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As the excitement of preparing to open a dollar store begins to grow there is a natural urge to start generating initial orders for merchandise. After all, there’s no store grand opening for your store unless the dollar store merchandise has arrived and is on display for shoppers to see. Yet generating orders too soon can create problems. For example, what if you don’t have a final location, or the improvements haven’t been completed as merchandise starts to arrive? In this article I will present 4 merchandise ordering steps to quick start your grand opening. Tip #1) Never order dollar store merchandise prior to having a signed lease. When you open a dollar store it is a major mistake to order any merchandise prior to having your location selected, the lease signed and an opening date identified. Imagine the work and frustration of having the lease on location you selected fall through, but truckloads of merchandise in-route. Rather than focusing on top priorities, you would be scrambling to find storage for the merchandise. Tip #2) Schedule merchandise inventory delivery to start after all interior painting, floor covering, store gondola fixture assembly and other critical improvements have occurred. Creating a simple project plan and timeline to manage key tasks will help avoid the problem of merchandise arriving too early. The exception to this tip is cases where you have adequate storage in the stockroom area of your store for truck loads of merchandise. Tip #3) Establish a store footprint to make placement of merchandise quick and easy once it is received. This is a simple drawing that details the placement of gondola fixtures, equipment and displays. Be sure to designate department names for each aisle. Then as your initial dollar store merchandise orders are received place the cartons at the end of the appropriate aisles. This will expedite stock work when your stocking crew arrives to set up your store. Tip #4) Check and double check everything as your initial orders arrive. Go through a complete receiving process. After all this is your first time receiving dollar store merchandise. This is the first time you’ve dealt with your vendors. The size of the initial orders is bigger than normal for your suppliers and freight haulers. All of this adds up to many potential problems. By taking your time and double checking everything, any issues can be identified and addressed before the store opens. To your success when you open a dollar store! Find out how you can open your own dollar store business.
Bob Hamilton is an entrepreneur, author, writer, business consultant and trainer.
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