How to open a grocery store from scratch. Product groups of food products

Range- this is a fairly large collection, united by some common characteristic (raw materials, purpose, manufacturer, etc.), differing from each other in other characteristics. There are industrial and commercial, simple and complex, combined and mixed, expanded and enlarged assortments of goods.

Industrial range is a set of goods produced separately or separately.

Trade assortment— a set of goods sold in a retail chain. - this is the totality of all (and) involved in the sale of goods. The trade assortment includes a set of goods produced by both domestic and foreign manufacturers. It is more diverse than the industrial range.

The range of goods presented at a trading enterprise determines its type (department store, supermarket) and the form of trade service. In addition, in stores of the same type, but with different sales areas, the assortment will differ in the number of groups and types of goods. In this case, trading enterprises will be divided into universal and specialized, stores with a combined and mixed assortment.

Taking into account complexity, a distinction is made between simple and complex assortments of goods.

Those types of goods that are classified according to no more than three criteria will amount to simple assortment of goods(vegetables, table salt, laundry soap, etc.).

Those types of goods that are classified into varieties according to more than three characteristics will collectively amount to complex range of goods(shoes, clothes, etc.).

Enlarged assortment determined by the ratio of individual product groups. A group of goods should be combined according to a number of characteristics: production method, purpose, design features, etc. Expanded assortment determined by the types of goods presented.

Combined assortment is a set of several groups of goods for different purposes that are connected by a common demand and satisfy individual needs. For example, the Men's Clothing store sells a combined assortment.

Mixed assortment— a set of non-food and food products of various groups. The mixed assortment is represented, as a rule, by the largest number of groups and types of goods.

Main characteristics of the product range

The main indicators of the assortment are structure, completeness, depth, stability, and novelty.

Assortment structure

Assortment structure- this is the percentage ratio of certain sets of products to their total quantity.

Indicators of assortment structure are often expressed as percentages. For example, the percentage of shirts, suits and other products determines the type structure of the assortment in the Men's Clothing store.

Breadth of assortment

Breadth of assortment is determined by the number of product groups and is estimated by the latitude coefficient:

K w = G f / G n

  • where G f is the number of product groups at the time of determination, units; Gn - total number of product groups, units.

Completeness of assortment

Completeness of assortment- this is the correspondence of the actual availability of types of goods to the developed assortment list and existing demand.

They express the completeness of the assortment through the coefficient of completeness K p of the assortment, which is determined by the formula:

K p = V f / V n

  • where V f is the actual number of types of goods at the time of inspection (inspection), units; In n - the number of types provided for by the assortment list, supply contract, standards, etc., units.

Depth of assortment

Depth of assortment determined by the number of varieties of goods for each item. The assortment depth coefficient is estimated using the formula:

K g = R f / R n

  • where R f is the actual number of varieties of goods at the time of inspection, units; R n - number of varieties provided for by the assortment list, terms of the contract, price lists, etc., units.

Stability of the assortment

Sustainability(stability) characterizes the constant availability of goods of the corresponding type (variety) for sale. The stability coefficient K y is determined by the formula:

K y = 1 - (P" f1 + P" f2 + ... + P" fn / P n× n)

  • where P" f1, P" f2,..., P" fn - the actual number of varieties (types) of goods from those provided for in the assortment list and not on sale at the time of individual checks, units; R n - number of varieties (types) of goods provided by the assortment list, units; n - number of checks.

The assortment stability coefficient is usually determined for a specific period (month, quarter, year). It has been established that the optimal coefficient of stability of the assortment should be expressed by the following values: for department stores - 0.80; for specialized stores - 0.75.

New assortment

Novelty characterizes the emergence of new varieties of goods over a certain period of time and is assessed by the novelty coefficient K o:

K o = R o / R f

  • where P o is the number of new varieties of goods that appeared at the time of inspection, units; R f - average number of varieties, units.

The novelty coefficient characterizes the degree of renewal of the assortment and the emergence of new products.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets operate according to the same system - a self-service system, however, hypermarkets differ from supermarkets in the presence of catering (cafes, restaurants, bars) and entertainment (cinema, video game room, Internet cafe).

