Reviews about the copy center as a business.  Copy center business plan: cost calculation, necessary equipment and proper advertising of services How to open a copy center from scratch

Reviews about the copy center as a business. Copy center business plan: cost calculation, necessary equipment and proper advertising of services How to open a copy center from scratch

  • Business Features
  • How to recruit staff
  • Business Profitability
  • Conclusion

If you have a couple of hundred thousand rubles and a desire to open your own business, consider a copy center. Its organization does not require special knowledge, skills, permits and licenses. A copy center is fast, simple, cost-effective.

To organize a copy center, it is enough to purchase several devices and rent a small room. The business is quite simple and accessible to almost everyone.

Business Features

In fact, the number of copy centers is growing in cities and towns from year to year. The trend has become particularly noticeable over the past 10 years. There are similar establishments in many shopping centers, shops, and separate premises. During “rush hours”, that is, during the lunch break and after lectures, crowds of people are observed in copy centers.

Employees of organizations, enterprises urgently need to make copies of papers, students print a diploma or term paper, schoolchildren print a duplicate essay or homework. Therefore, they have to go to the copy center, stand in long queues in stuffiness.

Clients are interested in having a copy center located near their place of work or study. Service speed will also play a role. Visitors will not want to waste time waiting, they will go where there is less queue.

Therefore, the main thing when organizing a business is to choose the right place for the studio. Even if there is another copy center nearby, in all likelihood, you will still find your visitors, as people want to get the service as quickly as possible.

You can open a copy center even with one copier. Over time, you should expand the business, acquiring other equipment and providing new services. But the first months you will receive income only by copying papers.

What services does a copy center provide?

A copy center can provide a different set of services. Decide how much you want to invest in the first step. The easiest option is to purchase only a copier, on which you can work yourself without hiring staff. But it is possible to purchase several devices at once.

The list of services of a serious copy center may include:

  • Photos of the documents;
  • photocopying;
  • scanning;
  • lamination;
  • binding preparation;
  • printout from flash and disks.

But even if you have only one copier in the center, you should consider selling office supplies. The implementation of various folders, pens, notebooks can increase income by one and a half to two times. But immediately calculate yours. It is better to start with small investments, and then develop the business at the expense of the profits received ...

Copycenter business plan: where to start

Before looking for a room, buying office equipment, you should analyze the market. The low threshold for entering the business, the simplicity of its organization create conditions for high competition. In addition, in addition to making copies of papers, the center may offer other services.

It has these advantages:

  • simplicity of organization;
  • high demand for services;
  • the ability to work without staff for the first time;
  • quick payback;
  • opportunity to expand the business.

What points should be paid attention to when analyzing the market? We list the main ones:

  • Are there many competitors nearby?
  • Do they keep up with customer service?
  • whether there are schools, colleges, offices, etc. nearby.
  • What is the probability of attracting people to your institution.

It is also important to draw up correctly. Preliminary calculations will help you in organizing your business, and will allow you to minimize risks.

Copy shop: business registration

It is best to register a sole proprietorship. For registration, you will need a passport, an application, a receipt for payment of the State Duty. It would be desirable to indicate 2 OKVED codes during registration:

  • OKVED code 82.19, which refers to the activities of photocopying and preparing documents, and also includes "other specialized support activities to support the activities of the office."
  • Code 47.62.2. indicated only if you plan to sell stationery.

After registration, you must select a taxation system. It is most convenient to stay on the simplified tax system (income).

You will also need permits:

  • sanitary and epidemiological station;
  • State supervision.

In order to avoid problems with obtaining documents, it will be necessary to equip the premises with a fire-fighting system and comply with all requirements.

For starters, a “corner” in a shopping center or even a regular store will be enough, although other options can be considered. Try to locate the copy center so that there are nearby: banks, educational institutions, business centers; housing and communal services, clinics and hospitals, a large number of various offices.

It is also necessary to take into account the presence of public transport stops, underground and overhead passages, places with high pedestrian traffic near the copy center. This will be the perfect location.

