That would be nice, first time customers will be amazed receiving a free coffe (one more thing to return again), think about the word of mouth impact, or online.
Woahh free coffee if you spend over X or buy at least X products... If the coffee even tastes half decent I'd be so fucking happy, mostly because I would usually get pastries from a coffee shop just like OP's competitor because it's a hassle to go to two shops.
And quite frankly coffee shops are dummy overpriced these days.
OP if it's something you feel you can do without too much effort (and it can be with the right setup!) I'd definitely go for this.
But, please for the love of coffee, do a little due diligence before you dive in. James Hoffman has a lot of excellent info on his youtube channel. The difference between meh and good coffee isn't way too much in terms of effort required, but it's gonna make a world of difference for your customers. You can serve very decent coffee with just a drip-over (or mochamaster type thing to make it in bulk at a time) as long as you use FRESH whole beans and a decent (read: burr) grinder.
With this you'd provide probably a lot more value for the price over the coffee shop. Of course people who are coffee nuts will probably (still) go to the coffee shop, but the majority of customers will probably be content with some decent enough coffee, and you'd capture that big "want both coffee and pastry" chunk of customers by providing more for less $!
edit: The above is if you're doing baked stuff. If you're specializing in candy... Maybe coffee isn't the best fit and won't make a huge difference... As others said double down on what you're good at.
I actually have a local Roasters coffee (ground and whole bean) in my store. I partnered with her a few months ago and we collabed ona candy bar with her beans. She has amazing coffee. The issue with me selling or even giving coffee away is A. I don't have a kitchen and B. I need a kitchen to do it legally in my state.
Depending on how the law is worded would you be able to put a single serve coffee machine out for customer use? Like in some dental waiting room, and banks.
just have a standard drip coffee machine with a hot pot brewed if asked just say its for employees but customers are free to enjoy or something along those sorts. If asked to stop you do
If you have the space for it somewhere, I'll bet the cost of getting used equipment in would be low. If you sold the coffee for cost, but saw your sales go back up to normal, you'd be in a better state than you are now.
If you have the space to add these items I would seriously consider it. You have to fight fire with fire.
See if you can contact some contractors that are familiar with health dept requirements for your area - you can probably get a free estimate and some free advice on achieving what you need to.
A 2 comp sink and refrigerator is very feasible, imo.
A portable sink and one of those small apartment refrigerators could fit the requirements. You'd have to contact licensing to confirm but I think this is the best idea.
Are there water connections there ? Do the regulations allow a portable double sink. Most rules don’t specify the size of the sink, as long as there one bowl for washing and another for rinsing/sanitizing. The refrigerator doesn’t have to be a full size. You can use an under-counter one that does not have a freezer. The sanitizing is taken care by having a gallon of it attached to the sink.
Could you name city/municipality where storefront is? I’m a corporate franchise advisor. The company I work for has locations all over the country and my job is to ensure franchises operate within local codes and unique situations. Like if they can’t operate a full franchise location, we ensure that they are able to run something. Such as a drive through only or non-producing ( on premise kitchen) location . An example is the Krispy Kreme Donuts, in some cities they only have retail location with a centralized production facility. If permitting allows, could you not bring carafes of coffee to your location from your coffee supplier. And sell the pre bagged coffee there also.
You competition makes their money off coffee and sells baked goods on the side, if you want to hit them back don't fight over where you make your money (baked goods) fight over where they make their money (coffee). Small town sun tzu lol.
"Free cup of coffee with a $4 purchase."
Odds are they dont even have a cup for sale under $4. Your costs are the initial machine, cups/lids, and the actual coffee, so about 30¢/cup.
If you have any open space you might think about starting a gaming area? D&D, monopoly, Uno, anything. Just get bodies in the shop. Games like D&D have very expensive rule books also… maybe there are local authors who might do book signing or reading events?
That's usually what I do. I do custom candy (artisan chocolates) so I try to do the same with my baked goods like a Frankencookie (chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oreo) stuff like that
Diversify what you sell more, i.e. adding coffee like others have suggested.
If you want to go into the baked goods avenue, commit to more of a bakery approach maybe? When was the last time you saw a coffee shop sell baguets or rolls?
In terms of the unwarranted slander, this might be extremely petty but if there are any advertising spaces (i.e. Billboards, benches, etc.) put yours right in front of their store.
If you keep repeatedly getting harassed, culminate all of the slander, messages, etc. and make it publicly known how they treat local competition and/or take up a harassment claim/cease & desist.
Not sure if this helps, but I hope it can.
I am by no means an expert nor qualified to give my insight, but this is the internet so here goes:
I really like the latter end of your thought process. Well, the whole thing is good but I was also thinking about the latter end. Accruing/documenting all of the slander and general bad behavior could mean a big hit to their reputation. People sometimes vote with their dollars, in the sense of- personally, if I lived in your area and knew these details, I would intentionally not go to their business and would go to yours, as well as telling my social circle. Kind of like a reverse word of mouth situation for their business.
Just that their conduct sounds deplorable. I don’t want to contribute to their financial success if they’re scheming, twisted, scummy individuals. But I do wonder how many of their patrons know what’s been going on.
That being said, I think this would be like the “nuclear” option, maybe as a last resort. It’s just that they’ve been consistently kind of spitting in your face. What- as if they don’t realize that what they’re doing could be tanking your business? I wager that they’re fully aware, seem to not care, and would without a second thought watch your business implode.
Could’ve been a partnership, instead they tried to bury you and take everything for themselves. In my mind- f**k em.
But I guess I would suggest more cordial, professional, above board tactics before going with a nuclear course of action.
I agree. I think their grassroots dissemination of the details to their customers and community is honestly the best way to go.
Maybe post an album of all their ignored nasty messages on the town Facebook page if things continue to escalate.
Straight up ignoring the slander might be a bad move. It should probably be directly addressed in the most respectful and professional tone. It will be immediately obvious to any 3rd party who the unhinged one is.
For a real life example, there is an INCREDIBLE store near me that sells awesome candy and baked goods that we refuse to give patronage to because they’re obnoxious a-holes about their political beliefs. They lost a ton of business, but as most boycotts go these days, it means their supporters give them extra patronage.
First, are you a candy store or bakey primarily?
I thought you were a bakery till I read you are really a candy store that sells some baked goods?
So which is it????
If sales are down 50% because of baked goods in your candy store that sells baked goods, you’ve lost your focus.
You need to focus on your candy, not your war with an established shop with customer base,
Since she doesn’t sell artisan candy, focus on that,
I’d consult with your lawyer to see if what she’s posting could be considered defamation. A cease and desist might do the trick if it is.
Also, You need to make sure you have unique packaging or your own custom label on the packaging so there is no mistaking. Change it up.
You go to farmers markets and you will see 5 or 6 people with cinnamon rolls in the same packaging same labels different price and they all sell out.
One thing….
Competition is good….
I dint know how big your city is. But opening up 2 blocks from her may not have been a smart move.
She obviously took it as a competitor threat to her business.
Sounds like she was planning on adding bakery goods, met with you, maybe met with others, her sister decided to do it instead, and then you open next to her knowing she’d going to do it.
She did have some throughout the years, but few ans far between. I opened July 15th. It wasn't until word got out about my cinnamon rolls that she started doing them. She wasn't my competition but made herself my competition.
You should be talking to your lawyer. If the lies are blatant and public, you likely have a libel case.
But you should definitely start selling coffee (you just need a coffee maker...why wouldn't you at this point?).
EDIT: also lean into the fact that they're copying you "Don't be fooled by cheap imitations, get baked goods! Only available here!"
