How often should I remodel?

A popular question: "How often should I remodel?"" Answer: As often as you can identify a way to improve the shopping experience in your store! Reply: "Yikes, our customers hate it when we move things around."" Changing things that are familiar many times result in an initial pushback. Modifications that are made to improve your store will quickly be appreciated. People dislike change, but not as much as they dislike stores that are not improving and not keeping up with the times. In 42 years, I've never seen a store that has improved not see an increase in sales.

What can I do with $1,000?

Another popular question: Right now I have a $1,000 budget to remodel, how much more do I need to actually to make a difference? Answer: $1,000 is more than enough to make a significant improvement in your store! As long as you have an open mind and are not scared to roll-up your sleeves, you will be just fine! Start by adding some color to your store, consider painting the prescription area a complementary color to the rest of your store. Consider a tone of gray. Let's meet at NCPA Annual Convention in Boston, I'll share at least 10 tips that you can rejuvenate your store for under $1,000.

Should I replace my carpet?

So your carpet in the store looks bad and you want to replace it. Before you spend the money, first have the carpet steam cleaned, this is much more effective than using detergents. Soap /chemicals that are not completely rinsed from the carpet fabric when walked on will wear the carpet down and age flooring. Steam clean twice a year and vacuum often! Take it from someone who learned the hard way.

What about my sidewalks?

Speaking of steaming, do like my friend Steve Fettman of Davies Pharmacies, rent a wet steam and hot water pressure washer and clean the sidewalks in front of your store. Don't wait for someone else to do it for you! Make your entrance shine. How much will this cost? Way under a thousand, actually, if you do the work yourself, it will be under $100. See you in Boston for a few more budget minded improvements!

Save 10% on July Vendor of the Month – GORP Energy Bars

GORP Energy Bars are an all-natural protein bar, handmade on the Canadian Prairies of a family farm. These energy bars are packed full of whole, healthy ingredients without containing soy, dairy, whey or added gluten. GORP bars are also re-sealable – the only energy bar with this feature! Order this healthy snack from the Front-end Marketplace in July to get a 10% discount.

Regularly perform a space-to-sales analysis for maximum sales

One way to maximize sales in your front end is to evaluate the item sales of a department compared to how much space is allocated for it. By doing a quick space-to-sales analysis, you can see what adjustments should be made to capitalize on sales. Read more...