Typically, when constructing a hypermarket, each owner creates his own organization, which is engaged in general contracting and searching for smaller specialized structures to carry out the work. The owner believes that in this way he can control his money. But now the situation has begun to change.

Some developers are already hiring outsourced builders of individual projects. It is more profitable for them to pay a “subscription fee” than to maintain a staff of electricians, plumbers, and tilers in each of their hypermarkets. Among other things, this workforce needs to be managed competently and, accordingly, it is necessary to maintain a staff of managers. It’s easier to outsource engineering services and know that if a problem arises, it will be solved competently, quickly, without stopping the work process and without losses.

As for supermarkets, these stores are smaller, which means that the service staff can be cut by 5-10 times. If we look at the management of retail real estate in megacities, we will see that an infrastructure of companies offering related services has formed around hypermarkets: from construction to the selection of tenants, but nothing like that happens with supermarkets. So we learned the difference between a hypermarket and a supermarket during construction.

What is the traffic in hypermarkets and supermarkets?

The main difference between a hypermarket and a supermarket is traffic. The average traffic of Moscow hypermarkets ranges from 5,000 to 16,000 people per day (with 60% of the traffic provided by anchor tenants). Supermarket traffic has declined significantly in recent years and ranges from 600 to 5,000 people per day. But at the same time, the most famous and largest ones in the city are still visited. And attendance at hypermarkets ranges from 16,000-18,000 people per day. Most supermarkets can only dream of such traffic. Why is this situation happening?

The main reason is not the financial capabilities of consumers. Look at large projects, you won’t see grandmothers there, they all go to supermarkets. They have their own established way of life, according to which they do not visit hypermarkets. Supermarkets and hypermarkets do not need to compete. They serve different consumers. Each has its own traffic. The dynamics of customer growth in hypermarkets is about 8-10% per year. This suggests that the consumer is moving towards the development of more civilized trading platforms.

Today, the greatest interest is in those trading formats that offer additional services to the consumer. We are talking about the presence of cinemas, entertainment areas, cafes. No supermarket can offer this. And in this regard, the trend of growth in shopping center traffic will definitely continue in the coming years.

In addition, large food shopping centers contribute to the “disappearance” of street retail objects (kiosks, pavilions, shops) in the area.

What assortment do hypermarkets and supermarkets offer?

The range of goods in hypermarkets is huge - more than 150 thousand items of goods. The share of non-food products is half of the entire assortment. The turnover of a hypermarket per day exceeds that of a supermarket by 3-4 times.

A supermarket is a store with a much smaller area of ​​warehouse space and sales floor, which means there will be less assortment. It is rare that supermarkets sell more than 30 thousand different types of goods. More than half of what is sold is food and essential items.

As for the sale of goods in supermarkets, one very interesting trend can be traced: the warehouse is a passive area, and the sales floor is an active one. Ideally, the manufacturer needs to completely abandon the warehouse and sell everything “off the shelf.” He should strive to speed up and simplify turnover, reduce inventories (introduce strict accounting of the speed of sales) and create a scheme for the delivery, unloading and display of goods directly into the hall.

This system is called JIT (just in time). Working conditions are determined by clear accounting of sales (empty shelves) during the day and improved logistics. In this case, it is important to achieve efficiency, establish traffic, etc. In order to avoid difficulties, the store can tighten requirements for suppliers.

Discounts in supermarkets and hypermarkets

Hypermarkets often try to interest customers with exclusive discounts for a certain time. Owners of outlets thus expect to secure their products in a specific network. Large chains reduce prices on certain types of goods and announce them in their own catalogs or trade guides (this announcement may be a condition for providing an exclusive discount), which becomes a special advertising or promotional event for the store itself.

The second model is push sales. It is most often used by supermarkets. It encourages purchases by providing a discount on the purchase amount (which can accumulate over a certain period of time). It is also possible to return a certain amount after payment at the checkout (cash back). This model is beneficial for different types of distributors. The PM (push money) program sometimes includes payments to sellers for actively promoting specific products in a product line. For example, Samsonite, a well-known supplier of leather goods in Russia, offers retail distributors an incentive of 1-2 dollars for each bag sold, and 10 dollars for a new suitcase model. True, such a scheme cannot be used in self-service stores.