First of all, the center should be dry, clean and warm. Otherwise, office equipment will quickly fail, and your investment will not pay off. Consider another very important point. Try to keep your establishment located on the ground floor. It will not be very convenient for clients to go up to the second or third floors.

It is important to correctly calculate how much space you need. If you plan to put only one copier, 5-8 meters will be enough. But if you want to gradually expand your business, it is better to immediately find a room with an area of ​​​​20-25 square meters. meters. The cost of rent will depend on many factors:

  • the area where the premises are located,
  • availability of repairs
  • availability of furniture, etc.

On average, the rent will be 15,000 rubles per month.

What equipment and consumables to buy for the print center

Equipment plays a primary role in organizing a business. If you choose a room that is not suitable for a copy center, your business will burn out. The same goes for equipment. If you buy equipment without understanding it, your investment may be in vain. At a minimum, you will need to purchase:

  • Xerox;
  • computer;
  • Printer.

It is necessary that professional equipment works in your institution. Cheaper equipment will only slow down the process. In addition, the quality of products will be reduced.

Used equipment is not suitable for business. It can be unreliable, often fail. New, high-quality equipment is the key to success. It will work smoothly and bring good profits.

If you have not enough money to purchase new professional equipment, consider buying it in installments. When purchasing a copier, rely on the following parameters:

  • print speed - from 20 copies per minute;
  • print density - 1200 by 600 dpi;

In addition, the copier must have 2 paper feed trays. It will be just great if you can pick up free software. This also needs to be paid attention to.

Before buying, study the products of various manufacturers, read the reviews of other buyers. Talk to consultants from different stores, and then invest. Give preference to those models that are easier to maintain and inexpensive equipment. Even buying good professional equipment, you can meet the 100,000 rubles.

Do not do without furniture. You will need:

  • showcase(1);
  • tables (2);
  • chairs or armchairs (2)...

Used furniture is a good option for a copy center. 25,000-45,000 rubles will be enough for you. At least 25,000 rubles will be required for materials and consumables.

You need to purchase at least:

  • cartridges;
  • office paper.

Be sure to purchase paper of good quality so that there are no complaints from customers. Buy two cartridges at once. When you run out of ink in one, you can immediately replace it. The equipment will not stand idle, and customers will not wait until they buy and refill a new cartridge.

After opening a copy center, you can immediately start selling stationery. They will take 30,000 - 40,000 rubles. To get started, buy items of your choice. Over time, you will begin to purchase them based on real demand.

How to recruit staff

Since the business is simple, no special requirements should be placed on the employees of the copy center. Even a student can handle the job. The main thing here is the speed of service, discipline and responsibility.

At first, you yourself can make duplicate papers and sell stationery, but as the business expands, you will need a couple more people. You will need to take photos, print files, laminate photos and documents. If we take into account that each employee will receive 20,000 rubles, then the average payroll will be 40,000 + outsourced accountant services 15,000. A total of 55,000 rubles.

To make a business profitable, certain investments must be made in advertising. Approximately 25,000 rubles is enough. Flyers, ads on the Internet, a bright sign - that's all you need to promote your business. Word of mouth will also help. Customers will be satisfied when they are offered quality services, low prices, fast service, discounts.

The initial cost of the business will be small. The table below shows approximate calculations.

Item of expensesAmount (rub.)
1 Rent for 3 months 45 000
2 Equipment125 000
3 Consumables25 000
4 Stationery30 000
5 Advertising25 000
6 Business registration 5 000

Total

Business Profitability

Now let's calculate the approximate monthly expenses.

Item of expenses Amount (rub.)
1 Rent15 000
2 Consumables and stationery 55 000
3 FOT45 000
4 taxes12 000
5 Depreciation and other expenses 15 000

Total 142,000

How much can you earn on a copy center? On average, the income of an average printing center is 150,000 - 160,000 rubles per month. But much will depend on the cost of services. So, it makes no sense to make a photocopy of one page cheaper than 4 rubles. The sale of stationery will give another 60-70 thousand rubles.

So, the revenue can be about 60,000 rubles per month, and the profitability is 40-45%. That is, with an ideal variant, investments can pay off in 4 months. The maximum investment should be returned in six months.