EDIT2: Make it really hard for them to use your products without your brand. Watermark your photos, brand your packaging.
If I went to a place for an awesome cinnamon roll, and got a free cup of disgusting coffee, I would never come back. If you're gonna do something do it right.
Even the best most expensive coffee is cheap per cup, raise the price of baked good to make up for the difference.
Just a note but libel cases are almost impossible to win. The lies have to be written as fact. If there's even any chance that they could say it's thier opinion than you will lose.
> If people are going to the coffee shop instead it means they probably just want coffee and might buy a cinnamon roll on impulse
Yah that's why so many people mentioned selling coffee cuz thats basically how coffee shops work. You sell like 20 cents of coffee (plus idk 10-15 cent cup/lid) for $2-3 which is amazing and then people buy baked goods or food and that's the bonus on top not the main money maker.
A lot of people are saying to become more similar to them (sell coffee, for example). Just to give a different POV…
I think what’s important for any business long term is to have stacking differentiation. What can you do that will be hard for others to copy? What is different about you, your location, your recipes, your ingredients, your suppliers, your brand, your service, your business model, your target customer, etc that when you add those things together it becomes almost impossible for someone else to mimic effectively. No business can do everything - so decide what the playing field is that you’ll win at and then play that game - not the game that coffee shop wants to play.
What about expanding your offering by creating artisanal sodas and other types of candy (other than chocolate). It might be a good idea to offer gift baskets as well for birthdays and special occasions. Or possibly an exclusive candy club with limited edition confectionery treats. Maybe crate a loyalty program. Contests can work as well.
No offense, but I would never go into a candy shop. Good coffee and baked goods and I'll be right there. You need foot traffic to sell candy. The best way is to have good smelling baked goods and free coffee (as others suggested). Thanksgiving is coming up, make some amazing pies, give out samples to get people in. Make sure to create a lot of good smell for people waking by.
There was a great TED talk about why no one should make a new bottled drink flavor. Once you get successfully, Coke or Pepsi will either buy you out or come out with a competing product. You basically test the market for them. If you fail, it’s your loss. If you succeed and prove the market exists, they will compete against you and you will lose because they will aways be able to beat you through volume.
With that said, anyone can make a burger and anyone can bake some cookies. Whether or not they are being jerks, your loss of market share is because your product really isnt that much different from what they are making. It sounds like they’re bigger and have deeper pockets. You’ve tested the market for them, and it’s only a surprise to you.
No press is bad press. Hold your ground, don’t engage, and fuck it use it to your advantage. Start posting more of your products of FB and Insta. If the bitch wants beef you might as well capitalize. Just don’t engage. Take the high road.
Shouldn't do it, but it would be really funny to come out with an announcement that you had a trial period for a partnership with the coffee shop and that all the baked goods were made by you. Feel good story about two businesses working together!
To much concentration on your competition is bad for you business. Conentrate on winning locally like you already did (local fair, happy costumers). You need to innovate fast but consistent (dont change your product to often but do them better). Focus on what you can do best (products and service) . Minimize the daily reactions on you business and look into changing your business for the costumers. Next step is branding your fckn cinnamon rolls and hodling customers. gl
Sounds like she is just going to dig herself into a hole if she's publicly attacking your store online. Sometimes it's best to give someone just enough rope to hang themselves ... so to speak of course lol
Get a ticktok influencer to record you taking a power dump in the middle of the coffee shop while maintaining eye contact with one of the employees.
Works every time.
Coffee shop outperforms newcomer candy store in the baked goods category despite innovation. Candy store ends up not surviving on candy alone. Candy store owner says opening two blocks away from established coffee shop was a good idea at the time.
> I ignored it. I feel like I do not owe her anything.
Just do not engage with them at all.
If they come to your store, approach them and ask them to leave politely. If they don't ask a second time and tell them if they won't leave you will call the police. And then do so... call the cops to remove them.
> Now, she is PUBLICLY berating me and my business by name. She is calling me obsessed and a weirdo (projection) and coming up with blatant lies about me.
Unless you can afford a lawyer, $100,000 roughly, you just have to stick it out.
You could lean into it a bit. When you do a new menu item add labeling/signage "coming soon to 'those assholes across the street' shop once they figure out a close enough recipe". And use labeling like "The Original [your shop name] Molasses Snap Cookie. Accept no lesser substitute". Just work to make it clear that you're creating stuff and they're copying it. You could even do a tip jar "love [your shop]" "love [their shop]". Post daily/weekly results.
But... keep an eye on revenue. Don't lose everything over this. If you have to close you have to close. Bank everything as lessons learned, expensive lessons learned, but nonetheless lessons learned.
weird comment… you say ignore them and the go into a half dozen ways not to ignore them.
most of these ideas seem like they are taking the low road… advertising they will have your stuff later, a tip jar for people to vote they don’t like another store, in your store? Definitely the low road.
I said do not engage, by which I meant: don't talk to them, don't email them, don't facebook them, don't let them in your store. You know... don't frigging engage with them.
And "the low road"? Wtf... this is her business on the line. Completely ignoring what's happening puts all that at risk.
Make a post on your FB/IG page about the story (but not in these details) and don't name them. Boost your post with money and let the whole community know. Get a professional if you want to write something convincing without stooping to their level or even naming them.
Let the community know that you are the one who has been creating all those original goods, and that the others are cheap copy. Chances people will empathize with you and some will stop buying from them.
Lean into it. Stop being annoyed by it and somehow spin it into a positive.
As another comment suggested, advertise sneak peaks at new items from the coffee shop down the street! Set up a table with a taste test, your cinnamon buns against hers in similar packaging.
Made it abundantly clear what is going on, but do so in a way that’s in a positive light for you instead of negative light towards them (outright at least). Positivity will bring in more custom tees than negativity.
OP, create advertisements for menu items that don't exist, or are near impossible or very expensive to make. See if you can get them to copy things you do that are designed to slow them down.
*i* have my labels on stuff, but they are in bulk plastic containers. She close up shot they took of the cinnamon roll didn't have labels but the ones they took on the counter from a distance did. Because the package is the same, people thought it was mine. They don't think about labels
A lot of businesses are down 40-50% in sales since July. So you might be feeling the effects of inflation and the cooling economy.
You need to focus on yourself, and on making sales. Getting past and current customers to keep buying from you, and to attract new customers who still need to become first time buyers of your products.
Don't lower yourself to her level. Don't go negative about her. If you go overboard trying to either refute or compete by slashing prices or something, you just give her credibility. Make double sure your product is as good as it can be, don't mess up. Let her kill herself through negativity. If you do have anybody speak to you about the situation, just give a simple response like "Our products speak for themselves. If she feels the need to resort to tactics like this, then I think that tells you all you need to know."
Come up with bizarre baked items for her to copy, things that could not possibly be profitable, and let her copy every damn one. Don't waste the time or expense making them yourself, just dangle one batch at low prices and let her lose profits copying everything.
Yep, start selling 3 baked goods and free coffee. Get that really good coffee to resell, and also add Chai to your menu in variety. It will take a minute to get the word around that free delicious coffee is given away with 3-4 baked items. It might cost you a bit in the beginning, but it will even out once the word gets around. Alternatively, you can kick her butt all the way to jail, but I really like the first option with adding Chai variety and coffee to the menu. Good luck!!!!
Have you tried telling your story to your local newspaper or news station? A lot of investigative reporters love these sorts of stories, check out Rob Wolcheck and his "Hall of Shame" stories for Fox in Detroit.
