The PayMore store in Gastonia, North Carolina opened in 2020. Over the past two years, the seven-member retail team has made a big impact on their local community. That includes becoming a big supporter of Belmont’s South Point Raiders Big Red Booster Club. When the Red Raiders football team took the field this fall, they were welcomed with a PayMore Stores banner and endzone signage, as well as concession advertising. PayMore Store’s
support of South Point High School won’t end with football season. The company has also donated to support yearbook advertising, and will be featured on an indoor gym banner during
basketball and wrestling seasons.
Supporting local students while getting the name out about her small, franchise business was important to store owner Lisa Conger. In fact, the South Point Raiders family is close to her heart. Her son is a proud member of the JV football and Varsity wrestling teams. Conger has lived in Gastonia for ten years.
PayMore Stores is the leading buy-sell-trade electronics retailer in the U.S. The company’s franchise opportunities have attracted diverse entrepreneurs around the country, including Gastonia’s Lisa Conger. Before joining the PayMore community, Conger worked for more than 30 years in the logistics industry, based in Charlotte. Her career included work as an independent consultant, but with no small business experience under her belt, the jump to a PayMore Stores store owner was a big one.
“Owning my own business is new for me. There have been a lot of ‘first time,’ challenges over the past two years, including juggling growing a small business with being a mom,” said Conger. “Employee retention, learning as you go, and being a decisive business leader have all been challenging new experiences along the way.”
PayMore Stores saw its biggest year of overall growth in 2022, going from four stores and five in development in 2021 to six opening in 2022 and 13 more in development nationwide. By the end of 2022, PayMore Stores will feature stores in the Northeast, South, Midwest and Southwest United States. PayMore Stores was honored in 2022 by FranServe as a FRAN-TASTIC 500 brands. The award recognizes companies that go above and beyond, helping individuals fulfill their dreams of business ownership through franchising.
The company’s success, and the growth of the PayMore location in Gastonia, come from a mix of hard work and a strong franchise program. Store owners receive extensive in-person training, and a wealth of technology tools and mentorship opportunities to support their new business. Giving back to the community that welcomes them is a key pillar of the PayMore philosophy.
“The communication, training and mentorship from corporate was great right from the start,” says Conger. “PayMore provided useful training guides, in-store training, and ongoing communication through a company-wide collaborative support Discord. I have also been able to lean on the other North Carolina franchisee based in Cary as a professional mentor and collaborator as well” – who is now onto his second PayMore Store location in Raleigh.
Founded in 2011, PayMore is now the fastest-growing, local brick-and-mortar franchise company in the electronics sales and trade-in business. With a unique combination of e-commerce and retail sales and trade in services, the PayMore store in Gastonia offers locals a simple, safe way to trade in and to shop for new and used smart phones, computers, gaming systems, and other tech devices — while remaing data safe. Customers can trade in old electronics towards the price of a new item, or walk out the door with cash in hand.
“To new entrepreneurs and small business owners, I would say – always be ready for change. Work/life balance can be a challenge, but if you believe in yourself and keep a positive outlook, you will put yourself on the road to success,” says Conger. “And if you feel like there is a roadblock ahead, have the courage to lean on your fellow franchisees. Don’t give up and stay confident in your own success. With the right team and franchise system around you, the better you take care of your employees, the more successful you will be.”
For franchise store owners, electronics sales is one of the hottest markets in the U.S., featuring high customer retention rates, growing profit margins and low overhead. Low start-up costs, multiple revenue streams, and a business model that thrives in complex economic conditions also strengthens the model. In addition, PayMore Stores prides itself on being environmentally conscious, including offering the community a place to recycle old electronics.
PayMore is Gaston County’s only local franchise electronics trade-in store. The store is located roughly twenty minutes outside of Charlotte and specializes in electronics, offering the highest trade-in value in the area. The store’s team members are trained in protecting customers’ data privacy and security, ensuring data from each trade-in device is wiped completely before recycling or resale. Team members are also available to help you select the best new or pre-owned device, which come with industry-leading warranties.