If you’ve ever been in a disorganized stockroom, you know how frustrating it can be. You can’t find what you need, and it’s impossible to keep track of inventory. If your stockroom is in disarray, it’s time to get organized. Learn how to organize a stockroom with these four tips.

What is a retail stockroom?

Before we get to learn how to organize a stockroom, let’s define what a stock room is and the importance of keeping things in order.

A retail stockroom is a place where merchandise is organized before it is put on the sales floor. It is important to have a stockroom in order to keep the store looking neat and tidy. Customers will be more likely to purchase items if they are not overwhelmed by too many products on the shelves.

Overcrowding your shelves with too many items can be off-putting to potential customers. Nobody wants their shopping experience to be overwhelmed by towering stacks of merchandise.

It is important to keep the majority of your inventory in the stockroom so that shoppers are not overwhelmed by products on the shop floor. Your retail associates can retrieve stock items from the room as needed.

Why is Stockroom Organization Important?

It is easy for retailers to let their stockroom run wild, especially since it is a private area where very few customers go. Let’s look at why neglecting your inventory room is a mistake.

Low inventory stores have a reduced inventory and operate with less inventory on the shop floor. Many retailers use this technique to increase customer engagement. A conversation can begin by asking about product availability.

If you spend 15 minutes looking through inventory in your stockroom, that conversation quickly ends. The customer on the shopfloor is now bored because you’ve been in the stockroom too long.

Having a well-organized stockroom will keep your customer engaged. Find the item you’re looking for and go back to your shopper.

“Consider your busiest working day. It can take time to find one product lost in a large inventory. A system that everyone understands in your stockroom can prevent panicking and save you valuable time.”-Alice Ojeda, founder and CEO of Authentic House

How to Organize A Stockroom 

If your retail store’s warehouse is disorganized, it can make it very difficult to track your inventory and your sales. A well organized store room is essential to any successful retailer.

It’s time to get your inventory organized! Having a well organized warehouse or storage room will help you be more efficient and keep you from feeling so overwhelmed. Even a small storage space can be maximized by careful planning.

Here are 8 retail stockroom organization methods to improve productivity

1. Buy some shelves

You’ll want to make sure everything fits in your stockroom, so be sure to measure the stockroom space and make a sketch of where shelving will go. This will help you plan accordingly and ensure a smooth and efficient process.

The kinds of shelving you’ll need depends on what kind of products you sell.

2. Group like things together

The placement of your best-selling items should be easily accessible to ensure you can grab whatever is needed quickly.

3. Label your outgoing messages

Labeling your shelving and products will help you stay organized and prevent you from losing track of your inventory.

If you have a point of sale (POS) system in place, make sure it’s up to date by scanning existing barcoded items and creating your own for items that don’t have them yet. This will prevent any unnecessary errors, such as accidentally writing the wrong number down when writing down a stock code.

When creating your label, use a simple descriptor, then a color, and then an 2-3 letter code. This will ensure an accurate and efficient system for organizing your warehouse.

If you have a clothing store, your labels for clothing sizes can be simple. For example, a size 6 could be labeled “DRR006”.

There should be two separate areas in the warehouse for damaged or returned goods.

4. Sell the unsold inventory

Get rid of items you no longer use by donating them or putting them on consignment.

5. Add a Workspace

What we need is a work table or a counter where employees can prepare items for the salesfloor. This will keep everything organized.

6. Provide some space for conversation

Hang up an “Employees Only” sign, a schedule, and any important notices. Also, install a dry erase board for brainstorming.

This way, your employees can jot down any important concerns, questions, or suggestions that need to be addressed at a later time.

7. Offer employees secure storage

Everyone should have a safe place to store their personal belongings, such as their purse or wallet.

8. Make it personal

Your stockroom doesn’t have to be a dreary storage center! A little bit of color can go a long way in making the stockroom space more inviting.

Your workplace is where you and most of your employees will be spending most of your day. Make sure that it’s somewhere they are happy and comfortable.

Your workplace should be at a pleasant, comfortable, and temperate level in order to keep your workers happy and productive. The types of items being stored in the room can affect this, but studies have shown that when temperatures get too hot or cold, workers are less efficient.

Organizing your retail storeroom is simpler than you think. All you need is some shelving, a color scheme, and a place for everything in your store.

Utilize inventory management software.

Inventory management software can help you keep your stockroom running more efficiently by organizing and managing your inventory.

A good inventory control system will accurately tell you when and how much to order, so you never end up with too much or too little in stock.

The software makes it easy to keep track of inventory levels and to run inventory counts on a periodic basis.

Conclusion

If you follow these tips on how to organize a stockroom, you’ll have an organized store in no time. Utilize inventory management software, keep a clean and tidy workspace, color code your shelves, and label everything clearly. With a little bit of effort, you can turn your stockroom into an efficient space that’s easy to navigate.