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The assortment development stage should be preceded by marketing research. Their task should be to identify competitors and analyze their product range. Next, you need to analyze potential consumers and determine their preferences. It is worth noting that consumer behavior must be constantly analyzed and, based on changes in it, adjustments must be made to the assortment.

Width and depth of assortment

Before you start creating an assortment for, you need to decide on its key parameters. The product range is characterized by such characteristics as width, depth and height.

The first thing to do when developing an assortment is to decide on its width. It represents the number of assortment groups in the total volume. The specifics of identifying product groups will depend on the format of the outlet and its specifics. It is clear that the breadth of assortment in a hypermarket and a small convenience store is significantly different.

For example, in most small convenience stores, the following product groups are distinguished: dairy, bakery products, confectionery, tea and coffee, semi-finished and frozen foods, cheeses and alcoholic products, vegetables and fruits. And if the store is highly specialized, then the product groups will differ. For example, in a butcher shop you can distinguish such subsections as raw meat, semi-finished products, ready-made food, sausages, canned food, etc.

The width of the assortment should be determined based on an analysis of the assortment of competitors. You need to strive to find your own niche and offer a unique product, because... It will be quite problematic to compete with large hypermarkets and supermarkets in terms of price parameters. This way you can focus your assortment on sales of healthy food, organic products or delicacies.

Once you have decided on the width of the assortment, you need to start filling each product group with products. The number of products in each product group is called depth. It is believed that it is optimal to include in the assortment products that will be targeted at different customer segments and include economy class products, products from the mid-price category and from the premium segment. The predominance of certain products will depend on the store positioning strategy and its location. The cost of goods in product groups will determine the height of the assortment.

Characteristics of an effective assortment

Important parameters characterizing the effectiveness of the assortment are its mobility and relevance. They reflect the ability of the assortment to change to best suit the needs of customers and their demand for key assortment items. For example, recently the popularity of healthy eating among customers has been growing, so stores are expanding the range of fermented milk products, vegetables and fruits.

On the other hand, the assortment of a grocery store should be stable, i.e. it must invariably feature products that are in demand.

Based on ideas about the optimal depth and width of the store, an assortment is created. It includes the necessary list of goods sold that meets the needs of buyers. The minimum list of products sold is the minimum assortment, which must always be present in the store.

In order for a store to make a profit, the assortment must be formed in accordance with the well-known ABC rule. According to it, group A of goods consists of the most popular and in demand products. They account for 20% of the product range, but they bring up to 80% of the profit. They must be guaranteed to be present in the store in the required volume. Products from groups B and C are needed in the assortment, primarily to maintain optimal width.

Range- this is a certain ordered structure that has certain relationships and interdependencies. One of the key terms is a product classifier, which involves dividing all store products into the following levels:

product classes;

product groups;

You can present a more detailed classification, divide product categories into subcategories (for example, by shoe color or style, by brand), and only then move on to a specific product.

Product class- This is a combination of goods for a common functional purpose. At this level, the store’s assortment can be represented by the following categories: “Food products”, “Non-food products”, “Furniture”, “Office supplies”, “Clothing”, “Shoes”, etc. It is necessary to understand that the larger the store, the more classes of goods can be presented there. At the same time, small highly specialized stores may not divide their assortment into product classes and offer only one class. For example, a clothing store, shoe store, grocery store, etc.

At the second level, the store’s assortment is divided into product groups, which represent certain sets of goods united by common characteristics, such as functional characteristics; types of needs that the product is aimed at satisfying; ingredients that make up the product, etc. For example, the class of goods “Food products” can be divided into such product groups as “Confectionery”, “Dairy products”, “Grocery”, etc., which are formed on the basis of , reflecting the composition of these food products. The “Footwear” product class can be divided into such product groups as “Children’s shoes”, “Women’s shoes”, “Men’s shoes”, “Sports shoes”, etc.

