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One of the challenges when you start a dollar store is learning how to handle all the little unexpected challenges associated with your business. One of the challenges that you can expect to face at some point will be the arrival of huge quantities of freight; all at the same time. It might be a truck loaded with seasonal dollar store merchandise or a huge special order you purchased. It might be multiple deliveries all arriving at the same time. Possibly it is a combination of both. All you know is there seems to be dollar store merchandise everywhere and your receiving and stock room areas cannot hold everything. Here are some quick and easy ways to deal with this when it happens to you. #1) Temporarily leave extra pallets of merchandise sitting in the parking lot outside your store. Be sure to assign someone to watch the pallets. After all, it only takes a few seconds for someone to break through the plastic wrap and steal a carton or two of merchandise. Also be concerned about exposure to the elements. If you have candy or food that is heat sensitive, get it into a cooler environment as quickly as possible. If it is raining, cover all of the pallets to safeguard the merchandise inside from water damage. #2) Start using the telephone. Work to locate all of your trained merchandise stock work personnel. Ask them to come to the store and help you work your way out of the situation. With a well-trained employee or two pallets of dollar store merchandise can be quickly received, priced and moved to the sales floor of your store. From there it only takes minutes to sort and place the items in the proper location. #3) Double stack pallets inside your storage area. If you have a forklift this is as easy as carefully lifting one pallet on top of another. If you don’t have a forklift, it will require breaking down one pallet by-hand and then placing the cartons on top of another pallet. Be sure you have items placed so they will not fall, as the risk of injury to an unsuspecting person can quickly take this ‘great’ idea and make it the worst thing you have done since you decided to start a dollar store. #4) Take the excess pallets to a corner of the sales floor. Start with these pallets when you are checking in your dollar store merchandise. Be sure to tape off the area so shoppers won’t be shopping while you are receiving and sorting freight. If you don’t have plastic tape, even a small wall of shopping carts will do the trick for you. To your success when you start 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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