Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Store

# Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Store

Now that spring is officially underway, it's time to freshen things up a bit. Spring cleaning isn't just appropriate for your home; it's also important to tidy up your store.

The moment a customer enters your store is your best and often only chance to make a good first impression. How your customer views your entryway says a lot about your store and strongly influences whether that customer will return to your store in the future.

When spring cleaning your store, it only makes sense to focus on the entryway and ensure that you make the best impression possible.

Begin by considering whether customers will feel welcome when they first enter your store. Far too often, the entryway becomes a catchall for all types of notices and advertisements. Take a step back and think about how you can reduce the clutter here, or at least organize it so that customers feel immediately welcome from the moment they enter your store. Welcome them with one very attractive sign poster that simply says "WELCOME to Our Store!"

Make sure your customers do not have to navigate an obstacle course simply to enter your store. The transition from outside to inside your store should always be as smooth as possible. Work to organize shopping baskets, carts, and signs so there are no physical barriers in your entryway.

Enter your store and look at it through the eyes of your customer. Do you have clear sight lines that make it easy for customers to find what they need? Many times, displays can block sight lines, which not only makes it difficult for customers to find what they want, but can also make your store feel congested.

Check out your aisles and make sure everything is neatly organized. When possible, use shelf dividers to keep your shelving neat, this goes a long way to making sure the appearance is a postive one for your customers. Keep any printed materials in literature and brochure holders instead of just loosely placed on counters or displays where they tend to get very sloppy and hard on the eye. 

While the entryway is an important area to focus on during a spring cleaning, it's also important to tidy up your checkout areas. Over time, checkouts tend to accumulate all sorts of clutter. A little tidying can make the checkout process more pleasant for your customers, as well as your employees. Selling at checkout is very imporant to your bottom line, you will sell more at retail™" when organized. Using clip strip® merchandisers is a good idea to help keep product clutter free while also making it pop.

Be sure your employees have everything they need to complete the checkout process efficiently so that customers do not have to wait. If your checkout areas have begun to show the signs of wear and tear, consider sprucing them up with a fresh coat of paint.

Spring cleaning your store can go a long way to making your store more attractive and giving your customers a pleasant shopping experience.