Are you looking to start a new business this summer? Do you have a great selling technique? Then launching a new retail store could be the perfect solution. At the end of the day, there is lots of competition out there. So, you will have to work hard to make the concept a success.
To help you get started, we’ve listed some essential steps you need to take. Failure to perform these actions will mean you risk things going wrong. Don’t worry too much if you haven’t got experience in the business world. We all have to start somewhere, right?
1/ Decide on the products you plan to sell
Your products are the cornerstone of your retail business. The question is, how do you pick the right ones? Before you do anything else, you must spend time thinking about the nature of your store. Do you want to sell clothing? Food? Electrical items? The decision is down to you.
Just make sure it’s something that interests you and is in high demand. Once you’ve made your choice, you can start looking for wholesalers. You need to buy your products in bulk, and so there are lots of specialist websites you can use. Alternatively, you might like to call the manufacturers directly and strike a deal.
Retail is a challenging adventure as it is, so don’t make it harder on yourself by trying to sell something that you don’t like or that bores you to death.
2/ Find suitable premises
Location—as you already know—is critical to the success of every retail store (hence the common line “location, location, location”).
The next thing you need to do involves finding a suitable building for your store. Ideally, you want to base yourself in a town centre or major city. That will help to ensure that you get lots of passing trade. You probably won’t have a huge budget for marketing, and so placement is everything.
The best place to be is probably as close to your biggest competitor as you can be.” You may think this is a bad idea but chances are, your competition has done their research and know where is and they know which locations are good for business. And they have likely invested in driving traffic to their location.
When you have found a list of seemingly good properties, you should arrange some viewings. Just remember never to pay the asking price, even when renting. Commercial property agents always inflate costs to allow for negotiation. So, now is the time to start haggling.
3/ It pays to get insured
Starting a small business is simple. However, there are lots of things that can go wrong. Before you open your doors, it is critical that you obtain an appropriate insurance policy. Failure to do that could mean your business folds when someone injures themselves on your premises.
Thankfully, there are lots of comparison websites around these days. So, it is easy to ensure you are getting the best deal. Just read the small print before signing any contracts. Some cheaper insurers will use tricks to make sure they never have to pay out. Don’t fall for it!
4/ Keep an eye on your finances
When starting a retail business, you really do have to spend money to make money. But you should careful to spend on what really matters. The key is to optimise your spending. Costs like rent (first/last month, security deposit), utilities, staffing, inventory, computers, phones, internet, Point of sale (POS) system, card readers, scanners and printers are the important expenses you can’t avoid.
You want to make sure your shop is at the cutting edge of retail stores. That means it’s a good idea to go digital. The Bluebird iPad POS system could help you to impress customers at the point of sale. You can also use it to showcase products you are planning to stock in the future.
You can also check the NeotechnologyPOS. They can help you organise a demo to find out how it works and what you have to do to get it working perfectly for your business.
We wish you the best of luck with your new retail store. The only other thing you need to worry about is branding. You should take our advice and leave that to the experts.
Professional marketing companies do not charge the earth for their services. So, let them do all the hard work on your behalf. Don’t compromise on branding. Your image is as important as every other thing you need to start a successful retail shop.