3 risks to mitigate

To run a successful business, there are several factors to consider.

  1. Correct choice of point. If the mining center is located far from the place of the main traffic, where there are no business centers and educational institutions, customer flow may be low.
  2. The right choice of technology. High-quality equipment will ensure the smooth operation of the copy shop and high quality services. The risk of equipment failure will be minimized.
  3. Good advertising campaign. Flyers that can be simply handed out on the streets, ads on social networks will help attract customers.

Conclusion

A copy center can bring in a good income if you approach the business organization thoughtfully. The main thing is that it is suitable for beginners, and people of any age can do it if they understand modern technology and software.

You will not be left without customers if you choose the right place for your copy shop and promote it. Your potential customers - office workers, medical staff, students and schoolchildren need an inexpensive and high-quality product. Keep this in mind when setting prices for services.

Anyone wants to get a quality product for a small fee, including in a copy center. Your chips - low prices, quality and a wide range of services.

Almost everyone wants to organize their own business with a small financial investment. But not many dare to open it.

Some people are afraid of various difficulties when opening their own business, some do not know where to start, and people of the third category cannot. But since you have already started reading our article, then you are on the right track. We will tell you how to properly organize a copy services business and give an idea of ​​​​what it should look like.

Now many, most likely, have a question, what is a copy service store?
We will immediately answer it - this is a small room or building, which is located in a busy place, and which provides printing, photocopying services, as well as some other services, which we will talk about a little later.
It is no secret to anyone that in any city there is a demand for printing various forms, documents, abstracts, articles, as well as copying documents, etc.
Because of such trifles, no one will contact the printing house, and they will not undertake such work. This is where the so-called copy centers come to the rescue. Almost all such points usually provide not only copying services, but also printouts, and some provide assistance in compiling various forms or applications. That's it about this niche in the market we are talking about.

Almost the most important role is played by the location of such a copy center.
The best option would be if it is located in the city center near various business centers or government agencies. You can stay in another place, but always in a busy place, for example, near institutes. In no case should you organize this business in a residential area.

We will immediately tell you about all the pros and cons of various locations.

    1. Rented space in the center with access to a busy street:
      pros:
      Very high permeability;
      Random clients;
      The Copy Center is very easy to find;
      Nearby are many different business centers and government agencies.
      Minus:
      Very high rent.
    1. Rented room in the center with access to the courtyard:
      pros:
      All the same as in the first case;
      The rent is lower.
      Minuses:
      Need additional advertising in order to attract customers;
      Additional signs are needed so that you can be found.
    1. In a government agency or business center:
      pros:
      Services are in high demand;
      Regular customers are very close to you.
      Minuses:
      High rental cost;
      In some cases, the lack of vacant premises.
    1. Separate kiosk in the center:
      pros:
      The same as in the first version.
      Minuses:
      It is necessary to coordinate with the city administration;
      Approval costs (time and money);
      Construction costs.
    1. Location on the outskirts:
      pros:
      Low rent.
      Minuses:
      Few clients;
      A small list of services is in demand.
  1. Kiosk on the outskirts:
    pros:
    Your location is remembered well;
    Minuses:
    As in the fourth option, coordination and construction are required.
    As in the fifth option, a small number of customers.

So, after you have chosen the most suitable option for you, you need to decide on the services that your copy center will provide. But, nevertheless, it is best to provide all the services we offer. Below is a list by demand (the most popular services are at the top):

    • Copy services;
    • Printout of documents;
    • Drawing up forms, contracts, statements, etc.;
    • Refueling of cartridges for printers;
    • Recording information on CD / DVD / flash media / floppy disks.

As you may have noticed, the services are designed for various clients, but it often happens that several services are in demand at once. And if you can get them all at once, that will be a big plus. In addition, with sufficient popularity, it will be possible to add new services in the future, for example, printing on cups, t-shirts, printing business cards, you can also sell stationery, etc.

Expenses:

    • Room rental - $ 500 / month.
    • Acquisition of a computer, copier - $ 1,000.
    • Consumables - $ 250.
    • Staff salary - $ 250.

