Running a retail store is a challenging process. Those challenges start from the very beginning. When you make an idea of how your store might look, you need to start purchasing equipment that you need to put there. The list of the things that you need is long and quite honestly is an ongoing project that will never be “finished” because there is always something that can be improved. This article will serve you as some sort of reminder when you start buying those things.

Before we review this list, there is one thing that you need to know. The point of the article is not to fill your store with these items needlessly. Products need to solve a problem, they need to be properly vetted, well designed and high quality. Additionally, your store displays and layout needs to mesh well with the products that you are selling. This concept is called congruence. If you want customers to buy your products, they need to feel comfortable from the moment walk in. This is accomplished by creating an in-store experience where there is harmony between the products sold in the store and the store itself.

That said, let’s review some essential items used in retail stores all over the world to achieve retail success.

Shelves

Of course, the first item that each store should have is shelves. Shelves are a pretty standard display solution where you can display many types of products. For instance, books, clothes, video games, etc. Still, our suggestion is to carefully pick the shelves you will use. If you want to use some basic shelves, then colors such as black or white would be great. However, if you want to experiment with things a little, we suggest you match them with the type of products that you sell.

You are probably wondering now where should you buy nice-looking and quality shelves. Well, we suggest you check storefixturedirect.com and see which shelves would be perfect for your store. You can check out some other accessories as well.

Signs

Signage, is one of the most helpful “must-have” items on our list. Imagine that a first-time visitor arrives to your store. He doesn’t know what you are offering. More importantly, they don’t know where those products are located. That’s why indoor signs are essential to creating a comfortable buying experience. Imagine walking into a supermarket without the aisles being properly labeled. This would make a frustrating experience for customers looking for a specific type of product. Even though your store is likely a brick and mortar business you are still competing in a marketplace where customers can take 30 seconds to find the same or similar product on the internet with 1-2 day arrival. Signage is the critical component guides visitors through your store and turns them into paying customers.

You also can not forget the importance of outdoor signs. These signs usually contain the logo and the name of your store. Outdoor signs are important because it’s usually the first interaction people have with your brand. People won’t notice that there is a new retail store in town if you don’t have attractive & appealing signage that will draw attention. If there are competitors around you with more attractive outdoor signs, people would rather pick them instead of you. Grabbing the attention of people is one type of promotion as well.

Bags

The size of your product is completely irrelevant here. Even if you only sell matches, you need to be ready to offer some sort of bag to your customers. There are various types of bags out there, but the most common two types are plastic and paper bags. It is recommendable that those bags contain the name of your store and the logo. Try to be creative because this is also one sort of promotion. People will carry that bag down the street and many people will see your logo.

Stickers

Why would stickers be important for your store? They allow you to highlight certain things in your store. People use them mostly in two different cases. For instance, let’s imagine that you sell clothes. A summer collection has arrived and you want to inform people about that. You can use stickers which will contain the phrase “New Collection”.

The second case when store owners use stickers is – discounts. Logically, people are happy when they have the chance to save money. That would convince them even more to buy a product.

Shopping Carts

Many business owners usually connect shopping carts with grocery stores. Logically, they are necessary in that sort of place. Yet, we have noticed that the majority of retail stores do not have one because they consider it less important.

This might be a marketing trick as well. Doing something that others are not doing makes you unique. Being unique in the business world always brings good results. Besides that, the customers at your store do not have to carry things while they are inside the store. Imagine that the entire family comes to buy various things from your store. Of course, you can offer them some sort of bags before they even start purchasing. Still, shopping carts are a better choice.

What do you think, is getting shopping charts worth it?

Mirrors

This item is especially important if you plan to sell any kind of accessories or apparel. People will want to see themselves when trying out the product. That will convince them that their decision is the right one. However, do not limit your store only on one mirror. It is not the point to make the crowd in one part of your store. Instead, you should put a couple of full-length mirrors that should be located somewhere near clothing items. Despite that, smaller mirrors should be placed near accessories.

Cleaning supplies

Okay, this item won’t visible to your customers. However, that doesn’t mean it is not equally important as the rest of the items from our list. If you ask us, it is maybe even more important.

You won’t be able to find a customer that wants to see a dirty environment. Your store always (without any excuse) needs to be clean. For instance, let’s say that a visitor wants to take a product from the shelves. Still, when he gets it, he sees that the shelves are dirty. Will he have the same desire to buy that product after that?

Cleaning supplies keep your reputation. That type of omissions is spreading rapidly among people. Do not allow something like that!

Chairs

This is especially important for older generations. Let’s say that many people are standing and waiting to pay for the product they bought. Older people do not have the strength to stand for a longer time. That’s why chairs would be a perfect choice. Despite that, if you want that your employees remain effective for the entire day, you need to ensure them a comfortable place for sitting.