Basics of a Successful Retail Store
The land of opportunity has become somewhat hard to navigate in today's economy. In order to get ahead and stay ahead of the other guys and gals in retail, there are a few basic standards that must be followed in order to achieve and maintain success.
Most people would think that the primary focus would be on the bottom dollar. However, probably the biggest factor in a successful retail shop would be the quality of your employees. If you expect to maintain a high traffic count in your store, you must provide a pleasant atmosphere for your customers! If someone enters your establishment to a sour, unfriendly clerk, it is not going to matter how nice your store is, or how low your prices are.
When you have pleasant, conscientious employees who really care about giving each patron friendly and helpful service, you will gain many repeat customers, who will shop your store faithfully, even when the competition is offering lower prices or specials.
In addition to your friendly and knowledgeable staff, you will need to maintain a clean, well-lit and welcoming retail environment. When a shopper notices dirty floors, unorganized product, and dim lighting, they may not only get a bad impression of your store, but may even miss out on things that they had intentions of buying when they first came into the store. Always keep overhead lights in good working order, keep the shelves well stocked and above all, maintain cleanliness!
Finally, you need to stay competitive with others that are in your same market. Try to keep your margins as high as possible without cutting your own throat. If your customers find out that the store around the corner is even a small amount below the margins that you are charging, they most likely will not return. You must keep a balance between trying to make a profit, keeping within the constraints of your customers' budgets, and not selling yourself short. This in itself can be quite tedious at times, when trying to keep up with your normal operating costs, such as payroll, store maintenance and buying stock. However, if you simply make a strong effort to abide by the standards given above, the store will speak for itself, and you will gain many happy, repeat customers who will help your business grow to its full potential.