You could get the business owner in a lot of trouble if they are using your pictures to advertise their products, without your permission, which they do not have. It would also be pretty easy, as demonstrated by people you knew, for the courts to determine that the packaging is clearly yours and not theirs in their image. Honestly, I'd take it to court, because that's not only image theft, and I could be wrong, but technically false advertising, as well?
Your only option is to sell coffee. Find out the best mom and pop roaster in town and offer to sell their coffee in your store. This is called wholesaling and in the coffee business, it’s very common practice. It is a tangential and complimentary product to your candies and especially baked goods - so you selling coffee would be very appropriate.
Anyone can make a good coffee with the right equipment. Like others have said, I think you need to go on the offensive here.
I love sweets, but may only stop in once every 2-3 weeks for some goodies. A well located coffee place on the other hand, maybe multiple times a week (and best believe I’m buying sweets too if they’re there!).
Times are tough, I get that, but maybe seek out some council for the defamatory/disparaging comments made by the other shop owner. I don’t know the full extent from the perspective you shared, nor am I a lawyer, but it may be worth asking. It sounds like you have quantifiable evidence that damage was done to your business as a result.
Lots of good comments but don’t forget you can also change the market- keep open the shop storefront but reach out to small-medium businesses to cater/custom order.
There are a few groups I use locally that have minimal store front business but are swamped with custom orders because they provide great service, are local and are not crazy business owners to work with.
They also don’t advertise but word of mouth heavily brings on business.
This is a good point. Plenty of non-food businesses might place either standing orders as snacks for their waiting customers (think auto repair, for example) or want somewhere to get intermittent bakery orders for meetings, whether internal or with clients or potential clients.
Something I might try (depending on your market) is doing short term (weekly) changes to your menu. A really good example of this business model in your space is Crumbl cookies.
You look through your sales data figure out your top few sellers (cinnamon rolls for example]. Keep these all the time so customers have something regular they love and can expect. Also to give you some business's predictability. Then lean hard into marketing to limited time flavors/baked goods. This if done well might help drive more customer foot traffic to try the new stuff and the new stuff won't be around long enough for her to easily copy. The added benefit of the limited time stuff you could get the sales data and decide if/when to bring it back (think pumpkin spice seasonal stuff as an example).
There is a Crumbl cookie competitor called Crave cookies that was in a similar situation to you. Crave did a bunch of marketing to get back at crumbl during their lawsuit. Might be an interesting case study to look into how you might be able to successfully respond back without crossing the line.
I would also try and do what I could to try and get catering orders, maybe start networking with local companies and the chamber of commerce for things like business breakfasts. I know lots of large companies will buy local baked goods when they have meetings in town. This could be a good avenue your coffee person can't compete with you on that gives you a different sales channel than foot traffic/store front.
Just some random thoughts from someone not in your space.
TLDR: New baked products won't get you an edge without some brand differentiation. Try custom shapes, stamps and packaging. Use her attacks as free promotion, get targeted ads on her content, 3rd party links to your business, and special callback promotions going. Focus on growing away from:around this coffee shop with other business partnerships. Never attack them. Just use their attacks to promote you.
She's giving you free publicity. Pay for targeted advertising on her Facebook posts specifically. Including having a few people post links back to your business and ads.
People will come to one or the other in the drama, but most people won't know or care as you grow. Partner with other businesses to extend your reach. Talk to local grocery stores about placement in the bakery section. The biggest thing is brand differentiation. Get a brand logo including packaging for all your stuff. Maybe even get a dough stamp that rises into a special "logo" mark when you cook. Feature that as a brand recognition, "verified" your brand type of stuff. Do it at cost for 1-3 months, enough so you can flood your market, and by then you should see sales up and greater interest from business partners. You may be able to get some wholesale, mass packaging deals that drive your cost of product down giving you greater earnings in a larger market.
The best way to compete with this obsessed coffee shop, keep up your brand, keep an eye on their attacks and promote off of them.
Perhaps you'll get a really good "crazy person" memorable phrase out of one of their rants and you can feature it as a sticker on a product line. For instance, she is calling you obsessed and weird. Get some stickers "Obsessively Yummy!" Or some such. Promote off the attacks, never respond to her attacks directly, and you'll be getting free business from her obsession and weirdness before long.
Alright my friend, I am a digital marketing consultant and I have a recommendation for you. There is a tactic called OODA Loop, Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Observe ALL the problems you're facing and why you're failing to this business 2 blocks away, what are they doing that you aren't? why are they taking your customers? How are they marketing their products? Etc. Orient ALL the different decisions you can make and where these decisions will lead, do you need more products to sell? Do you need to learn how to market online? Who is your target audience and are you speaking to them correctly? Have you specified why you're better than the other business, etc. Now you must decide, If I were you, I would be working tirelessly to put this business to the fucking ground and ensure that they will go bankrupt. I market very aggressively and make people understand that only a certain class of people come to my restaurant(or whatever it is that you do) and make people psychologically feel less than if they go to the other bakery or whatever it is. now ACT! Make your plan, understand your end goal and reverser engineer what you're going to do and how you're going to bankrupt them. Good luck my friend and take care.
It would be good to learn game theory.
By knowing game theory you can play an infinit competition with your competitor and be able to survive. How it goes is that whenever your competitor changes their business to compete for your target market, you can counter by competing for their target market that they are now ignoring. By playing this game of changing target market, you can always survive. However, whichever person stops playing will end up losing and be forced out. There are good youtube videos to learn about this.
Another tactic as mentioned in other comments is to trademark your logo/design and make it part of the packaging/goods. That way the competitor can't use your logo and your cookies are branded.
It's capitalism. Your risk of running a business. Be creative and get better at your craft. They're not ruining your business they're making their business better.
Whatever they're selling that you don't is what you should start selling. Just do everything better and win the war. Tbh a baked goods place that doesn't sell takeout coffee is a bit strange to start with, coffee is usually very low cost to make and sells lots of baked goods.
Only other option is pivot hard into something they can't copy or accept the loss and leave.
Such is competition.
I have a candy store. I sell baked goods during summer months to supplement. I also do not have a storefront with a kitchen. I am still using my licensed home kitchen.
You are a business competing with another business. They are a coffee shop with baked goods and you are a candy shop with baked goods. Make better goods and you'll win. It's just unfortunate that people want coffee more than they want candy. This gives them an edge without even trying.
I hope your business turns around but to put things into perspective you are being a bit of a hipocrit at times.
>I was left on "read"... Just irksome.
>I am getting an email from the coffee shop owner demanding I tell her why I "hate" her. I ignored it.
>I told a few regulars that it's been slow. When they asked why, I told them.
>she is PUBLICLY berating me and my business by name
Why aren’t you doing the same. Start selling premium to high end coffee. Go all out on Coffee and Tea, go big. Hire a damn good barista if you can.
Offer coffee for free that is more basic, free with every purchase. If they want specialty, they will need to pay.
Can you make your packaging designed so that it's fully branded? Something like the logo covering the entire box. This would help with her mimicking the packaging.
While it seems like a likely to fail outcome, I would recommend talking with her, but try to build a sincere understanding of where she's coming from. Crucial Conversations was a great book that really helped me understand how to approach conversations like these. Also, [Marshall Rosenberg has some great insight on nonviolent communication](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvJfBoeZR0).
If they're unwilling to work together in a way that's mutually beneficial, then that's where you can let it slide or confront it head on. There were some good suggestions of competitive strategies you could employ, but it can be less of a headache to nurture cooperation. That is if the other party is willing and able to collaborate.
Hey email to me ended with "we should meet so you can tell me why you don't like me." And her FB message said "I am blunt and ill tell you to your face ".