Total: about $2,000.

Income:

    • Copy services - $0.03/copy;
    • Printout of documents - $0.04/page;
    • Cartridge refilling - from $ 7 / piece;
    • Filling out forms, questionnaires, recording on media - from $ 1.

Total: with the right choice of location, the income will be from $ 800
The payback of this business idea will be about three months.

Let's hope that someone is interested in this idea and considers it as the start of their own business. Good luck!


* Calculations use average data for Russia

200 000 ₽

Starting investments

200 000 - 270 000 ₽

60 000 ₽

Net profit

3-4 months

Payback period

Copy Center is a great idea for aspiring entrepreneurs. To do this, you need a minimum: a good location, 200 thousand rubles of investments and the ability to use office equipment.

A copy center is a simple and dust-free business that anyone can open. You do not have to invest large amounts, and further activities will not cause much trouble. The idea is quite simple in its implementation: to provide services, you only need to purchase 2-3 devices and find a crowded place where you can sit.

For the past 10 years, copy centers have been a very common type of business. Copy centers can be found on almost every corner - however, in the most "fishy" places, whole queues line up, since small centers with one copier cannot quickly serve all customers. Very often people need duplicate papers urgently. Therefore, he is interested in finding the nearest copy center. And it's good if there is no queue. So don't let the competition scare you. With the right choice of copy center location and organization of work, you will be able to enter the market and find your client. Your main competitors will be the same small copy centers. There are practically no major players in this area - this is the business format.

Another good news is that you can start your own business with just one copier. And to buy new equipment and expand the range of services already with income from activities. This allows you to minimize the initial investment and reduce the risk of losing personal funds.

To open a copy center, you do not need a lot of investment and work. Although even in such a simple matter there are nuances. Before you start active actions, you should study the market.

Local market analysis

At the start, you need to assess the business conditions and your capabilities. What to pay attention to?

    Competition. The competition in this business is quite large, since its availability and advantages attract a huge number of entrepreneurs. But you can always find your niche. The main thing is to choose the right place. Before you rent a space, you should evaluate how close your competitors are and how many potential customers you can attract.

    Demand. There is always a demand for copy services. First of all, they are relevant for students and students. Then come the clients of banks, BTI, state. institutions. Everyone and at any time of the year may need to make a copy of documents. So, having settled in the places where the target audience stays, you will not be left without orders.

    Business benefits. Among the various small business options, a copy center is one of the most attractive. Benefits include:

    minimum starting capital for opening a copy center;

    relatively small running costs;

    year-round demand for services with a peak in the summer;

    minimum set of permits;

    simple way of doing business;

    a small staff of employees without special qualifications;

    high profitability of the copy center;

    business growth prospects.

Anyone can become a business owner. The main thing is to have start-up capital and business acumen.

Copy center registration


Any business is subject to registration with the tax authorities. In this case, it will be enough to issue IP. The registration procedure is standard. As OKVED, you should specify:

    82.19 - Photocopying and document preparation activities and other specialized support activities for the operation of the office

    47.62.2 - Retail sale of stationery and stationery in specialized stores (if you plan to sell stationery in a copy center).

When registering an individual entrepreneur, the taxation system is also selected. For a copy center, USN or UTII are suitable. The simplified tax system is used more often at a rate of 6% of income.

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200 000 rub. a month, having fun!

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In addition, you will need to obtain permission from the SES and the fire inspectorate. Powerful electrical devices will work in the room, so it is necessary to ensure fire safety. Here it is necessary to take into account the requirements that apply to the room where complex equipment will be located.

Finding a space for a copy center

The choice of a suitable room should be made with an assessment of two key parameters: the location and the condition of the room itself. First of all, you need to find a good location. At the same time, it is important to choose not just a crowded place, but one where the maximum flow of your target audience will be.

Preferred locations for a copy center nearby:

    educational establishments;

    administrative institutions;

    business centers;

    utilities;

    medical institutions;

    financial institutions;

    places with high pedestrian traffic (underpasses, road junctions, etc.).