At the third level, the store’s product assortment is divided into product categories, which are collections of goods that the buyer evaluates as similar goods or goods united by common use. A product category is essentially what the buyer goes directly to the store for.

For example, the product group “Dairy products” can be represented by such product categories as milk, kefir, bifidoc, yogurt, sour cream, etc. If we are talking about non-food products, then a product group such as “Furniture” can be represented by such product categories as sofas, armchairs, kitchen sets, etc.

There is another approach to grouping products included in a store’s assortment, which uses slightly different terminology. Within this approach, the store's assortment is divided into different types of goods. For example, the assortment of a bookstore can be divided into such types of goods as books, magazines, newspapers, booklets, cartographic publications, etc.

In turn, the type of product is divided into product groups in accordance with the functional purpose of the product, its price and quality. For example, a type of product such as books can be divided into the following product groups: scientific literature, educational literature, fiction, reference literature, etc.

An assortment group consists of individual assortment items, which are the simplest structural unit of the assortment. For example, the product group “Educational Literature” can be divided into the following assortment items: textbooks, teaching aids, and methodological instructions.

Before starting to form an assortment, the store must develop assortment concept, which represents the purposeful construction of an optimal assortment structure. At the same time, the developed assortment concept must meet two basic requirements:

1) meet consumer requirements and expectations of certain consumer groups that are target for this store. For example, for a children's clothing store, the target segment will be young parents;

2) ensure the store achieves certain commercial results - profit, profitability, market share, recognition and commitment from customers, etc.

The formation of the assortment is influenced by factors that are usually divided into two groups - general and specific.

Common factors include demand and profitability. Demand is the desire of consumers to purchase a product, supported by opportunity (availability of sufficient funds and time). Demand typically depends on the characteristics of the customer segment the store is targeting. Among such characteristics, the most significant are the income of consumers, their demographic, status, property characteristics, area of ​​residence, etc. The profitability of product sales is determined by purchase prices, transport and storage costs, the value of trade margins, distribution costs, etc.

Specific factors influencing the formation of a store’s assortment most often include: specialization of a trading organization, channels of distribution of goods, methods of sales promotion; material and technical base of the store; demand generation methods, etc. In addition, the assortment concept should be expressed in the form of a system of indicators, among which are:

the degree of diversity of types and varieties of goods;

level of price ratio for goods of a certain type;

frequency of assortment updating, etc.

The main goal of the assortment concept is to develop an assortment that fully meets the diverse requirements of customers.

Store assortment policy- this is an activity aimed at identifying a set of product groups that ensure the successful operation of the store in the market and its financial and economic efficiency. When implementing assortment policy, store management, as a rule, solves the following problems:

effective use of experience and knowledge of store personnel;

the most complete (compared to competitors) satisfaction of customer requirements;

attracting new customer segments to the store by optimizing the assortment and including new product groups;

ensuring financial results of the store, such as profit, profitability, turnover of fixed and working capital, etc.

There is an opinion that the assortment of a store, regardless of its size and specific activity, should include the following groups of goods:

main products - products that bring the store the majority of profit (at least 50%) and are at the growth stage;

supporting goods - goods that stabilize sales revenue and are at the maturity stage;

strategic goods - goods that are at the stage of entering the market and are capable of providing decent revenue for the store in the future;

tactical products are products that are at the maturity stage and can stimulate sales of the main product groups.

The strategy sets general guidelines for the development of the store’s assortment, and planning must be carried out in accordance with the developed strategy. The following stages can be distinguished in the assortment planning process:

research into actual and potential (unsatisfied) customer needs;

analysis of the characteristics of customer behavior in each market segment that the store is aimed at;

assessment of the assortment policy of the main competitors;

assessment of our own assortment in terms of the degree of compliance with customer needs and correlation with the assortment of competitors;

making decisions about which products should be added to the store’s assortment, and which products should be excluded from the existing assortment.

A product or an entire product group may be excluded from the store’s assortment if it is not profitable enough, is obsolete or is uncompetitive.

The product range of the enterprise is characterized by two properties - width and depth.

