citizen advice bureau , or speak to someone at your local business agency about it. Morally i feel you would be bang to rights to do it , as at the end of the day its dog eat dog so to speak.

dave

[TheJoshM]

Haha, love it!

I guess it's a PC world on a retail site? If so then it would be up to the owner of the retail site (the landlord) to ask you to get out of their car park.

Until they do this you should be fine handing out flyers... obviously once they've asked you to go away it would probably be a good idea to do so.

This may limit the amount of time you can spend flyering so you may want to look at ways of making the most of the time...

The first thing that came to mind was that it would make a great news story: Small PC Repair biz goes up against national chain.

I'd imagine you could get coverage of this just by telling the local papers what you're going to do... however you could probably benefit loads from a PR company to help you out if you were going to do something like this.

Give Andy at 10Yetis a call (01452 527898)... they'd probably love to help you out as a small business going up against a much larger one.

Anyway just a few ideas for you.

All the best,
Josh

[irishnutter]

even more so personally , go do it as i so hate pc world lol , having to que to see someone about something you want to buy , hmmm i dont think so i kicked off over that the day i bought my pc lol

[RichardJohn]

Originally posted by TheJoshM
Haha, love it!

I guess it's a PC world on a retail site? If so then it would be up to the owner of the retail site (the landlord) to ask you to get out of their car park.

Until they do this you should be fine handing out flyers... obviously once they've asked you to go away it would probably be a good idea to do so.

This may limit the amount of time you can spend flyering so you may want to look at ways of making the most of the time...

The first thing that came to mind was that it would make a great news story: Small PC Repair biz goes up against national chain.

I'd imagine you could get coverage of this just by telling the local papers what you're going to do... however you could probably benefit loads from a PR company to help you out if you were going to do something like this.

Give Andy at 10Yetis a call (01452 527898)... they'd probably love to help you out as a small business going up against a much larger one.

Anyway just a few ideas for you.

All the best,
Josh

I agree, go in with the "moral crusader" image, whilst promoting your business as a sideline - you're likely to get more coverage this way.

[James Smith]

I am always struck by the fact the queue at the returns desk is always longer than the one at the check out in PC world.....

[Anthonyruk]

Don't see any problems in trying. Where I live there's loads of Mobile Phone shops, and each one has someone handing out leaflets outside a competitors store.

Where are you based, Matt? I'm currently looking into starting a PC Repair Business in response to PC Worlds high prices for service. Feel free to drop me an e-mail on anthony@facternet.co.uk.

Thanks,
Anthony.

[luke.]

if pc worlds anything like there stablemates from the dsg group, they won't be best pleased with you promoting your business on there doorstep, and will try and remove you, using site security normally if theres any.
I've seen people escorted out of shopping centres on more than one occasion by security staff.


Mind you one of those advertising trailers with a message such as 'if your fed up of pc worlds rollocks and sh!t service give us a call' would get plenty of interest.

[amy_517]

I don't have any actual advice on the legal side of this, but morally - go you! PC World's prices for even very simple maintenance/support are disgraceful, and if my husband wasn't an IT guy I'd use a service like yours just for that marketing angle.

Best of luck to you : )

[shamrocker]

I'm not a great fan of PC World. I do buy things from them but I don't want their sales staff anywhere near me when I'm looking round and when I'm having that cosy chat you have before you get your hands on the new PC I tell them I don't want anything else that's not in the box, so they're time would be better spent trying to sell add-ons and extended warranties to other customers who probably haven't been burnt before.

However, since we are talking business here, I might as well tell you that I believe strongly in charging as much as people are willing to pay. If people are willing to spend it, then take it. There's nearly always an alternative with a better price out there, so people usually do have a choice in the matter - unless it's dentistry we're talking about! I've got things in my shop that people can get in a supermarket for half the price, but the element of a 'premium on convenience' works in my favour due to the location of the shop and the environment in which I do business. I don't blame PC World for having these pricing structures, they have them because people ultimately pay for it, largely because they are able to coax people into it as an add-on or because people think the service must be good value just because their PC prices aren't too bad. Also, due to staffing and overhead costs, it's more expensive for them to offer this service than it for you to offer it in your home, in a small shop, or to do it on a site visit basis - so pricing structures may be justified on this basis. I also believe strongly that customer service is king - but PC World wouldn't know a lot about that.

Anyway, that was said with my business head on. You are definitely right to try to target PC World customers, however I don't think you'll get very far with these tactics due to PC World's objections. My feeling is that most households seem to have a computer these days, so why not try a leaflet drop through people's doors. Might be just as effective.

[janey26]

Hi matt,

Just a thought to give you some inspiration...

a friend of mine was setting up a film company and couldnt afford to do pay for a leaflet insertion in one of the trade magazines as they wanted £k's to do it. so a while later she took a casual job there for a month doing the post and packing at said company - and dropped her flyer into each one!

she was also know to do this in whsmiths and newsagents across the west-end as most of the specialist mags were being bought my tv/film types based around soho.

her guerilla tactics have paid dividends and she's now producing her second feature film.

...if you need any help with the flyer designs, pleae get in touch.


Best wishes,

jane


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www.janepadginton.com
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graphic design with an edge

[matthewpcook]

Hey guys theres some great inspiration and advice so i appreciate it.

I have had 20,000 leaflets printed and have delivered almost 4000 in the last 3 weeks door to door but i am desperate for new tactics. adding leaflets into newspapers in genius especially in the WHSmith where i live i bet i could get away with that for weeks without people knowing.

It never even crossed my mind, i coulddo that with most of the shops near me as i have the balls to go in and do it

Also, i think i might try maybe a sandwich board outside PCworld and simply just stand there or even walk around fosse park (my local retail park) with it on.

Guys and gals you have been a great help, any more ideas would be most welcome.

Thanks

Matt

[TheJoshM]

Why not just distribute some flyers inside PC world?

Just strategically leave them on shelves

[level200]

Instead of handing out flyers, why not just put them on the windscreens of the cars parked outside pcworld ?