The QuikDrop UK Mission Statement

Allen Palmer has been appointed as Franchise Director of QuikDrop UK with the brief to build on the launch of this new franchise opportunity and develop the network of franchisees across the whole of the UK and Northern Ireland.

Although the QuikDrop concept has only been available in the UK for a very short time, there is already one store up and running and two more due to complete the shop fitting work very shortly. The current locations are around the M25 corridor but there has been a great deal of interest from all over the country.

Allen has set himself the target of recruiting a minimum of twenty new franchisees per annum with an expected top limit of two hundred stores. Currently the plan is to set up franchises in the UK and Northern Ireland, but if opportunities were to present themselves in other areas, QuikDrop UK would look at the options available at that time.

Although the concept of eBay retail drop off stores is still new in this country, QuikDrop UK's long term plan is to build the brand into a household name and secure a position as the market leader in this sector. It is very early days for this business model and there has not been sufficient time and data available to look at a pattern in the market trends. However, the initial response and interest has been overwhelming. Always a good sign!

QuikDrop UK is unique as unlike its major competitor, not only does QuikDrop UK run online auctions, it also offers several secondary income streams to enhance the business. Offering services such as cheque cashing, pawn broking, buy and sell, buy backs and pack and despatch on top of the eBay auctions means that the QuikDrop UK franchisee will have many options within their business.

Isolation Breeds Alienation
As you might expect from a high tech business, QuikDrop UK utilises all the latest communication channels to contact their franchisees, but importantly, they have not forgotten the basic principals of communication and if the personal touch is required, then there will always be a friendly voice on the end of a phone or a visit from someone from the Support Centre.

There are many different types of people who want to buy into a franchise, so what do QuikDrop UK look for? Allen Palmer takes up the story: "When we interview people to become QuikDrop UK franchisees, we look for someone with good business acumen, flair and a desire to succeed in their own business. Because of the nature of the business, a basic knowledge of Internet communication is necessary but we are not looking for IT specialists. Our background strength is in franchise management and development. We pride ourselves in being extremely ethical, if for any reason we or a potential franchisee feels they are not suited to the business opportunity presented to them, we would advise that they seek a business more appropriate to their background."

Once someone has been accepted as a QuikDrop UK franchisee they receive thorough training and support, including the very best software package in the industry, 24 hour franchise support, a library of advertising and marketing materials and a buddy buddy system to help them through the initial set up and then to guide them as the business grows.

Anyone interested in becoming a QuikDrop UK franchisee can request a full information brochure, which clearly explains the full support package and a step by step guide of how to go about becoming a QuikDrop UK franchisee.

So in short, what does a QuikDrop UK franchise offer? - A fantastic business opportunity with superb support!

QuikDrop Enfield - A Case Study

Before owning a QuikDrop UK franchise, Vivienne Forsythe owned her own store and before that she was a recruitment officer for the Royal College of Nursing.

It was a neighbour who initially introduced Vivienne to the idea of owning a franchised business and after a lot of careful thought, Vivienne and her husband financed a business for their son. As with these things, that business grew rapidly and Vivienne and her husband joined the 'family firm'! The store was doing very well but the Forsythes recognised that to succeed in business you always have to look to the future.

So when the Enfield QuikDrop franchise became available, they instantly saw the potential to move their business on to a new level. Because QuikDrop UK is a retail drop off operation, there are no stock costs, but the real beauty of a business that primarily runs eBay auctions for other people is that it opens the marketplace up and suddenly instead of a potential catchment area of a few miles radius around the store, the marketplace becomes worldwide!

Vivienne's administration skills have been a real asset to her in business but she adds that the support given by QuikDrop UK has been and continues to be second to none with any queries answered immediately and effectively.

"The training was brilliant," says Vivienne. "I knew about eBay of course, but I wouldn't have called myself an expert. The software package and the in-depth training I got from QuikDrop UK is very easy to follow and now I feel very confident about using the internet and eBay. The initial projections for the business were realistic but I am very pleased to say that in the first few weeks we have already bettered them. The way it has taken off did surprise us but we are absolutely delighted!

"Our immediate plans are to keep growing the business and to get even more people into the store and long term to ensure we turn this into business growth."

Vivienne is very excited by the possibilities that QuikDrop UK offers and would certainly recommend the franchise to anyone. For her the business has taken off much sooner than expected, showing that there is a big demand out there for a business that helps people to turn their unwanted items into cash and takes all the hassle out of it!