Assortment width shows how many product groups it includes. For example, we can say that a store’s assortment is wide if it includes clothes, shoes, toys, stationery, household chemicals, etc. We can talk about a narrow assortment if the store offers one product group, for example shoes or clothing.

Depth of assortment shows how many models one product group contains. For example, a shoe store has a narrow but deep assortment, since it presents only one product group, which includes many models of children's, women's, men's and sports shoes.

In this regard, an enterprise can choose a deep or wide range strategy, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Thus, a wide range strategy can satisfy the needs of a wide range of consumers, but it requires large financial costs and does not always meet the needs of the most demanding customers.

A deep assortment strategy, on the contrary, allows you to offer many product models, so that each consumer can find a product to suit his taste, but it will not reach a wide range of consumers. Sometimes a company combines these two strategies, but this option requires a large expenditure of economic resources.

Broad and deep assortment strategies have both their advantages and disadvantages. Thus, a wide assortment strategy has the following advantages:

focuses on meeting the various needs of customers;

allows you to diversify products;

encourages customers to purchase various products in one place.

However, this strategy has its drawbacks:

requires serious financial investments;

requires deep knowledge of the specifics of selling various categories of goods.

In turn, the deep assortment strategy has the following positive features:

allows you to satisfy the need for a specific product of various consumer segments;

prevents the emergence of new competitors; allows for the most efficient use of retail space;

offers a wide range of prices aimed at different income groups of consumers.

However, this strategy also has disadvantages:

requires significant costs for maintaining inventory;

causes difficulty in differentiating between two similar product lines;

requires additional costs for modifying the product range;

as a result of concentration on one product group, it makes the store more vulnerable and more susceptible to threats from the external environment.

Based on the characteristics of its customer and business goals, a store can choose the following assortment strategy options:

product differentiation, which assumes that the store offers “special” goods that are almost impossible to find in other stores, i.e. the store occupies certain niches of demand. For example, the assortment of the Lefutur store of amazing things includes thousands of original gifts and souvenirs;

narrow product specialization, which assumes that the store operates in a fairly narrow market segment and offers for sale a narrow but deep range of goods. For example, a sports shoe store or a store selling clothes and shoes for ballroom dancing, etc.;

product diversification, when the store’s assortment includes different classes of goods that are not related to each other, i.e. when within the walls of one store a buyer can simultaneously find clothes, shoes, food products, household chemicals, etc.

Based on the structure of the assortment, various types of retail enterprises are distinguished (table).

Table

Dependence of the type of retail enterprise on the assortment structure

So, special shop offers a narrow but fairly rich assortment that can satisfy the specific needs of customers. The assortment structure of a specialized store may contain many varieties, models, brands of the same product (for example, a store selling watches, bicycles, jeans, etc.). There is also another option for a specialized store, the assortment structure of which contains various groups of goods, but intended for a narrow market segment (for example, stores for newborns, wedding salons, stores for overweight people, etc.).

Department stores- these are, as a rule, stores that offer for sale a fairly wide range of goods, primarily non-food items. As a rule, department stores are characterized by an average level of service at an average price level.

Supermarkets also have a fairly wide range, but they focus primarily on food products.

Recently, stores offering a wide and deep range of goods, which are commonly called shopping centers (TCs) or, if there is an entertainment zone, shopping and entertainment centers (SECs), have become widely developed.

Shopping mall is a modern retail enterprise of the so-called synthetic format, i.e. uniting on its territory stores specializing in the sale of food and non-food products, as well as service enterprises (bank branch, currency exchange office, dry cleaner, beauty salon, mobile payment acceptance center, etc.); public catering establishments (restaurants, cafes, snack bars), united, as a rule, on one trading platform - the so-called food court or food court; leisure and entertainment enterprises (cinema, bowling alley, fitness center, children's playground, etc.).

The size of the retail space of a modern shopping center or shopping center can range from 5 to 200 or more thousand square meters. m. The area of ​​super-regional shopping centers is more than 400 thousand square meters. m. As a rule, in a modern shopping center, the basic, or anchor, tenants of retail space that attract the bulk of visitors are supermarkets and hypermarkets of one price category or another, self-service stores selling household appliances, or stores offering household goods. A food court and a multiplex cinema can also act as “anchors” in a shopping center. A retail area dedicated to leisure and entertainment services may be comparable to a retail area.

