Moving your retail store is a complicated process; you need it done as quickly as possible to minimize the time when you’re not open for business, and you need to protect your merchandise, equipment, and fixtures while you hurry through. In short, this is a stressful time for a shop owner! You can cut down some of your worries, along with your costs, by using a moving box rental service and having the heavy-duty reusable boxes and moving supplies delivered. Here are some other ways you can streamline your planning and packing, and get your new shop ready for customers sooner.
What Do You Really Need To Move?
If your new store will feature a design update you may want to consider having new fixtures and furnishings delivered directly to your new location. Then you can sell or donate the old ones from the old location so you don’t pay to move them.
Will you be updating your inventory, too? Think about whether it’s worthwhile to pay to move all of your current merchandise to the new location. Anything you’re not going to carry any longer should be liquidated before you move, and you should crunch the numbers to see whether it makes more financial sense to move merchandise that you will continue to carry or liquidate your current stock to save on moving, and re-order at your new location.
Take a look at equipment like registers and printers and appliances like microwaves and coffee makers. If any of these are nearing the end of their useful lives, this is a good time to get rid of them, spare the expense of moving them, and have replacements meet you at your new store.
Preparation Is Everything
Make a plan for packing beginning with the things you can continue operating without. Your store may look less attractive without mannequins and wall displays, but packing those things in advance will help alleviate the last-minute stress as you approach moving day. Pack until it hurts, and then a little more, and consider anything that is not merchandise or registers as fair game.
Pack overstock business supplies like receipt paper, pricing materials, pens, tag guns, and anything else you may need for setting up your new store and keep those materials accessible throughout the move. It may even be a good idea to transport them in your personal vehicle, just so you know you will be able to find them at any time during the move.
Have Employees Handle The Merchandise
On packing day, have your store employees pack the merchandise because they are most aware of what logically goes together and they should also be aware of any particularly fragile items. If your employees pack the merchandise in a way that makes sense, they’ll be able to unpack much more quickly at the new location.
Hire Help For Cleaning & Other Tasks
While it makes good business sense to have your employees take charge of packing and unpacking the merchandise, it may make more sense to hire outside help for tasks like cleaning fixtures before they’re moved and cleaning the space you’re moving out of. Anything that doesn’t immediately impact your store operations and set up in the new space is a potential item to take off your employees’ to-do lists.
Moving Box Rental Service Makes Your Move Easier & Safer
Working with a moving box rental service allows you to focus on what you need to get done by leaving the gathering and delivery of durable, reusable moving bins in our trustworthy hands. We’ll help you determine how many boxes your store needs, and if you run short, we’ll bring more. Once you’re unpacked, we’ll be back to whisk the empty boxes away, so you don’t have to worry about where to store them. Contact us for an estimate and to schedule moving box rental delivery for your retail move.