It is preferable to stay in the city center, since this is where most of the listed establishments are concentrated.

Next, we choose directly the premises of the copy center. Its area depends on your budget and plans for the future. If you are going to expand and add new services, then it is better to immediately choose a room in which there is a place for future equipment. In this case, you will need a room with an area of ​​​​about 20 sq.m. If you have modest plans, then 6-10 sq.m. will be enough for a copy center. The main thing is that at least a few customers can fit inside. Renting a small room will cost about 15-20 thousand rubles. But the cost will depend on various factors: a specific city, a specific place, specific conditions. For example, sometimes you can find a room already with the necessary furniture - this simplifies the preparation, but will cost more. So rent is a special case. Even within the same city, the amount of the monthly fee can vary significantly.

Ready-made ideas for your business

The main requirement for a copy center is the absence of dust and dampness. Otherwise, the equipment will quickly fail, and the paper will deteriorate. It is also desirable to be placed on the first floor of buildings. Firstly, this way the throughput will be higher. Secondly, your center will be more noticeable. Thirdly, the appearance of a competitor nearby will not be so dangerous for you, since you will be in full view.

Look for a room that does not require repairs. Otherwise, you will have to waste time and money, and this is useless to you. In terms of repair, the copy center is picky. The main thing is to be clean and warm.

Copy center services

At the next stage, you must decide on the list of copy center services. This must be done in order to compile a list of equipment that will need to be purchased. The list of copy center services depends on the scale of your business. If capital allows, then several devices can be purchased at once in order to provide services for copying and printing documents, laminating, etc.

The main services of the copy center are:

    photocopy and scanning of various documents;

    printout from electronic media;

    photographs for documents;

    binding of documents;

    lamination;

    photographs for documents;

    sale of stationery - this can bring up to 50% of the total profit.

To provide these services, 10 sq.m. copycenter. The only question is finances. Therefore, before making a list of services, evaluate your capabilities. At the start, do not plan to combine everything at once. Start small and then grow your business with the profits you make.

Purchase of equipment for a copy center

Having determined the set of copy center services, you can plan the purchase of equipment. The minimum set for the work of the copy center:

    computer or laptop;

    copy machine;

    printer or MFP.

The cost of such a "basic" set will be about 100 thousand rubles.

For further work, a color and large-format printer, a camera with a tripod and a white background for photographs, a binder, a laminator, etc. may come in handy.

A few tips for choosing a copy center technique:

    copier should be selected based on the following parameters: the presence of two automatic paper feed trays; print speed of at least 20 copies per minute; print density 1200 x 600 dpi. Also check that you can find free software for this model;

    choose equipment that will be cheaper and easier to maintain. You will need to periodically refill cartridges, sometimes replace them, repair them. At the same time, different models of equipment need certain consumables and consume them in different ways. So, before buying equipment, be sure to read the reviews, read the information on thematic forums, compare the characteristics of different models, contact a consultant for help, study the offers in different stores. Only after collecting enough information, make the final choice;

    Do not try to save on equipment by purchasing used equipment. Good equipment is an important success factor. If something breaks, you will incur losses: first, you will have to repair equipment; secondly, you will not be able to provide your services. It is better to buy new and high-quality equipment. The productivity of the center, and hence the profit, depends on this. So investments in technology are expedient;

    you can borrow the equipment. Many shops provide such a service, especially if the equipment is expensive;

    get professional equipment. Cheap printers intended for personal use will not work. Such a "home" technique is significantly inferior in terms of performance and quality.

Also, for the work of the copy center, furniture is needed. A couple of tables will be enough to accommodate appliances, a pair of chairs and showcases for stationery. The cost of furniture will be about 30-50 thousand rubles. And here you can already save money by purchasing used furniture.

Thus, about 150 thousand rubles will have to be spent on equipment and furniture for the copy center.

Purchase of goods and consumables

For the work of the copy center, you will need to purchase materials for equipment, as well as stationery for sale. As consumables, you need to stock up on office paper, since it is consumed the most. You should also purchase a replacement cartridge. If one runs out of ink, you can quickly replace the cartridge and resume work. The cost of consumables will be about 25 thousand rubles.


