Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship Introduction A great location for a business can make a business great. However, when relocating an established business to another location making adjustment is a necessary thing to continue the business’s success. College Men’s Unlimited has been operating with an area of 3,600 square feet but the new space the business is relocating is only 2,800 square feet. The owners of College Men’s Unlimited must keep the new space layout, merchandising, how to place merchandise, and the external considerations in mind when they are setting up in their new location. Layout A good store layout is part of the dynamic nature of a business and should be thought out (Mitchell, 2011). The new location is 40 feet front by 70 feet deep. The first thing that needs to be done is to put up walls to give them storage space and office space. These spaces should be at the back of the store. The back 20 feet of the store should be plenty of space for an office and storage. This makes the back space 40 feet by 20 feet. At one end of the 40 feet could be a 10 foot section that can be the office and restroom for staff. An office does not have to be large because most likely most of the time there will not be anyone in there unless there is paper work that needs to be done. The other 30 feet by 20 feet of space should be more than enough space to have for storing the merchandise that is not out on the sales floor. A good storage system can really make the most of the space available. Placement After the basic space is lined out, it is time to deal with the sales floor layout. The placement of merchandise and counters is an important issue to focus on. An inadequate placement of merchandise will not encourage customers to stay and shop. According to Phillip Mitchell, when given the opportunity people prefer to move to the right after entering a store (Mitchell, Design a Better Retail Store Layout, 2008). With this in mind, putting merchandise that appeals to what the customers are wanting should be close to the front of the store and to the right side. However, merchandise should not be placed immediately in front of the door. Customers need an area that is clear when they walk into the store. The clear space gives the customers a chance to take a breath and glance around the store before they begin to shop (Mitchell, Design a Better Retail Store Layout, 2008). The store layout should have balance and symmetry, this helps the customers not feel overwhelmed when they walk into the store (Mitchell, Design a Better Retail Store Layout, 2008). If a customer feels comfortable, they will stay long and shop more. The checkout counter could either be in the center of the store close to the front or close to doors at the left of the store. Either if these locations are easy for the customers to find and it gives the sales clerk a view of customers coming and going from the store. An important aspect of a retail store is making sure that the merchandise is displayed properly (Retail Store Management Tips, 2011). If the merchandise cannot seen properly, then customers will not purchase the things being sold. Merchandise should look fresh, clean, and new all the time. If there is merchandise that has been in the store to long, they should be put in the sale or clearance section. Impulse merchandise should be on display close to the check out area (Retail Store Management Tips, 2011). Proper sections should be made for merchandise. Items that are similar should be placed in the same area. All of this makes the customer flow through the store picking items that work with each other. External Considerations There are other things to keep in mind when setting up a retail store from outside of the store. There are external considerations to keep in mind when setting the store up as well. One of the external considerations is the competition. One store does not want to look exactly like another store in its layout. Customers are not going to go to different stores if they are all the same. Another consideration that must be considered is the local laws and regulations. Placing merchandise to close to doors could be a safety issue. Every city and state has guidelines that must be followed to ensure that the customers are safe. Also, it is important to make sure that business is handicapped accessible. This is important because there are so many customers that want to shop in a store but don’t because they cannot get into the store because there are no handicapped parking or the business is not laid out for people in wheelchairs to get through. Finally, external appearance is something to consider. The first thing the customers see is the outside of the store, that’s what gets them to want to come and shop. If the outside of the business is not appealing to the customers, they will not come in and shop. The entrance should be clean with signage that welcomes the customers. The entry should also be wide enough for wheelchairs. Conclusion When planning the layout of a business it is important to look at all aspects of the business. There needs to be storage area, office, and a good placement of merchandise on the sales floor. The entrance into the business should be welcoming to the customers. All of this is the a big key to the success of the business. If customers are not comfortable and can’t find what they want, they will not keep coming and shopping. References Mitchell, P. (2008). Design a Better Retail Store Layout. Retrieved September 1, 2011, from EZin Articles: http://ezinearticles.com/'Design-a-Better-Retail-Store-Layout&id=1393813 Mitchell, P. (2011). Store Layout. Retrieved September 1, 2011, from EZin Articles: http://ezinearticles.com/'Store-Layout&id=1229446 Retail Store Management Tips. (2011). Retrieved September 1, 2011, from Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/retail-store-management-tips.html