6 Steps to Dollar Store Merchandise and Sales Floor Management

Those who own a dollar store soon realize just how much traffic walks through the store on a daily basis.  They also soon realize the huge quantity of merchandise that is sold everyday.  All the traffic and sales creates the potential for a dusty, messy, disorganized look.  In fact on busier days your store can begin to look terrible after only a few hours of business.  To maintain the look that keeps shoppers returning time and again it’s important to establish a daily routine focused on store appearance.  That routine needs to be repeated multiple times throughout the day.  In this article I present 6 steps to dollar store merchandise and sales floor management.

1) When you own a dollar store it is important to periodically walk the entire store during hours of operation.  This needs to become a routine practice whether you are in the store or not.  Develop a schedule and assign exactly who is charged with completing the store walk and what you expect them to do during those walks.

2) Don’t forget to focus on end caps during your walk.  When sales per square foot of display are considered your end cap displays are generally among the highest earning areas of your store.  Those who own a dollar store know everything must be kept just right to maximize the sale from this valuable area.  Make sure signage is in-place, products are straightened, and the shelves are filled at all times.

3) Clean, dust and organize dollar store merchandise.  It doesn’t matter when a customer arrives; those who own a dollar store want them to get a warm, inviting feeling as they enter the store.  The entire store needs to keep that just opened look.  Make sure spot sweeping is a part of the store walk.  Make sure ever aisle is covered and that all merchandise is returned to its proper location in the store.

4) Bulk displays and impulse items require special attention.  Huge quantities of the dollar store merchandise in these areas will sell everyday.  Make sure to specifically organize, restock and organize these displays during every store walk that is scheduled.  The little time and effort required to perform this important task will be rewarded with added sales.

5) Restock empty shelves and peg hooks.  You are losing sales whenever a peg hook or a space on a display shelf is left empty. Note the shelves and peg hooks that are empty during your store walks.  Immediately go to the stock room and pull back stock items to fill the holes.  Don’t forget to remove empty peg hooks when back stock items are not available.

6) Pull dollar store merchandise forward on partially-empty peg hooks and shelves.  When you own a dollar store this step will give them a full appearance.  You will find shoppers are more likely to make purchases in a store that appears to be filled versus one with empty shelves and peg hooks everywhere.  Since your goal is to maximize sales, do everything possible to create an environment that’s conducive to making those sales.

To your dollar store success!