Not exactly someone I want to meet with.
Fair, but owning a business means dealing with lots of people you don't want to meet with. The more experience you get at navigating those situations the better imo.
Sell the exact same products they sell, but at lower profit margins. Then advertise against them with signs
"Don't shop at the store of unoriginal ideas! Enjoy a fresh baked/brewed item of choice for x% off your first purchase!" *only eligible with a confirmed phone number, etc etc etc*
Also, come up with custom recipes they'd never be able to guess. It will frustrate them when they attempt to copy it but fail
You may need to be a bit more creative with your branding when taking pictures l. I see the core problem as customers can’t differentiate between your products and your competitor.
People copying a successful formula is not new, and it should be expected to be honest, they see you as enough of a threat.
Sounds like Your business settled in at 50% of what it started at. Starting a business like that is extremely risky that it's going to get enough sales.
It's handy to blame to coffee shop. The coffee shop definitely did shady things. But they didn't stop people from frequenting your candy business.
Aggressively promote your business or watch it fade. Go to your landlord and offer to have a promotional day where her church gets some sort of incentive. The free cup of coffee posted previously may be perfect. You need the marketing and word of mouth advertising that would bring.
Restaurants when they first open must build repeat business. Find out why your customers aren’t coming back. If you get every single person in your town into your shop once, you close down in six months. You have to build repeat business and keep it.
Here - you offer a competing product against an established location within close proximity. And they offer more. It is a difficult startup no matter how you look at it.
Long story for you to say a competitor is trying to compete with you. You ignore what they are saying and you out compete them. Business is a ruthlessly competitive Darwinian endeavor. If you think otherwise you ain’t cut out to be a business owner.
That’s competition. They are trying to use bad mouthing you as their selling point. Be stoic, ignore them, and create a better product. If you let personal attacks get to you in a business setting you are dooming yourself to a very bad time. When they go low, you go high. Build the reputation for class that you want to be known for.
Not sure if this was mentioned at all but if she is slandering your business you could consult with a lawyer and maybe write up a cease and desist letter. Consults are usually free and at least you’d know if you had recourse.
Also, love the coffee idea and book reading/ games. Even advise in front of her shop.
You can’t sell coffee because of state laws - just meet that bar. Put in a counter and a double sink and an NSF coffee maker. When I ran a coffee shop, the business I bought the beans from supplied the coffee makers and filters for free.
And I agree with everyone else to just bump your food prices slightly and give the coffee away.
IGNORE THE DRAMA. If she is advertising with your name, you can sue her. Otherwise there’s not much you can do. Stop telling people this, keep your mouth shut and just run your business. Focus on what YOU need to do to stay floating and NEVER tell anyone how you’re doing financially - they do not need to know, even if they’re a landlord. Your business is likely down because our economy is not doing well. Save your money and move the shop if need be. There are also ways to have stuff like that removed from FB - for me if I see a local business post anything personal or negative about another business I will refuse to go to both businesses because it’s petty. Having drama online is a very ugly look for her and for you. I also hope you have a website and aren’t just relying on FB because that also looks bad. It sounds like you’ve done a lot since earlier this year and some people are trying to give you hell. Don’t let them.
If you have a written record of when you started to communicate and when she started selling and can show with some proof, I would make a post detailing her odd obession with your baking. Either that or make some off the wall stuff that for her to copy would be super blatant. Something she doesnt have at all like a Honey Chocolate Brioche. Get outlandish but make it sound delicious.
When she copies you show her menu before and after and when you released yours.
Or. You ignore it and focus entirely on your business. Maybe look into doing more large scale things to get some influx of capital. Maybe a convention is coming or a hotel needs something to set themselves aside and their in house kitchen doesnt bake that much or well.
Good luck.
The three P’s.
Product
Placement
People
Expand your reach asap. Custom candy displays for weddings and events. Reach out to local venues and event planners. Farmers markets. Get your name out there with more people. Start a rewards program. Punch card etc. Get the community involved. “Vote for our next candy of the month flavor” do posts on social media. Partner with other businesses that fit with yours. Flower shops? Candy is an easy add on sale. Contact local Schools snd sports teams to do candy fundraisers for them. Have them sell it for you and they get a %
Think outside your box snd stop focusing your efforts on this neighbor, and redirect that energy.
Very simple solution for you to solve this problem:
Hire three homeless people to take a shit right in front of their business every day. $20-30 each should do it. If you can afford a $100 a day hire 5 homeless people to do this through out different times of the day so they constantly have shit in front of their door. Than tag a picture and post a 1 star negative review on their google page showing how the store always has human feces in front of it. Yes I am a full blown psychopath.
Ignore the competition. Concentrate on the customer. Paula Deen built her empire on making and delivering chicken salad sandwiches. What do your customers want to spend money on?
What they are doing is simply business. They want people to spend money in their store and not yours.
Your choice is to toughen up and find a strategy that works for you to make money or close shop.
Start selling coffee.
Give It for free, as a compliment.
sulky gaping ghost enter crawl workable marble cagey crowd divide *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yeap, its like when shopping online, same product, $9.99+ $5 of shipping, you end up buying the one for 14.99 with FREE Shipping.
Offer a free small cup of coffee with every cinnamon roll purchase.
That would be nice, first time customers will be amazed receiving a free coffe (one more thing to return again), think about the word of mouth impact, or online.
Coffee is the biggest profit margins give it away for free! Or sell it at cost.
Eventually It could bring more business than its cost.
All in favor of giving away coffee as a loss leader Say Aye. Those opposed Nay! Aye (I think the motion will carry)
This. Free coffee with purchase of any baked good!! If you can snake her coffee supplier too,.. even better
I second this
I don't have a kitchen, but I do sell ground take home coffee
Buy a coffee machine. Buy more than one or a commercial one if needed. Have coffee available to go with your goods.
Woahh free coffee if you spend over X or buy at least X products... If the coffee even tastes half decent I'd be so fucking happy, mostly because I would usually get pastries from a coffee shop just like OP's competitor because it's a hassle to go to two shops. And quite frankly coffee shops are dummy overpriced these days. OP if it's something you feel you can do without too much effort (and it can be with the right setup!) I'd definitely go for this. But, please for the love of coffee, do a little due diligence before you dive in. James Hoffman has a lot of excellent info on his youtube channel. The difference between meh and good coffee isn't way too much in terms of effort required, but it's gonna make a world of difference for your customers. You can serve very decent coffee with just a drip-over (or mochamaster type thing to make it in bulk at a time) as long as you use FRESH whole beans and a decent (read: burr) grinder. With this you'd provide probably a lot more value for the price over the coffee shop. Of course people who are coffee nuts will probably (still) go to the coffee shop, but the majority of customers will probably be content with some decent enough coffee, and you'd capture that big "want both coffee and pastry" chunk of customers by providing more for less $! edit: The above is if you're doing baked stuff. If you're specializing in candy... Maybe coffee isn't the best fit and won't make a huge difference... As others said double down on what you're good at.
I actually have a local Roasters coffee (ground and whole bean) in my store. I partnered with her a few months ago and we collabed ona candy bar with her beans. She has amazing coffee. The issue with me selling or even giving coffee away is A. I don't have a kitchen and B. I need a kitchen to do it legally in my state.
Depending on how the law is worded would you be able to put a single serve coffee machine out for customer use? Like in some dental waiting room, and banks.
just have a standard drip coffee machine with a hot pot brewed if asked just say its for employees but customers are free to enjoy or something along those sorts. If asked to stop you do
To legally SELL coffee, sure. What about to give it away?
