The list of business books explaining how to start a business is almost endless. However, the number of good guides to opening and operating a retail store are few. The following list is our top picks for books we recommend for retailers starting their own shop.
1. Retail Business Kit for Dummies
An excellent desk reference for anyone thinking about starting a retail business. Marketing guru Rick Segel walks us through start-up planning to growing a successful business. A CD-ROM with business forms, checklists, print marketing materials and more is included.(John Wiley & Sons)2. Retail in Detail: How to Start and Manage a Small Retail Business
Sound advice in a step-by-step format for operating a retail business. The author covers daily situations like pricing, credit policies, employee relations, and merchandise displays. The samples and worksheets alone classify this book as a must-have for any retailers bookshelf. (McGraw-Hill)
3. Specialty Shop Retailing
Author Carol Schroeder's experience growing a small gift store into a $1.5 million-a-year operation is outlined in this book written especially for small retailers. It covers business basics, including finding a niche, determining which products to sell, developing a realistic business plan, and managing a specialty store. (John Wiley & Sons)4. E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Business Don't Work and What to Do About It
Small business consultant Michael E. Gerber takes the reader through the steps of the business life cycle as he explains the how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business. He also explains the entrepreneurial myth and how to avoid the fatal assumptions that often cause a business to fail. Although this book is not geared specifically towards retail, the success secrets revealed are valuable for any entrepreneur. (Harper Collins)5. A Shop of One's Own: Women Who Turned the Dream into Reality
Unlike most small business books, this visually appealing entrepreneurial guide focuses on gift shops, stationery stores, gourmet emporiums and millineries in a creative way. The authors use their experiences to explain how to start a retail business, establish credit, choose a location, market products and more. (Sterling Publishing Co.)6. Retail Success
Retail expert George Whalin offers the reader practical tips for all areas of retail store operations. From building sales to bringing the customer back into the store, Mr. Whalin explains how to make the most of marketing research techniques to increase customer traffic and sales. (Willoughby)7. Winning At Retail: Developing a Sustained Model for Retail Success
Using case studies from such success stories as Costco, Target, and Walgreens, two prominent retail consultants offer strategies for retailers. This book covers customer service, retail strategy, demographics, and the latest trends in retailing. (John Wiley & Sons Inc)8. Start Your Own Successful Retail Business
Learn what works and how to avoid the most common pitfalls, as successful retailers and retail experts from across the country share their real-life experiences and insights. (McGraw-Hill)9. 1001 Ideas to Create Retail Excitement
Public relations guru Edgar Falk shows retail business owners how to make the most of retailing opportunities in any economic environment. This book examines how to think big in the face of growing competition and consumer insecurity. (Prentice Hall Press)10. Start and Run a Retail Business
Jim Dion and Ted Topping tackle tough topics such as selecting the best location, hiring the right employees, advertising and promoting a new business and dealing with wholesalers. (Midpoint Trade Books Inc)