There are several classifications of shopping centers. The most common classification is the International Council of Shopping Centers, according to which shopping centers are divided into the following types:

1. Malls- these are large shopping centers, the area of ​​which ranges from 45-150 thousand square meters. m, aimed at the population living within a radius of 30-40 minutes by car. The main anchor tenant (a legal entity or individual who leases retail premises with an area of ​​at least 5-15% of the total area of ​​the shopping complex) is a well-known supermarket, the rest are a multiplex (cinema, gaming area), retail outlets uniting cosmetics, household chemicals and pharmacy products, restaurant area and food courts (catering area):

a) regional center - a department store with a full range of goods; general merchandise store; discount department store; fashion department. - 37-75 thousand sq. m, number of anchor tenants - from 2 or more;

b) a super-regional center is similar to a regional center, but has a greater variety of products. The area of ​​the shopping center reaches more than 75 thousand square meters. m, the number of anchor tenants is 3 or more.

2. Open-air center is a complex of shops located in separate buildings, usually united by a common style. Most of the open-air center stores have a separate entrance from the street; they can be located in a line or have an L-shape, U-shape or Z-shape, often sharing a common façade:

a) the microdistrict center offers goods and services of everyday demand, occupies an area of ​​up to 14 thousand square meters. m. Number of anchor tenants - from 1 or more;

b) district shopping center - department store of goods at discounted prices; supermarket; pharmacy; hardware store; a large specialized store of fashionable clothing and jewelry (including at discounted prices). Has an area from 10 to 33 thousand square meters. m. Number of anchor tenants - from 2 or more;

c) lifestyle center - specialized stores of national-scale retail chains, catering establishments and outdoor entertainment establishments. As a rule, they have an area of ​​14-47 thousand square meters. m. There are usually no anchor tenants, but may include a bookstore, retail outlets of other large specialized retailers, premium cinemas, a small department store;

d) power center - stores offering a wide selection in a specific category of goods at low prices. Anchor tenants from popular brands in this category; several small tenants. Area - 24-56 thousand square meters. m.

e) thematic (festival) center - an entertainment and recreation center aimed at tourists; retail sales and personal services. Area - 8-24 thousand square meters. m;

f) a branded shopping center includes retail outlets from the manufacturer. Area - 4-5 thousand square meters. m.

Thus, shopping centers are complexes of functionally and spatially interconnected trade, catering, consumer and other types of services. Shopping centers are built on sites with landscaped pedestrian areas, convenient transport access and parking lots; their placement is connected with the city’s transport system (with highways, train stations, etc.) and, in particular, with the main pedestrian flows directed to public transport stops. Such complexes are usually included in public centers of cities and urban areas, which also include cultural institutions (clubs, libraries), sports, etc.

As my father said: “No matter what happens, a person always needs to eat.” Trading shops existed thousands of years ago. Even then there were various shops that offered people cereals, spices, bread, meat, and other food products. Nowadays, when the range of goods is incredibly wide, and people have the opportunity to buy whatever their heart desires, opening a grocery store is quite a profitable business. Many novice businessmen are quite frightened by the prospect of opening such a business. Indeed, there are a number of significant factors for concern. Firstly, there are already quite a lot of grocery stores, and you will have to compete with the already “established” places that people are used to. Secondly, competition also comes from supermarket chains, which are growing every day, displacing smaller and weaker grocery stores. Thirdly, products are perishable goods that will not lie in a warehouse for a month, waiting for the right buyer. You will always have to work, spin, increase turnover and sales. We don’t deny that this business is not easy. But what did you want? So that everything would be easy, simple, and even profitable? It doesn't happen that way. In the modern business world, there is fierce competition for a place in the sun.

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Today we will talk about how to win the race with competitors and growing networks. We will also try to compile, taking into account all the subtleties and nuances of this difficult business. Believe me, everything is possible and everything is real. You just need to follow certain rules, which we will talk about later in the article.