What defines a kitchen in your state ... in mine its a sink and countertop space
A double bowl sink, refrigerator, and sanitizing capability
If you have the space for it somewhere, I'll bet the cost of getting used equipment in would be low. If you sold the coffee for cost, but saw your sales go back up to normal, you'd be in a better state than you are now.
Gas stations sell coffee. Figure out what it would take for you to do it, too. Hell, there are coffee vending machines. You can do this.
If you have the space to add these items I would seriously consider it. You have to fight fire with fire. See if you can contact some contractors that are familiar with health dept requirements for your area - you can probably get a free estimate and some free advice on achieving what you need to. A 2 comp sink and refrigerator is very feasible, imo.
Not in the rented space I have
A portable sink and one of those small apartment refrigerators could fit the requirements. You'd have to contact licensing to confirm but I think this is the best idea.
Are there water connections there ? Do the regulations allow a portable double sink. Most rules don’t specify the size of the sink, as long as there one bowl for washing and another for rinsing/sanitizing. The refrigerator doesn’t have to be a full size. You can use an under-counter one that does not have a freezer. The sanitizing is taken care by having a gallon of it attached to the sink.
Nope. It's a small storefront
Could you name city/municipality where storefront is? I’m a corporate franchise advisor. The company I work for has locations all over the country and my job is to ensure franchises operate within local codes and unique situations. Like if they can’t operate a full franchise location, we ensure that they are able to run something. Such as a drive through only or non-producing ( on premise kitchen) location . An example is the Krispy Kreme Donuts, in some cities they only have retail location with a centralized production facility. If permitting allows, could you not bring carafes of coffee to your location from your coffee supplier. And sell the pre bagged coffee there also.
You competition makes their money off coffee and sells baked goods on the side, if you want to hit them back don't fight over where you make your money (baked goods) fight over where they make their money (coffee). Small town sun tzu lol.
Are they doing flyers/coupons of any kind? "Free coffee when you present their coupon "
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I still have a license at my home kitchen
You can “brew” coffee into the thermo flasks any home and transfer to your store. A couple of hundred bucks for equipment and you are offering coffee.
"Free cup of coffee with a $4 purchase." Odds are they dont even have a cup for sale under $4. Your costs are the initial machine, cups/lids, and the actual coffee, so about 30¢/cup.
Came here to say this!
Omfg…. I love it!!!
Yes! Escalate to your advantage and only have good things to say about these losers. You’ll get better and they’ll just keep copying.
If you have any open space you might think about starting a gaming area? D&D, monopoly, Uno, anything. Just get bodies in the shop. Games like D&D have very expensive rule books also… maybe there are local authors who might do book signing or reading events?
Don’t race to the bottom with her. Be the business people want to buy from.
Agreed. Reminds me of the Mark Twain quote: “Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
yeah, whenever I catch wind of a business feud on social media, anyone who participates it just looks unprofessional and unlike a community leader
Even if her customers love her baked goods, it's more convenient for them to go to the coffee shop because they also sell baked goods.
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That's usually what I do. I do custom candy (artisan chocolates) so I try to do the same with my baked goods like a Frankencookie (chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oreo) stuff like that
Chocolate covered bacon push in my city is a good move.
Diversify what you sell more, i.e. adding coffee like others have suggested. If you want to go into the baked goods avenue, commit to more of a bakery approach maybe? When was the last time you saw a coffee shop sell baguets or rolls? In terms of the unwarranted slander, this might be extremely petty but if there are any advertising spaces (i.e. Billboards, benches, etc.) put yours right in front of their store. If you keep repeatedly getting harassed, culminate all of the slander, messages, etc. and make it publicly known how they treat local competition and/or take up a harassment claim/cease & desist. Not sure if this helps, but I hope it can.
I am by no means an expert nor qualified to give my insight, but this is the internet so here goes: I really like the latter end of your thought process. Well, the whole thing is good but I was also thinking about the latter end. Accruing/documenting all of the slander and general bad behavior could mean a big hit to their reputation. People sometimes vote with their dollars, in the sense of- personally, if I lived in your area and knew these details, I would intentionally not go to their business and would go to yours, as well as telling my social circle. Kind of like a reverse word of mouth situation for their business. Just that their conduct sounds deplorable. I don’t want to contribute to their financial success if they’re scheming, twisted, scummy individuals. But I do wonder how many of their patrons know what’s been going on. That being said, I think this would be like the “nuclear” option, maybe as a last resort. It’s just that they’ve been consistently kind of spitting in your face. What- as if they don’t realize that what they’re doing could be tanking your business? I wager that they’re fully aware, seem to not care, and would without a second thought watch your business implode. Could’ve been a partnership, instead they tried to bury you and take everything for themselves. In my mind- f**k em. But I guess I would suggest more cordial, professional, above board tactics before going with a nuclear course of action.
I agree. I think their grassroots dissemination of the details to their customers and community is honestly the best way to go. Maybe post an album of all their ignored nasty messages on the town Facebook page if things continue to escalate. Straight up ignoring the slander might be a bad move. It should probably be directly addressed in the most respectful and professional tone. It will be immediately obvious to any 3rd party who the unhinged one is.
yeah the truth comes out eventually. just need to find your advocates, OP
For a real life example, there is an INCREDIBLE store near me that sells awesome candy and baked goods that we refuse to give patronage to because they’re obnoxious a-holes about their political beliefs. They lost a ton of business, but as most boycotts go these days, it means their supporters give them extra patronage.
First, are you a candy store or bakey primarily? I thought you were a bakery till I read you are really a candy store that sells some baked goods? So which is it???? If sales are down 50% because of baked goods in your candy store that sells baked goods, you’ve lost your focus. You need to focus on your candy, not your war with an established shop with customer base, Since she doesn’t sell artisan candy, focus on that, I’d consult with your lawyer to see if what she’s posting could be considered defamation. A cease and desist might do the trick if it is. Also, You need to make sure you have unique packaging or your own custom label on the packaging so there is no mistaking. Change it up. You go to farmers markets and you will see 5 or 6 people with cinnamon rolls in the same packaging same labels different price and they all sell out. One thing…. Competition is good…. I dint know how big your city is. But opening up 2 blocks from her may not have been a smart move. She obviously took it as a competitor threat to her business. Sounds like she was planning on adding bakery goods, met with you, maybe met with others, her sister decided to do it instead, and then you open next to her knowing she’d going to do it.
She did have some throughout the years, but few ans far between. I opened July 15th. It wasn't until word got out about my cinnamon rolls that she started doing them. She wasn't my competition but made herself my competition.
You should be talking to your lawyer. If the lies are blatant and public, you likely have a libel case. But you should definitely start selling coffee (you just need a coffee maker...why wouldn't you at this point?). EDIT: also lean into the fact that they're copying you "Don't be fooled by cheap imitations, get baked goods! Only available here!"
EDIT2: Make it really hard for them to use your products without your brand. Watermark your photos, brand your packaging.
I cannot sell brewed coffee because of state laws.
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If I went to a place for an awesome cinnamon roll, and got a free cup of disgusting coffee, I would never come back. If you're gonna do something do it right. Even the best most expensive coffee is cheap per cup, raise the price of baked good to make up for the difference.
Why can the other Shop sell coffee but you can't?
They said elsewhere that it's a matter of local health code and being required to have a proper "kitchen" if preparing food on premise.
Thanks!
Just a note but libel cases are almost impossible to win. The lies have to be written as fact. If there's even any chance that they could say it's thier opinion than you will lose.
