Running a brick and mortar store nowadays is becoming less and less common. Generally speaking, startups and small to medium sized businesses tend to be operating within the realms of Ecommerce. This means that their store itself is based online.
They’ll have a website where people can browse their products or services, find out more information, get a feel for the brand and their aesthetic and get in touch with customer support if they have any questions or queries. There are plenty of perks that come hand in hand with this. Running costs are lower (as there’s less commercial property rent and overheads to fork out), the store can operate around the clock and people from around the world can visit the website and take a look at what’s on offer.
But there are still benefits to be had when it comes to running a brick and mortar store too! People can actually come in and be greeted with staff on a face to face basis. They can see the products they’re considering buying in-person, seeing how they actually look, getting a feel for them, and trying them out. This can reduce returns and refund requests. If you’re planning on sticking with a brick and mortar approach, here are a few upgrades that can benefit your business and boost your profits!
A New Sign
Businesses don’t tend to upgrade or update their signs all too often. But it’s important to remember that the sign of your store, along with your window display, is the main feature that draws people in to browse your stock. Seeing as one of the main challenges small businesses face is actually getting people through the door, you need to make this a priority to tackle.
A new sign can better represent your brand on the high street. If you rebrand your company, you’ll need a new sign to represent this. If you change your contact details, you’ll have to have a new sign to accommodate these changes. You might simply want a new design or to modernise. Generally speaking, illuminated signs are the best option, as they stand out and can be seen in the dark, which is useful during winter when opening hours might be in darkness.
A Portable POS
POS stands for “point of sale” and it’s the area of your store where the customers will make their purchases. Generally speaking, most brick and mortar businesses will have a till-point where customers can queue and pay. However, you could have a portable POS as well as a traditional POS. A portable POS will generally take the form of a tablet which can scan barcodes and total up purchases. You can then use portable card readers, or take cash and move it to the till to get change. This speeds up purchases and encourages impulse purchases.
These are just a couple of ways you can upgrade your brick and mortar business to bring in more customers and make more sales! Hopefully, they can really help your business to grow!