As goods, you should choose the simplest and most popular: paper, files, document folders, pens, paper clips, notebooks, etc. The purchase of stationery should be done in the amount of 30-40 thousand rubles. Stationery is a durable product that can be stored for a long time. So you will not lose your investment in case of low sales. You will make a large purchase once, and then you will update the assortment in accordance with sales. Make a list of everything that customers often ask, take into account their wishes when creating an assortment.

Copycenter staff

At first, the owner of the copy center can cope with the work alone. But in the future, you will definitely need an assistant. Firstly, the number of clients will increase and one employee will no longer be enough to serve them quickly. Secondly, over time, equipment will require more maintenance: cleaning and refilling cartridges, repairs, etc. Someone should also be responsible for maintenance. Thirdly, with an increase in the number of services, additional people will be required: one will work with a copy machine, the second will print files, take photos for documents or stitch documents. It is not possible to cover such a volume of services alone.

Thus, for well-coordinated work in the copy center, 2-3 people will be needed. The main condition is that they confidently use a PC and know how to handle office equipment. The following qualities will be important for an employee: responsibility, sociability, accuracy. Wage for the regions will be 20-25 thousand rubles.

Do not forget that you may need the services of an accountant. After all, if you have employees, you will have to deal with funds where you, as an employer, will transfer contributions. It makes no sense to introduce another vacancy - an accountant. This function can be entrusted to the entrepreneur himself, outsourced or performed using a cloud service.

Copycenter advertising

    advantageous location. In this case, a noticeable sign is enough to attract a client;

    distribution of leaflets among the target audience;

    posting ads in the neighborhood from the copy center.

These banal but effective tools will be enough to attract attention. Starting advertising costs will be about 30 thousand rubles. It is important to immediately declare your services in order to ensure the flow of customers.

High-quality, fast service and favorable price are also tools to attract customers. People will come to you if you offer a good price and don't make them stand in a long line. So pay special attention to the quality of service. Then the rest of the ads will work for you.

Copycenter income and expenses

The initial investment in the copy center project will be about 200 thousand rubles. Most of this amount will go to the purchase of equipment. In addition to the start-up costs, you will have to plan your monthly expenses:

    rent - 15 thousand rubles;

    copy center consumables (including stationery for sale) - 50 thousand rubles;

    Payroll (including all deductions) - 50 thousand rubles;

    taxes (approximately) - 11 thousand rubles;

    other expenses (utility fees, depreciation, contingencies) - 15 thousand rubles.

In total, the amount of monthly expenses will be 140 thousand rubles.

Now let's calculate the income of the copy center. It is rather difficult to withdraw any exact amount, because incomes depend on the list of services, the amount of work, consumer potential, etc.

At the initial stage, the main clients of the copy center will be people who need to copy or print documents. The average cost of 1 copy or printout b/w is 4 rubles. Considering that a copy center can fulfill 500 orders per day, and it will work 6 days a week, the amount of monthly revenue will be about 50 thousand rubles. But after all, most often people print more than 1 sheet. For example, students print out entire term papers, and often you have to copy a whole package of documents. The average check of a copycenter is from 20 to 200 rubles. So in a month, thanks to copy-and-print services, you can earn 150-200 thousand rubles.

In addition, revenue from the sale of stationery will be added. By purchasing goods for 30 thousand rubles, you can earn 60-70 thousand rubles.

Total: the center's monthly revenue will be about 200-270 thousand rubles.

You can earn extra. For example, post ads about related services. You can find firms that will be interested in advertising and offer cooperation. If there are many students among your visitors, advertising on writing term papers and diplomas will be great. Look for different options, don't be afraid to offer cooperation first. An ad placed on the door of the center or in the premises itself can bring in a small but passive income.

Difference between revenue and monthly expenses for tax calculation:

200,000 - 130,000 = 70,000 (rubles)

USN tax 15%:

70,000 x 0.15 = 10,500

Please note that you can choose different taxation systems. Before making a decision, consider three options: USN tax 6%, 15% and UTII. Evaluate each of them, choose the most profitable. In each case, one or the other option will be preferable.