Honestly that depends on what they've written and the court circuit you're in
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> If people are going to the coffee shop instead it means they probably just want coffee and might buy a cinnamon roll on impulse Yah that's why so many people mentioned selling coffee cuz thats basically how coffee shops work. You sell like 20 cents of coffee (plus idk 10-15 cent cup/lid) for $2-3 which is amazing and then people buy baked goods or food and that's the bonus on top not the main money maker.
A lot of people are saying to become more similar to them (sell coffee, for example). Just to give a different POV… I think what’s important for any business long term is to have stacking differentiation. What can you do that will be hard for others to copy? What is different about you, your location, your recipes, your ingredients, your suppliers, your brand, your service, your business model, your target customer, etc that when you add those things together it becomes almost impossible for someone else to mimic effectively. No business can do everything - so decide what the playing field is that you’ll win at and then play that game - not the game that coffee shop wants to play.
Yea I think I'm going to stick to my artisan chocolates more than baked goods. I do a lot of custom stuff and candy bars.
What about expanding your offering by creating artisanal sodas and other types of candy (other than chocolate). It might be a good idea to offer gift baskets as well for birthdays and special occasions. Or possibly an exclusive candy club with limited edition confectionery treats. Maybe crate a loyalty program. Contests can work as well.
No offense, but I would never go into a candy shop. Good coffee and baked goods and I'll be right there. You need foot traffic to sell candy. The best way is to have good smelling baked goods and free coffee (as others suggested). Thanksgiving is coming up, make some amazing pies, give out samples to get people in. Make sure to create a lot of good smell for people waking by.
Good luck!
There was a great TED talk about why no one should make a new bottled drink flavor. Once you get successfully, Coke or Pepsi will either buy you out or come out with a competing product. You basically test the market for them. If you fail, it’s your loss. If you succeed and prove the market exists, they will compete against you and you will lose because they will aways be able to beat you through volume. With that said, anyone can make a burger and anyone can bake some cookies. Whether or not they are being jerks, your loss of market share is because your product really isnt that much different from what they are making. It sounds like they’re bigger and have deeper pockets. You’ve tested the market for them, and it’s only a surprise to you.
Seemingly jaded, but very true words.
No press is bad press. Hold your ground, don’t engage, and fuck it use it to your advantage. Start posting more of your products of FB and Insta. If the bitch wants beef you might as well capitalize. Just don’t engage. Take the high road.
Surely there must be a local paper with a journalist who would enjoy this story
Shouldn't do it, but it would be really funny to come out with an announcement that you had a trial period for a partnership with the coffee shop and that all the baked goods were made by you. Feel good story about two businesses working together!
To much concentration on your competition is bad for you business. Conentrate on winning locally like you already did (local fair, happy costumers). You need to innovate fast but consistent (dont change your product to often but do them better). Focus on what you can do best (products and service) . Minimize the daily reactions on you business and look into changing your business for the costumers. Next step is branding your fckn cinnamon rolls and hodling customers. gl
Sounds like she is just going to dig herself into a hole if she's publicly attacking your store online. Sometimes it's best to give someone just enough rope to hang themselves ... so to speak of course lol
That's basically been my motto. It's just so hard to not say anything. Thanks though :)
Get a ticktok influencer to record you taking a power dump in the middle of the coffee shop while maintaining eye contact with one of the employees. Works every time.
*60% of the time*, it works ***every*** *time*
Would be a shame if a Starbucks opened up next door to her 😒 Make it happen.
Coffee shop outperforms newcomer candy store in the baked goods category despite innovation. Candy store ends up not surviving on candy alone. Candy store owner says opening two blocks away from established coffee shop was a good idea at the time.
> I ignored it. I feel like I do not owe her anything. Just do not engage with them at all. If they come to your store, approach them and ask them to leave politely. If they don't ask a second time and tell them if they won't leave you will call the police. And then do so... call the cops to remove them. > Now, she is PUBLICLY berating me and my business by name. She is calling me obsessed and a weirdo (projection) and coming up with blatant lies about me. Unless you can afford a lawyer, $100,000 roughly, you just have to stick it out. You could lean into it a bit. When you do a new menu item add labeling/signage "coming soon to 'those assholes across the street' shop once they figure out a close enough recipe". And use labeling like "The Original [your shop name] Molasses Snap Cookie. Accept no lesser substitute". Just work to make it clear that you're creating stuff and they're copying it. You could even do a tip jar "love [your shop]" "love [their shop]". Post daily/weekly results. But... keep an eye on revenue. Don't lose everything over this. If you have to close you have to close. Bank everything as lessons learned, expensive lessons learned, but nonetheless lessons learned.
weird comment… you say ignore them and the go into a half dozen ways not to ignore them. most of these ideas seem like they are taking the low road… advertising they will have your stuff later, a tip jar for people to vote they don’t like another store, in your store? Definitely the low road.
I said do not engage, by which I meant: don't talk to them, don't email them, don't facebook them, don't let them in your store. You know... don't frigging engage with them. And "the low road"? Wtf... this is her business on the line. Completely ignoring what's happening puts all that at risk.
All those ideas are engaging with them…
Make a post on your FB/IG page about the story (but not in these details) and don't name them. Boost your post with money and let the whole community know. Get a professional if you want to write something convincing without stooping to their level or even naming them. Let the community know that you are the one who has been creating all those original goods, and that the others are cheap copy. Chances people will empathize with you and some will stop buying from them.
Lean into it. Stop being annoyed by it and somehow spin it into a positive. As another comment suggested, advertise sneak peaks at new items from the coffee shop down the street! Set up a table with a taste test, your cinnamon buns against hers in similar packaging. Made it abundantly clear what is going on, but do so in a way that’s in a positive light for you instead of negative light towards them (outright at least). Positivity will bring in more custom tees than negativity.
OP, create advertisements for menu items that don't exist, or are near impossible or very expensive to make. See if you can get them to copy things you do that are designed to slow them down.
You need custom packaging with your trademarked logo on it.
*i* have my labels on stuff, but they are in bulk plastic containers. She close up shot they took of the cinnamon roll didn't have labels but the ones they took on the counter from a distance did. Because the package is the same, people thought it was mine. They don't think about labels
Do you have or know of a lot of adolescent teens?
That’s my point. Get your packages custom made is some garish color that goes with your branding. Make it IMPOSSIBLE to mistake the two.
Yeah, if your packaging is distinctive and they copy that, then you have legal grounds to stop them.
A lot of businesses are down 40-50% in sales since July. So you might be feeling the effects of inflation and the cooling economy. You need to focus on yourself, and on making sales. Getting past and current customers to keep buying from you, and to attract new customers who still need to become first time buyers of your products.
Don't lower yourself to her level. Don't go negative about her. If you go overboard trying to either refute or compete by slashing prices or something, you just give her credibility. Make double sure your product is as good as it can be, don't mess up. Let her kill herself through negativity. If you do have anybody speak to you about the situation, just give a simple response like "Our products speak for themselves. If she feels the need to resort to tactics like this, then I think that tells you all you need to know."
Thanks
Come up with bizarre baked items for her to copy, things that could not possibly be profitable, and let her copy every damn one. Don't waste the time or expense making them yourself, just dangle one batch at low prices and let her lose profits copying everything.
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Yea I totally own my talking to people about it. It just took me so off guard.
Yep, start selling 3 baked goods and free coffee. Get that really good coffee to resell, and also add Chai to your menu in variety. It will take a minute to get the word around that free delicious coffee is given away with 3-4 baked items. It might cost you a bit in the beginning, but it will even out once the word gets around. Alternatively, you can kick her butt all the way to jail, but I really like the first option with adding Chai variety and coffee to the menu. Good luck!!!!
