How to open a retail store

If you are about to open a retail store, start with marketing research. Examine market conditions and analyze consumer preferences. Comparing one with the other, you can determine which products are in maximum demand and which products are lacking.

You will need

Business plan, marketing plan, assortment list, premises, trading equipment, staff

Instruction manual

1

Make a business plan. After market research is done, this is the first thing to do. Do not forget to include the investment and financial sections. Among other things, in these sections it is necessary to separately indicate fixed and variable costs, voice the margin, and also indicate the expected profit. If you omit any information, you will not be able to understand whether your business will be returnable.

2

Develop a marketing plan. It is understood as a list of measures aimed at promoting a business, attracting buyers and shares that increase the average check. In order for a retail store to be cost-effective, the marketing plan must be taken with full responsibility. Ideally, it should contain such sections as advertising and public relations.

3

Proceed to the choice of a room that will meet the necessary conditions. These may include: location, total area, availability of utility rooms (which is especially important for grocery stores), a sufficient number of electrical capacities, the ability to arrange the necessary equipment, etc.

4

Obtain permissions from supervisory authorities - Rospotrebnadzor and the fire inspection. Perhaps the first time this will not work. In this case, take note of and eliminate all the existing defects and call their representatives again. Without the permission of the supervisory authorities, you will not be able to register a cash register, or get an alcohol license (again, if we are talking about a grocery store).

5

Hire staff. Depending on the volume of sales, you must have employees in the contact zone (sellers, consultants, cashiers), maintenance (loaders, cleaners) and management (manager, merchandiser, administrator). When making staffing, provide a schedule. As a rule, management personnel work 5 days a week with two days off. Exceptions are only merchandisers. They, like all other workers, work in shifts.

6

Get trade and technological equipment, as well as cash registers. The latter must be registered. Consider an automation system - modern retail stores cannot do without it.

7

Order a product. Depending on the specifics of the business, it is better to have not one supplier for each type of product, but at least two. If one of them in the warehouse begins to interrupt, your shelves will not be empty.

note

You should not rent a room that several tenants of your profile have refused in a row. Obviously, in this place this product is not in demand.

Useful advice

When opening a store, carefully study the pros and cons of the location of the room. An unsuccessful place can negate all your efforts to develop a trading business.

how to open a retail store