Documents required to open a grocery store

When opening any business, including a grocery store, you will need to collect a number of specific permits, without which it will be impossible to conduct business. Such documents include:

  • Documents of a business entity. As a rule, an individual entrepreneur is registered to open a grocery store. But if you plan to grow and create a chain of stores, it would be better to register as a legal entity. In this case, it is necessary to develop various constituent documents.
  • Certificate from the tax office that you have registered and chosen the form of tax payment (single tax or payment on a general basis).
  • Obtaining codes from Goskomstat.
  • A lease agreement for premises for your grocery store, or a copy of the certificate of ownership.
  • Conclusions from the fire service that your premises meet all norms and standards and are safe for both workers and future visitors.
  • Contract for installation and maintenance of fire alarms.
  • An agreement with a company that provides solid waste removal services.
  • Job certificate
  • Contract for disinfection work.

And the last package of documents that you need to collect and prepare concerns the trading process itself. At the stage of registering the opening of a business, they are not needed, but later they will be necessary.

  • Health records for all employees of your grocery store. If they are not there, then you risk receiving serious fines from the SES and other regulatory authorities.
  • It is necessary to properly design the buyer's corner, in accordance with all rules and standards. In this corner there should be copies of your certificate of right to engage in this business, the law on consumer rights, a book of complaints and proposals. A more detailed and up-to-date list of required documents can be found on the Internet.
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Choosing a grocery store location

If you are planning to open a grocery store, then choosing a location is the key to the success of your future business. In order for your business to be profitable, try to choose a premises based on several rules:

Firstly, within a radius of 500 meters, or better yet more, there should be no other grocery stores or supermarkets. Otherwise, you will face a serious competition problem. You will need to lure customers to you by proving that the store they have “found” and are already familiar with is not only not better, but is also inferior to you in many respects. And this will not be easy to do. Therefore, if there is an option to rent or buy premises in a place where there is no competition, then this is ideal.

Secondly, it is best to open a grocery store in a residential area, surrounded by several high-rise buildings. Many experienced businessmen note that in order for business to be successful, at least one and a half thousand people must live close to the shops (up to 200 meters). Then there is a good chance that the flow of customers will be stable.

You also need to decide on the size of the store. It all depends on how you see the entire business organization. Perhaps a small stall will be enough for you, where the buyer can buy bread, dairy products, some cereals and other essential goods. Or maybe you want a full-fledged store, with a wide assortment and several departments: groceries, fish, alcohol, vegetables and fruits, confectionery. It is clear that a large store can potentially bring in greater profits.

The choice of room size also depends on the organization of trade. You can make your grocery store like a mini supermarket, where the buyer will have access to goods, or you can sell over the counter. Both options have both pros and cons. Trading over the counter will oblige you to hire a salesperson in each department, which means extra wage costs. If you choose the first option, with access to goods, then this type of trade is associated with certain risks - theft is possible.

Choosing commercial equipment for a grocery store

What commercial equipment to choose for a grocery store? This is a question to which there cannot be a clear answer. Why? Firstly, because a lot depends on the format and size of your store, on the range of products, on the availability of this or that department. If you sell only essential products, then standard shelves and several display cases will be enough for you. If you add soft drinks, dairy products, meat and fish to everything else, then you need to think about refrigerators and freezers.

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By the way, many manufacturers of frozen foods and carbonated drinks can provide you with refrigeration equipment completely free of charge. In exchange, you must sign an agreement that the store will sell only their products from this category of goods. This is very profitable, because there are no extra costs for purchasing equipment. But at the same time, you limit yourself in the assortment, committing to sell products from only one manufacturer. Here you need to look at the situation, opportunities, and the offers that are received.

Assortment of goods in a grocery store

If you are planning to open a grocery store, then you need to pay special attention to the expected assortment. It will, first of all, largely depend on the location. Where will your store be located? What's nearby? School, office center, residential buildings, recreational facilities and parks? All this will make adjustments to the assortment of the future store.

With a high degree of probability we can say that you will be adjusting the quantity and range of goods for several more months. During the sales process, it will become clear what is in greater demand and what is no longer worth purchasing, what product categories should be focused on, and in what direction to develop in the future.