Net profitcopy center:

70,000 - 10,500 = 59,500 (rubles).


Payback periodcopy center:
200,000 / 59,500 = 3.36. With a net profit level of 59,500 rubles, the initial investment will pay off in 3-4 months. But since at first, there will be no such volume of sales, then the payback period will increase to six months.

Profitabilitycopy center:

(59,500 / 140,500) x 100 = 42.3%. This is a good rate of return. With the development of business and the provision of additional services, profitability will increase.
Please note that the above calculations are approximate and depend on many parameters: the region, the quality of equipment, the list of services, the consumer potential of a particular place.

In general, a net profit of about 60 thousand rubles is a normal, objective indicator for this business.

Risks of a copycenter as a business

When planning any business, you need to take into account the risks that may be associated with it. The main difficulties in the work of a copy center are:

    poor choice of location;

    overpriced services;

    poor print quality, which leads to a reduction in orders;

    low service rate;

    lack of demand;

    equipment breakdown.

The profit of a copy center depends on the right place and quality service. To avoid risks, you need to carefully analyze the location where you plan to place your center. The next step is to choose high-quality equipment with high performance. By taking care of these two factors, you can provide good service and attract many customers.

In custody

Copycenter is a suitable business for aspiring entrepreneurs. The business requires minimal investment and skills. It is enough to purchase equipment and be able to use a PC and office equipment. Of course, a little entrepreneurial skill will not hurt here. By investing 200 thousand rubles in a copy center, you can create a profitable business that will pay off in six months. Another important advantage is that this business can be developed through various services: large format printing, souvenir printing, etc. There are many options and possibilities. Your task is to use them.

988 people are studying this business today.

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Profitability calculator for this business

Copy center business on printing.

Services for printing and copying during student sessions bring tangible profits. Abstracts, manuals, term papers, theses, drawings - all this requires printing, and here you can’t do without a copy center. A copy center located near an educational institution will bring you a good profit.

.

A copy center is, first of all, a center for the provision of the following services:

  • Photocopy.
  • Printing text on a b/w printer A 4.
  • Printing text on a color printer A 4.
  • Scan A 3, A 4.
  • Printing photos from digital media.
  • Lamination.
  • Recording on disks, flash drives.
  • Large format printing A 1, A 2.
  • Risography.
  • Hard and soft binding.
  • Typing and editing text.

The number of services provided depends on the availability of equipment in the copy center.

Since the main consumers of copy services are students, the copy center should be located in close proximity to higher educational institutions. Quite often, printing services can be found in stationery stores, in addition to printing, customers often buy related products - folders, pens, notebooks and other accessories.

For a small mine center, it is enough to rent a small room or a part of the room in a store of about 8 m² on sublease. This area is enough to install the necessary equipment.

From the equipment for a beginner copy center, you will need at least:

  • Computer with MFP or printer for b/w printing.
  • Single color copier A 3.
  • Laminator.
  • Risograph (duplicator) A 4. Printing replication of forms, questionnaires, leaflets, the cost of such printing is very low, the larger the circulation, the lower the cost of printing.
  • Paper cutting equipment.
  • Semi-professional stapler, hole puncher.
  • Binding device (soft, hard cover).
  • Office furniture.
  • Showcases for stationery.

This equipment at the initial stage will be quite enough, over time, you can expand the range of services and add equipment:

  • Color copier A 3.
  • The printer for photo printing is preferably inkjet, for example Epson A 4 format with CISS.
  • Large-format plotter A 1 (for printing drawings).

To open a copy center, it is enough to register an IP. Under this activity, the OKVED code 74.83 is suitable.

If you are planning to trade in stationery, then you will also need to indicate - 52.47.

Taxation system USN or UTII.

A minimum of 2 workers with shift work will be required to operate the mine center.

Monthly expenses will be:

  • Rent.
  • Consumables (paper, ink, toners).
  • Wage.
  • Taxes.

In addition, the equipment requires periodic maintenance - refilling cartridges, repair.