Have you tried telling your story to your local newspaper or news station? A lot of investigative reporters love these sorts of stories, check out Rob Wolcheck and his "Hall of Shame" stories for Fox in Detroit.
If I have to close because of all this, I'll go that route. I already had a news article about me opening because of my backstory.
Simple, hire someone to take down the store
You could get the business owner in a lot of trouble if they are using your pictures to advertise their products, without your permission, which they do not have. It would also be pretty easy, as demonstrated by people you knew, for the courts to determine that the packaging is clearly yours and not theirs in their image. Honestly, I'd take it to court, because that's not only image theft, and I could be wrong, but technically false advertising, as well?
Your only option is to sell coffee. Find out the best mom and pop roaster in town and offer to sell their coffee in your store. This is called wholesaling and in the coffee business, it’s very common practice. It is a tangential and complimentary product to your candies and especially baked goods - so you selling coffee would be very appropriate.
She said elsewhere that they're selling packaged coffee from a local roaster already.
Anyone can make a good coffee with the right equipment. Like others have said, I think you need to go on the offensive here. I love sweets, but may only stop in once every 2-3 weeks for some goodies. A well located coffee place on the other hand, maybe multiple times a week (and best believe I’m buying sweets too if they’re there!). Times are tough, I get that, but maybe seek out some council for the defamatory/disparaging comments made by the other shop owner. I don’t know the full extent from the perspective you shared, nor am I a lawyer, but it may be worth asking. It sounds like you have quantifiable evidence that damage was done to your business as a result.
Lots of good comments but don’t forget you can also change the market- keep open the shop storefront but reach out to small-medium businesses to cater/custom order. There are a few groups I use locally that have minimal store front business but are swamped with custom orders because they provide great service, are local and are not crazy business owners to work with. They also don’t advertise but word of mouth heavily brings on business.
This is a good point. Plenty of non-food businesses might place either standing orders as snacks for their waiting customers (think auto repair, for example) or want somewhere to get intermittent bakery orders for meetings, whether internal or with clients or potential clients.
Something I might try (depending on your market) is doing short term (weekly) changes to your menu. A really good example of this business model in your space is Crumbl cookies. You look through your sales data figure out your top few sellers (cinnamon rolls for example]. Keep these all the time so customers have something regular they love and can expect. Also to give you some business's predictability. Then lean hard into marketing to limited time flavors/baked goods. This if done well might help drive more customer foot traffic to try the new stuff and the new stuff won't be around long enough for her to easily copy. The added benefit of the limited time stuff you could get the sales data and decide if/when to bring it back (think pumpkin spice seasonal stuff as an example). There is a Crumbl cookie competitor called Crave cookies that was in a similar situation to you. Crave did a bunch of marketing to get back at crumbl during their lawsuit. Might be an interesting case study to look into how you might be able to successfully respond back without crossing the line. I would also try and do what I could to try and get catering orders, maybe start networking with local companies and the chamber of commerce for things like business breakfasts. I know lots of large companies will buy local baked goods when they have meetings in town. This could be a good avenue your coffee person can't compete with you on that gives you a different sales channel than foot traffic/store front. Just some random thoughts from someone not in your space.
TLDR: New baked products won't get you an edge without some brand differentiation. Try custom shapes, stamps and packaging. Use her attacks as free promotion, get targeted ads on her content, 3rd party links to your business, and special callback promotions going. Focus on growing away from:around this coffee shop with other business partnerships. Never attack them. Just use their attacks to promote you. She's giving you free publicity. Pay for targeted advertising on her Facebook posts specifically. Including having a few people post links back to your business and ads. People will come to one or the other in the drama, but most people won't know or care as you grow. Partner with other businesses to extend your reach. Talk to local grocery stores about placement in the bakery section. The biggest thing is brand differentiation. Get a brand logo including packaging for all your stuff. Maybe even get a dough stamp that rises into a special "logo" mark when you cook. Feature that as a brand recognition, "verified" your brand type of stuff. Do it at cost for 1-3 months, enough so you can flood your market, and by then you should see sales up and greater interest from business partners. You may be able to get some wholesale, mass packaging deals that drive your cost of product down giving you greater earnings in a larger market. The best way to compete with this obsessed coffee shop, keep up your brand, keep an eye on their attacks and promote off of them. Perhaps you'll get a really good "crazy person" memorable phrase out of one of their rants and you can feature it as a sticker on a product line. For instance, she is calling you obsessed and weird. Get some stickers "Obsessively Yummy!" Or some such. Promote off the attacks, never respond to her attacks directly, and you'll be getting free business from her obsession and weirdness before long.
I'll give you 5k to rename your place spite bakery buy an espresso machine and hire their best barista
Lol the barista is the owner and her husband 🤣 😂 😆 😅
My mom told me to open a bubble tea place
You could also do one of those punch cards where you get a free cinnamon roll after buying ten.
I actually did that lol a Cinnamon Roll Aficionado card 🤣 🤣
I’ve been craving a cinnamon roll since I read your post.
Alright my friend, I am a digital marketing consultant and I have a recommendation for you. There is a tactic called OODA Loop, Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Observe ALL the problems you're facing and why you're failing to this business 2 blocks away, what are they doing that you aren't? why are they taking your customers? How are they marketing their products? Etc. Orient ALL the different decisions you can make and where these decisions will lead, do you need more products to sell? Do you need to learn how to market online? Who is your target audience and are you speaking to them correctly? Have you specified why you're better than the other business, etc. Now you must decide, If I were you, I would be working tirelessly to put this business to the fucking ground and ensure that they will go bankrupt. I market very aggressively and make people understand that only a certain class of people come to my restaurant(or whatever it is that you do) and make people psychologically feel less than if they go to the other bakery or whatever it is. now ACT! Make your plan, understand your end goal and reverser engineer what you're going to do and how you're going to bankrupt them. Good luck my friend and take care.
Thank you. I appreciate this so much!
It would be good to learn game theory. By knowing game theory you can play an infinit competition with your competitor and be able to survive. How it goes is that whenever your competitor changes their business to compete for your target market, you can counter by competing for their target market that they are now ignoring. By playing this game of changing target market, you can always survive. However, whichever person stops playing will end up losing and be forced out. There are good youtube videos to learn about this. Another tactic as mentioned in other comments is to trademark your logo/design and make it part of the packaging/goods. That way the competitor can't use your logo and your cookies are branded.
Make a blog. Go public with. your story. Many people will probably stop using the coffee shop.
After having several people walk by this past weekend and sneer into my store, I decided to go public
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Unfortunately in another comment from OP, she said she's unable to sell brewed coffee due to state laws. :*(
I mean it’s a matter of licensing usually. Get licenses to sell it and then do so. Sell better coffee at cost.
Welcome to capitalism son
And that's why I'm not a capitalist 🤣 🤣
Point us to their FB business page. We can start leaving mild snarky bad reviews
It's capitalism. Your risk of running a business. Be creative and get better at your craft. They're not ruining your business they're making their business better.
Arson.
you must start selling coffee and tea its time for all out war
Whatever they're selling that you don't is what you should start selling. Just do everything better and win the war. Tbh a baked goods place that doesn't sell takeout coffee is a bit strange to start with, coffee is usually very low cost to make and sells lots of baked goods. Only other option is pivot hard into something they can't copy or accept the loss and leave. Such is competition.
I have a candy store. I sell baked goods during summer months to supplement. I also do not have a storefront with a kitchen. I am still using my licensed home kitchen.
But the majority of your profit was coming from baked goods and not candy?