If you have a small grocery store, then do not try to put everything on the shelves. A wide range is good, but not at the very beginning of your store. It’s better to start with a standard set of goods: dairy products, canned food, fish, juices, water, baked goods, alcohol. In the process, you will understand what needs to be purchased, delivered, which departments to remove, and which, on the contrary, to add. Also, do not forget about the seasonality of goods. In summer, the emphasis should be on fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, fresh juices, and water. In winter, citrus and imported fruits are in demand.

I would also like to say a few words about suppliers. You won't have to look for them for long. There are a lot of distributors on the market who will offer you to fill your shelves with their products. But don’t rush to sign contracts with the first company you come across. Study the offers of several suppliers, their terms of work and payment. Some provide goods only upon payment, others defer payment for several weeks. It is clear that deferment is an excellent option for a beginning entrepreneur, because it allows you to make payments from the proceeds received rather than investing your own money.

How to open a grocery store: selecting staff

Grocery store staff should be polite and friendly. This is especially important at the initial stage of your development. A customer who comes to you for the first time to shop should be satisfied not only with the price and quality of the product, but also with the service. And here everything depends on the person who will be behind the counter. It just so happens that in most grocery stores you can find slightly rude salespeople who look at you as if you owe them something. Whatever one may say, an unpleasant aftertaste remains, and next time there will be no desire to enter this store.

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Therefore, you need to pay special attention to personnel selection. Finding competent, smart, friendly sellers is not an easy task. You may have to overpay them a little in order to motivate them to fulfill their obligations efficiently. But believe me, a smiling salesman with a good mood and good spirits, who knows regular customers by name and already understands what they want, is a godsend for any grocery store.

How many salespeople do you need in a store? It all depends on the number of departments and work schedule. If there are four departments, and your grocery store is open from 8 to 22, then you need to organize two shifts. This means that sellers already need at least eight people.

Don't forget about work control. As they say, trust - but verify. Can install web cameras in the store and monitor the trading process in real time. Recording cameras can be installed in warehouses and above cash registers to avoid theft and theft. You can also create a simple website, the address of which will be posted in front of the store entrance, where each customer can leave their feedback, wishes, and recommendations for improving the store.

Advertising and grocery store development

The best advertising is word of mouth. If you make a good assortment, attractive prices, organize some bonuses and a loyalty system, then people will be drawn to you. You can also print a couple of thousand colored newspapers and deliver them to the mailboxes of nearby houses. In the brochures, tell us that it will soon be revealed that everyone who makes a purchase worth 1000 rubles, for example, will receive something as a gift. In general, you need to make a statement, interest buyers, show that you exist and that you are the best.

If you do not plan to develop, and are limited to only one store in one area, then you should advertise only within this area. There is no point in advertising in local newspapers and magazines, on Internet portals, and even more so on social networks. The most effective method is to distribute advertising brochures to mailboxes monthly. In the booklets, indicate prices for the most popular products, and also tell about promotions and discounts that will be held in the next month.

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In this article, we tried to tell in detail, how to open a grocery store, gave some practical advice and recommendations. Many may wonder why we haven't said anything about the financial aspect of opening a grocery store. How much money will you have to spend, what is the payback, what are the priority costs and how much will it take to maintain the business monthly. The answer is simple - everything is very individual, and the amounts can differ tens of times depending on the region, city, and even the chosen area. It's hard to read even an example grocery store business plan, without knowing where, how and for what purpose, you are going to open it.

Let's just say one thing: the main costs when opening a grocery store are:

  • Renting or purchasing premises
  • Repair of retail space
  • Rent or purchase of equipment necessary for trade
  • Installation of security systems (surveillance cameras, fire protection system, etc.)
  • Purchase of a certain stock of goods

There will also be monthly expenses:

  • Employees' salaries
  • Payment of utility services
  • Payment of taxes
  • Payment of rent for the premises (if you do not own it)
  • Purchase of new goods

You also need to consider the risks associated with this business. Products have a certain expiration date, and you need to stay within the allotted time frame in order to sell them. All spoiled products are a minus for your wallet.

 

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