Copy center as a business.

As already mentioned, the main customers of the mining centers are students, of course, there are still customers who need photocopies of documents, but university students make the main profit. Therefore, a mine center will be profitable only near universities. Accordingly, in the period from July to August, when there are no classes at universities, there will be practically no clients in the mine center. Alternatively, you can also organize a trade in stationery.

The main expense item when opening a copy business is the purchase of equipment, it is up to everyone, the entrepreneur, to buy a new or used one, by virtue of their financial capabilities.

To cover monthly expenses (rent, consumables, salary, taxes) and make a profit, it will take at least 3 months of work after the opening of the mine center. But if we talk about when the equipment will pay off, then it depends on the cost of the equipment itself, the minimum set of copier equipment will pay off no earlier than in a year.

How I got into the business of creating a copy center I worked as an editor at the institute for many years, prepared documents, guidelines, edited collections of articles, so I have good experience in processing text documents and printing them.
And in 2010, I left the activity at the institute, opened an individual entrepreneur and began to work for myself.
How it all began Having registered with the employment service, I drew up a business plan for a copy center, on its basis I received a subsidy from the state, and with these funds I purchased equipment. I already had some, bought some more. Among new shopping was an A3 MFP for printing photos, drawings and color drawings.
Office Initially, it was supposed to rent a room in the building next to the institute where I once worked. My main clients were students, so proximity to the institute is important.
But the stars were not in my favor, and I did not manage to rent any of the premises. Maybe it's for the best. I had to do business from home. Fortunately, the apartment is located not far from the same institute, so this location of the copy center is convenient for me and clients.
Clients I have developed a client base during my stay at the institute, so there were no problems with clients. Many people knew me and continued to place orders with me.
The problem is that in the last few years there have been far fewer students, and young people in general, than there used to be. The reason is the decline in the birth rate in the 90s. Right now, children born in those days are entering universities.
I noticed a decrease in the number of clients on myself. If in 2008-2010 there were about a hundred graduates (the institute is small), then in 2013 only 10-15 people graduated ... Of course, this also affected profits. Therefore, I had to devote more time to writing student papers in order to receive a more or less decent income.
Activities At first, my main activity was printing text documents. Subsequently, everything changed a little.
The first year the work structure was as follows:

  • - printing of text documents (including copies) - 40%
  • - text formatting - 25%
  • - writing student papers (controls, abstracts, etc.) - 20%
  • - photo printing - 10%
  • - sale of stationery - 5%
Today, most of my time is spent writing student papers, this type of activity also brings the main income.
Now the structure is as follows:
  • - writing student papers (controls, abstracts, etc.) - 65%
  • - printing of text documents (including copies) - 20%
  • - text formatting - 10%
  • - sale of stationery - 5%
Free time I do all kinds of work myself, so during the school year there is no free time at all. Sometimes you have to work 13 hours a day.
But on the other hand, the summer months - July, August are almost completely free.
Competitors During the first years of work, I did not know what competitors were. In addition, student papers must be designed according to the standard, and few people know how to do this. Even now I have no competitors in text formatting.
But anyone can print it. Therefore, a copy center was opened not far from the institute, which is now my competitor.
My advantage is the lower price, because I do not pay rent, and the possibility of formatting the text according to the standard.
The advantage of competitors is the proximity to the institute, which means that it is more convenient for customers.
Income The maximum of my income was about 75 thousand rubles. per month excluding all taxes and deductions.
But you need to take into account that there is practically no work in the summer, in August the income is no more than 15 thousand rubles.
For the last two years, incomes have decreased for the reasons described above, and amount to about 300 thousand rubles a year.
Expenses The main expenses are the purchase of consumables - paper, toner, spare parts for repairing printers. Recently, everything has also risen noticeably in price, so we have to raise prices for services.
Conclusion Does it make sense to open a copy center? Yes, but subject to the following conditions:
  • - Proximity to school
  • - availability of various equipment for printing (including color and A3 format) and scanning
  • - an employee who knows how to handle equipment and documents
These points are very important, a copy center can only earn high income if these three conditions are combined.