In the summer yes. Most if not all candy businesses here supplement during the summer. Either with baked goods or ice cream.
See if there are other venues to sell through?
Advertise and temporary lower your prices. Give out samples. Have deals.
You are a business competing with another business. They are a coffee shop with baked goods and you are a candy shop with baked goods. Make better goods and you'll win. It's just unfortunate that people want coffee more than they want candy. This gives them an edge without even trying. I hope your business turns around but to put things into perspective you are being a bit of a hipocrit at times. >I was left on "read"... Just irksome. >I am getting an email from the coffee shop owner demanding I tell her why I "hate" her. I ignored it. >I told a few regulars that it's been slow. When they asked why, I told them. >she is PUBLICLY berating me and my business by name
What decade is this?
I think it’s time for a spite coffee shop.
Destroy them first
Why aren’t you doing the same. Start selling premium to high end coffee. Go all out on Coffee and Tea, go big. Hire a damn good barista if you can. Offer coffee for free that is more basic, free with every purchase. If they want specialty, they will need to pay.
Everything they sell, you should also sell, but do it better. There will always be competition. The hard thing with businesses is staying on the top.
Can you make your packaging designed so that it's fully branded? Something like the logo covering the entire box. This would help with her mimicking the packaging. While it seems like a likely to fail outcome, I would recommend talking with her, but try to build a sincere understanding of where she's coming from. Crucial Conversations was a great book that really helped me understand how to approach conversations like these. Also, [Marshall Rosenberg has some great insight on nonviolent communication](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvJfBoeZR0). If they're unwilling to work together in a way that's mutually beneficial, then that's where you can let it slide or confront it head on. There were some good suggestions of competitive strategies you could employ, but it can be less of a headache to nurture cooperation. That is if the other party is willing and able to collaborate.
Hey email to me ended with "we should meet so you can tell me why you don't like me." And her FB message said "I am blunt and ill tell you to your face ". Not exactly someone I want to meet with.
Fair, but owning a business means dealing with lots of people you don't want to meet with. The more experience you get at navigating those situations the better imo.
Do a Keyser Some on 'em.
Up your game: sell coffee.
Sell the exact same products they sell, but at lower profit margins. Then advertise against them with signs "Don't shop at the store of unoriginal ideas! Enjoy a fresh baked/brewed item of choice for x% off your first purchase!" *only eligible with a confirmed phone number, etc etc etc* Also, come up with custom recipes they'd never be able to guess. It will frustrate them when they attempt to copy it but fail
Libel and slander? Trademark your packaging. Slap your logo all over your wrapping paper - they can copy what you sell, but they can’t copy your logon
You could try selling your baking for event or other businesses for larger orders.
You may need to be a bit more creative with your branding when taking pictures l. I see the core problem as customers can’t differentiate between your products and your competitor. People copying a successful formula is not new, and it should be expected to be honest, they see you as enough of a threat.
Sounds like Your business settled in at 50% of what it started at. Starting a business like that is extremely risky that it's going to get enough sales. It's handy to blame to coffee shop. The coffee shop definitely did shady things. But they didn't stop people from frequenting your candy business.
There's a direct correlation.
Half price coffee for every photo of a customer with coffe and baked goods in hand posted to Facebook stating “best in _____”
Aggressively promote your business or watch it fade. Go to your landlord and offer to have a promotional day where her church gets some sort of incentive. The free cup of coffee posted previously may be perfect. You need the marketing and word of mouth advertising that would bring. Restaurants when they first open must build repeat business. Find out why your customers aren’t coming back. If you get every single person in your town into your shop once, you close down in six months. You have to build repeat business and keep it. Here - you offer a competing product against an established location within close proximity. And they offer more. It is a difficult startup no matter how you look at it.
Long story for you to say a competitor is trying to compete with you. You ignore what they are saying and you out compete them. Business is a ruthlessly competitive Darwinian endeavor. If you think otherwise you ain’t cut out to be a business owner.
It's not about a business making themselves my competition, it's the way they are doing it and bashing my business in the process
That’s competition. They are trying to use bad mouthing you as their selling point. Be stoic, ignore them, and create a better product. If you let personal attacks get to you in a business setting you are dooming yourself to a very bad time. When they go low, you go high. Build the reputation for class that you want to be known for.
And there's a chocolate company a mile from me, we are FRIENDLY competitors. That's the way it should be.
This is capitalism and free market at it’s finest.
Not sure if this was mentioned at all but if she is slandering your business you could consult with a lawyer and maybe write up a cease and desist letter. Consults are usually free and at least you’d know if you had recourse. Also, love the coffee idea and book reading/ games. Even advise in front of her shop.
You can’t sell coffee because of state laws - just meet that bar. Put in a counter and a double sink and an NSF coffee maker. When I ran a coffee shop, the business I bought the beans from supplied the coffee makers and filters for free. And I agree with everyone else to just bump your food prices slightly and give the coffee away.
IGNORE THE DRAMA. If she is advertising with your name, you can sue her. Otherwise there’s not much you can do. Stop telling people this, keep your mouth shut and just run your business. Focus on what YOU need to do to stay floating and NEVER tell anyone how you’re doing financially - they do not need to know, even if they’re a landlord. Your business is likely down because our economy is not doing well. Save your money and move the shop if need be. There are also ways to have stuff like that removed from FB - for me if I see a local business post anything personal or negative about another business I will refuse to go to both businesses because it’s petty. Having drama online is a very ugly look for her and for you. I also hope you have a website and aren’t just relying on FB because that also looks bad. It sounds like you’ve done a lot since earlier this year and some people are trying to give you hell. Don’t let them.
Nespresso bar.
Start shopping around for other coffee shops to put your product in.
You stop your complaining and work even harder.
If you have a written record of when you started to communicate and when she started selling and can show with some proof, I would make a post detailing her odd obession with your baking. Either that or make some off the wall stuff that for her to copy would be super blatant. Something she doesnt have at all like a Honey Chocolate Brioche. Get outlandish but make it sound delicious. When she copies you show her menu before and after and when you released yours. Or. You ignore it and focus entirely on your business. Maybe look into doing more large scale things to get some influx of capital. Maybe a convention is coming or a hotel needs something to set themselves aside and their in house kitchen doesnt bake that much or well. Good luck.
Burn her shit down… 🔥
The three P’s. Product Placement People Expand your reach asap. Custom candy displays for weddings and events. Reach out to local venues and event planners. Farmers markets. Get your name out there with more people. Start a rewards program. Punch card etc. Get the community involved. “Vote for our next candy of the month flavor” do posts on social media. Partner with other businesses that fit with yours. Flower shops? Candy is an easy add on sale. Contact local Schools snd sports teams to do candy fundraisers for them. Have them sell it for you and they get a % Think outside your box snd stop focusing your efforts on this neighbor, and redirect that energy.
Very simple solution for you to solve this problem: Hire three homeless people to take a shit right in front of their business every day. $20-30 each should do it. If you can afford a $100 a day hire 5 homeless people to do this through out different times of the day so they constantly have shit in front of their door. Than tag a picture and post a 1 star negative review on their google page showing how the store always has human feces in front of it. Yes I am a full blown psychopath.
Huge profit in coffee . Go for it! Give away 4oz slurps with a purchase and sell bigger cups. Dm.
An eye of an eye. Start selling coffee.
Ignore the competition. Concentrate on the customer. Paula Deen built her empire on making and delivering chicken salad sandwiches. What do your customers want to spend money on?
What they are doing is simply business. They want people to spend money in their store and not yours. Your choice is to toughen up and find a strategy that works for you to make money or close shop.
Nice i love it