How to Organize a Store: Tips and Strategies
If you’ve ever stepped into a cluttered, disorganized store, you know how frustrating it can be. You can’t find what you’re looking for, and it’s impossible to focus on shopping when the space is such a mess. That’s why we wanted to share some of our best tips and strategies for organizing your retail space. By following these simple tips on how to organize a store, you can make sure that your outlet is always tidy and easy to navigate – making both your employees and customers happy.
Tips and Strategies on How to Organize a Store
One of the biggest challenges retail businesses face is keeping their stores organized. You want to provide customers with an awesome lineup of products but you also don’t want them to think you don’t have anything in stock.
If you’re having a hard time organizing your retail space, we’ve got some tips on how to organize a store.
1. Design a Good Floor Plan
When planning the layout and design of your retail space, it is important to take into account the amount of space you have available. This will help you to better plan your displays and inventory. Keep in mind the limitations of your retail space so that you can make the most efficient use of the area.
Sketch out the layout of your retail store and figure out how you want to arrange your products. Consider how much space you’ll need for customers to move around so they’re not cramped.
Organizing your store is important to ensure customers have enough space to browse and that you have enough stock on hand.
2. Arrange Your Layout
After you’ve mapped out your retail location, the next step is organizing your layout in a way that makes customers feel comfortable.
An effective retail plan will create a path through the store that encourages customers to explore all the available merchandise. Additionally, the layout should be sensible and allow each product to get the attention it deserves.
If your products can’t be found by your customers, they won’t be able to buy them from you. It’s logical.
3. Showcase Your Merchandise
After you have arranged your stock, now is a good time to make some displays.
To grab customers’ attention, invest in some wire shelving. These types of displays are good for:
- New items
- Unusual items that may need more explanation
- Sale items
- Anything you want your customers to be more interested in
When arranging your product display, it’s important to not overwhelm customers with too many products. Keep your arrangement tasteful and uncluttered so customers can easily browse.
These tips will vary from one store to the next depending on what you have available and how big your space is. However, these tips should be kept in mind when you organize your retail space. It should keep your customers interested in purchasing and your store clean.
4. Map and Label Everything
Big-box stores are laid out in such a way that each section is clearly marked. For example, the kitchen section is marked by a large sign that hangs from the ceiling.
A store’s aisles and departments have numbers on them, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.
The children’s department, for example, is broken down into strollers, car seats, and safety items.
Use these as guidelines to map out your own store. Once you have your items in the right place, be sure to properly tag them.
Label everything for easy identification and inventory management. Include a physical label with an SKU number so you can easily track your items in your digital inventory system.
5. Place Bestsellers Up Front
Your floor staff will be able to work more efficiently if you place your most popular items near the front of your stockroom. This way, they can grab the items quickly and get back to the floor. Having employees go into the back of the stockroom takes up time and potential sales.
Nate Masterson from Maple Holistics has suggested implementing a policy of “forward space”. This would involve stocking a full box of the most popular products within easy reach, rather than just one or two. Doing this could help save time and increase potential sales.
6. Heavy Merchandise On the Floor, Light Merchandise Off the Floor
Store your heavier items as close to the flooring as possible. This will keep any accidents from happening, but it will also prevent any unnecessary strain on your workers.
Lightweight items that are prone to breakage should be stored on shelves, while heavier items that are more durable should be kept on the floor. Clothing, in particular, should be hung to avoid wrinkles and dirt.
Conclusion
By following these simple tips on how to organize a store, you can make sure that your store is always tidy and easy to navigate – making both your customers and employees happy!