Retailing - By Category
Starting a Retail Business
Would you like to start a retail business? Find out if retailing is right for you, learn why people don't start a business, get the steps to starting a retail business. View our myths of retailing, choose a retail store location, write a business plan and examine the pros and cons of starting a retail business. Think you know a lot about retailing? Take our Starting a Retail Business quiz.
Business Plans
Learn how to write a business plan for your retail store, why writing a business plan is necessary, purchase business plan software and view free sample retail business plans.
Staffing Your Retail Store
Hire and train new employees, schedule salespersons and be the boss of your retail staff. We'll help define the role of store manager, tell you where to find good employees and give advice for conducting the exit interview.
Store Design and Layout
Plan your store layout, atmosphere, and create irresistible visual merchandising displays. View floor plans and other retail store designs. Learn how to select and care for store fixtures, as well as using special lighting techniques to accent your products. Find store layout software and browse our resource of vendors selling store fixtures and displays.
Retail Store Operations
Store operation resources, daily procedures, creating internal controls and systems, establishing retailing functions and other day-to-day retail store operations.
Cash Flow, Funding and Financial Management
Financial resources for retailing business. Learn how to manage cash flow, raise capital, write a financial plan and find links to cost reduction, taxation and other accounting information. Answers to your frequently asked questions on funding your business.
Customer Service in Your Retail Store
Develop customer-friendly policies, train your employees to provide excellent customer service skills, and learn how to personalize your shop's customer service. Browse our list of Mystery Shopper providers. We also have tips for creating customer loyalty, dealing with disgruntled customers and other customer relations advice.
Retailing Equipment & Technology
Resources for selecting POS software, accounting packages, point of sale hardware, and using today's technology to advance your retail business. Learn the difference between cash registers and POS systems, get the scoop on digital signage and keep up with retail technology news.
Inventory
Vendors, suppliers, distributors and wholesale buying groups to help find the best products at the best prices for your retail store. Learn how to find products, negotiate the best buying terms, and get tips for writing an inventory plan.
Marketing & Sales Promotion
Retail marketing plans, sales promotion ideas, branding and advertising resources for retailers. Learn how to use loss leaders, media buys and sales events to the benefit of your retail store. Select a newspaper to advertise in, create an effective ad and understand newspaper rate cards.
Merchandising
Resources include tips for attending trade shows, inventory management, seasonal planning, vendor relations, store fixtures, pricing and merchandising techniques.
Retail Loss Prevention & Security
Investigation, security services, and theft prevention articles which include ways to reduce retail shrinkage, how to discourage shoplifting and employee theft and loss prevention statistics.
Retail Trade Industry Information
Retailing books, magazines, retail research, careers in retail, industry data, polls, retailing trade associations, retail events, photos and other retail trade industry resources.
Retailing Math
Math is used at every level of retailing. From the basic functions of counting money and making change, to computing the total amount of a sales transaction involving calculating percentages to determine discounts, sales tax and shipping charges. More complex retail tasks require more advanced retail math skills. Use these retail math calculators, retail equations and formulas to calculate gross profit margins, cash flow, start-up costs, break even analysis, retail profitability, and dollar planning and control.