Open the Store of Your Dreams. In every community, large or small, you're likely to see a variety of stores: clothing boutiques, gift shops, bookstores, specialty food shops, hardware stores. Their inventory may be totally different, but the steps involved in running them are much the same. Whether you want your own storefront, a kiosk in a mall, an e-commerce store or anything in between, this essential guide covers everything you need to know. Successful retailers and retail experts nationwide share their real-life experiences.--From the publisher.

Title on cover: Start your own retail business and more : specialty food shop, gift shop, clothing store, kiosk / Entrepreneur Press and Gwen Moran.

Preface -- 1: Introduction To Retailing -- Welcome to the big leagues -- What about jobs? -- Basic kinds of retailers -- Store retailing -- Brick-and-mortar stores -- David vs. Goliath -- Specialty retailing -- Nonstore retailing -- Temporary locations -- Direct selling -- Mail order -- The Internet -- Vending machines -- Service retailers -- Consuming appetite for services -- Step up -- Retailing's image -- Social responsibility -- Windows of opportunity -- What now? -- Do you accept the challenge? -- 2: Making A Plan -- Retail and you : a match made in heaven? -- Personality -- Growth or income? -- Strengths and weaknesses -- Money -- Experience -- Technical management skills -- Business goals -- Is there enough time or demand? -- Look at industry numbers -- Start thinking about your mission -- Be a trend-watcher -- How will you compete? -- What's your plan? -- 3: Decisions, Decisions -- Buying a business -- Franchises -- Business opportunities -- Direct sales -- Existing independent businesses -- Identifying opportunities -- Evaluating the business for sale -- Launching your own business -- Professional advisors -- Lawyers and accountants -- Bankers -- Consultants -- 4: Location -- The homebased retailer -- Commercial locations -- Researching locations -- Match the area to your customers -- Type of products and location choice -- Convenience goods -- Shopping goods -- Specialty goods -- Retail compatibility -- Merchant's associations -- Landlords -- Zoning and planning -- Incentive areas and agencies -- Main Street outreach -- Check out the competition -- Selecting a shopping center location -- Can you qualify? -- Center costs -- Specialty leasing -- Everything is negotiable -- Starting from scratch -- Location in a nutshell -- 5: Legal And Finance Issues -- Forming a business entity -- Protect your name -- Domain name registration -- What kind of money will it take? -- Ready, aim -- Homebased businesses aren't free -- Bank locally -- 6: Operations -- Store policies -- Hours -- Credit policies -- Customer service policies -- Housekeeping -- Security policies -- All in a day's work -- 7: Store Design -- The store planning process -- Exterior personality -- Overhead sign -- Show window -- Entrance -- Designing your store interior -- It's about the experience -- Choose your approach -- Every foot counts -- Flow of store traffic -- Inventory influences layout -- Aisles -- Self-service techniques -- The cashier -- Flooring -- Ceilings -- Walls -- Use of color -- Fixtures -- Lighting -- Nonselling activities -- Visual merchandising -- Convenience counts -- 8: Inventory -- You are what you sell -- Quality merchandise -- Selecting your portfolio -- Establishing your inventory -- Finding products -- Using buying offices -- Finding the right suppliers -- Controlling inventory -- From shipper to shopper -- Selling seasons -- What's enough? -- Consignment items -- Keeping up with change -- 9: Equipment -- Equipment sources -- Auctions, garage sales, swap meets, and thrift shops -- Online equipment sources -- Existing businesses -- Office equipment -- Computer hardware -- Computer software -- Cash register -- Credit card verification system -- Barcode reader -- Other equipment you may want -- Interactive shopping equipment -- Sales floor equipment -- Display equipment -- 10: Pricing -- Your pricing philosophy -- Price impression psychology -- Price and the product range -- Private label -- Social price -- Pricing restrictions -- Pricing strategies -- Price lines -- Pricing principles -- Pricing your services -- Concepts of retail price -- Calculate for competitive advantage -- The benefits of discounts -- Loss leaders -- Quantity discounts -- Trade and organization discounts -- Pre-season discounts -- Voucher discounts -- General markdowns -- True costs -- The unbeatable pricing strategy -- 11: Human Resources -- Assessing your needs -- How many people is enough? -- Hiring -- Labor practices -- Hiring procedures -- Background checks -- Compensation -- After they're hired -- Provide incentives to employees -- Employee and operations manual -- Probation -- Training -- Scheduling personnel -- Employee performance appraisals -- Firing -- You must remember this -- 12: Marketing -- Putting together a promotion plan -- Your grand opening -- Advertising -- Media mix -- Co-op advertising -- Direct mail -- Print advertising -- Web site : a must-have in retailing -- In-store promotions -- Special pricing -- Visual merchandising -- Great displays -- Public relations -- 13: Customer service -- Customer-centric objectives -- Information collection is key -- Customer relationship management -- Listen to the right customers -- Promise only what you can deliver -- Loyalty and retailing -- Services customers value -- How to provide exceptional customer service -- A warm welcome -- Attentiveness -- Creature comforts -- Warm, fuzzy policies -- High value-to-price ratio -- Personalized shopping -- Delivery -- Gift registry -- Gift certificates -- How to handle unhappy customers -- Handling returns -- The Internet raises consumer expectations -- The customer is always right -- 14: Risk management -- The law -- Insurance -- Product-related issues -- Pricing -- Product safety information -- False claims -- Packing and labeling -- Warranties -- Sales contracts -- Transfer of title -- Customer-related issues -- Physical safety -- Customer property loss -- Handling bad checks -- Counterfeit money and merchandise -- Extending credit -- Shoplifting -- Employee-related issues -- Occupational Safety and Health Administration -- Americans With Disabilities Act -- Employee theft -- Combatting shrinkage -- Tighten store security -- Emergency preparedness -- 15: Planning For The Future -- Change is an everyday challenge -- Rethink the rules -- Encore? -- The future of retailing -- Know your customers -- Appendix -- Retail store resources -- Associations -- Books -- Consulting services -- Consumer research -- Equipment -- Merchandise and visual display -- Risk management resources -- Social responsibility -- Software -- Successful retail business owners -- Trade publications -- Web site -- Glossary.