Free Retail Business Plan Template; Retail Store Business Plan Sample

A retail plan shows your banker the condition and direction of your business so that your business can be more favorably considered for a loan because of the banker's insight into your situation.

A plan can tell your sales personnel, suppliers, and others about your operations and goals.

A plan can help you develop as a manager. It can give you practice in thinking and figuring out problems about competitive conditions, promotional opportunities and situations that are good or bad for your business. Such practice over a period of time can help increase an owner-manager's ability to make judgments.

A second plan tells you what to do and how to do it to achieve the goals you have set for your business.

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What Business Am I In?

In making your business plan, the first question to consider is: What business am I really in? At first reading, this question may seem silly. "If there is one thing I know," you say to yourself, "it is what business I'm in." Hold on and think. Some owner-managers have gone broke and others have wasted their savings because they did not define their businesses in detail. Actually they were confused about what business they were in.

Look at an example. Mr. Jet maintained a dock and sold and rented boats. He thought he was in the marina business. But when he got into trouble and asked for outside help, he learned that he was not necessarily in the marina business. He was in several businesses. He was in the restaurant business with a dockside cafe, serving meals to boating parties. He was in the real estate business, buying and selling lots. He was in boat repair business, buying parts and hiring a mechanic as demand rose. Mr. Jet was trying to be too many things and couldn't decide which venture to put money into and how much return to expect. What slim resources he had were fragmented. (Free retail business plan template; retail business plan sample.)

Before he could make a profit on his sales and a return on his investment, Mr. Jet had to decide what business he really was in and concentrate on it. After much study, he realized that he should stick to the marina format, buying, selling, and servicing boats.

Decide what business you are in and write it down - define your business.
To help you decide, think of answers to questions like: What do you buy? What do you sell? Which of your lines of goods yields the greatest profit? What do people ask you for? What is it that you are trying to do better or more of or differently from your competitors? Write it down in detail.

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Retail Business Marketing

When you have decided what business you are in, you are ready to consider another important part of your business plan. Marketing. Successful marketing starts with the owner-manager. You have to know the merchandise you sell and the wishes and wants of your customers you can appeal to. The objective is to move the stock off the shelves and display racks at the right price and bring in sales dollars.

The text and suggested working papers that follow are designed to help you work out a marketing plan for your store.

Determining the Sales Potential store

In retail business, your sales potential depends on location. Like a tree, a store has to draw its nourishment from the area around it. The following questions should help you work through the problem of selecting a profitable location.

• In what part of the city or town will you locate?

• In the downtown business section?

• In the area right next to the downtown business area?

• In a residential section of the town?

• On the highway outside of town?

• In the suburbs?

• In a suburban shopping center?

On a worksheet, write where you plan to locate and give your reasons why you chose that particular location.

Now consider these questions that will help you narrow down a place in your location area.

• What is the competition in the area you have picked?

• How many of the stores look prosperous?

• How many look as though they are barely getting by?

• How many similar stores went out of business in this area last year?

• How many new stores opened up in the last year?

• What price line does competition carry?

• Which store or stores in the area will be your biggest competitors?

Again, write down the reasons for your opinions. Also write out an analysis of the area's economic base and give the reason for your opinion. Is the area in which you plan to locate supported by a strong economic base? For example, are nearby industries working full time? Only part time? Did any industries go out of business in the past several months? Are new industries scheduled to open in the next several months?

When you find a store building that seems to be what you need, answer the following questions:

• Is the neighborhood starting to get run down?

• Is the neighborhood new and on the way up? (The local Chamber of Commerce may have census data for your area. Census Tracts on Population, published by the Bureau of Census, may be useful. Other sources on such marketing statistics are trade associations and directories).

• Are there any super highways or through-ways planned for the neighborhood?

• Is street traffic fairly heavy all day?

• How close is the building to bus lines and other transportation?

• Are there adequate parking spaces convenient to your store?

• Are the sidewalks in good repair (you may have to repair them)?

• is the street lighting good?

• Is your store on the sunny side of the street?

• What is the occupancy history of this store building? Does the store have a reputation for failures? (Have stores opened and closed after a short time)?

• Why have other businesses failed in this location?

• What is the physical condition of the store?

• What service does the landlord provide?

• What are the terms of the lease?

• How much rent must you pay each month?

Estimate the gross annual sales you expect in this store location.

When you think you have finally solved the retail site location question, ask your banker to recommend people who know most about location in your line of business. Contact these people and listen to their advice and opinions, weigh what they say, then decide.

Retail Business Plan: Attracting Customers

When you have a location in mind, you should work through another aspect of marketing. How will you attract customers to your store? How will you pull business away from your competition?

It is in working with this aspect of marketing that many retailers find competitive advantages. The ideas that they develop are as good as and often better than those that large companies develop. The work blocks that follow are designed to help you think about image, pricing, customer service policies, and advertising.

Image

A store has an image whether or not the owner is aware of it. For example, throw some merchandise onto shelves and onto display tables in a dirty, dimly lit store and you've got an image. Shoppers think of it as a dirty, junky store and avoid coming into it. Your image should be concrete enough to promote in your advertising and other promotional activities. For example, "home-cooked" food might be the image of a small restaurant.

Write out on a worksheet the image that you want shoppers and customers to have of your store.

Pricing

Value received is the key to pricing. The only way a store can have low prices is to sell low-priced merchandise. Thus, what you do about the prices you charge depends on the lines of merchandise you buy and sell. It depends also on what your competition charges for these lines of merchandise. Your answers to the following questions should help you to decide what to do about pricing.

In what price ranges are your line of merchandise sold

High _____ , Medium _________, or Low _____?

Will you sell for cash only?

What services will you offer to justify your prices if they are higher than your competitor's prices?

If you offer credit, will your price have to be higher than if all sales are for cash? The credit costs have to come from somewhere. Plan for them.

If you use credit card systems, what will it cost you? Will you have to add to your prices to absorb this cost.

 

Customer Service Policies in a Retail store

The service you provide your customers may be free to them, but you pay for it. For example, if you provide free parking, you pay for your own parking lot or pick up your part of the cost of a lot you share with other retailers.

Make a list of the services that your competitors offer and estimate the cost of each service. How many of these services will you have to provide just to be competitive? Are there other services that would attract customers but that competitors are not offering? If so, what are your estimates of the cost of such services? Now list all the services you plan to offer and the estimated costs. Total this expense and figure out how you can include those added costs in your prices without pricing your merchandise out of the market.

Advertising

Advertising was saved until the last because you have to have something to say before advertising can be effective. When you have an image, price range, and customer services, you are ready to tell prospective customers why they should shop in your store.

When the money you can spend for advertising is limited, it is vital that your advertising be on target. Before you think about how much money you can afford for advertising, take time to determine what jobs you want to do for your store. List what makes your store different from your competitors. List the facts about your store and its merchandise that your advertising should tell shoppers and prospective customers.

When you have these facts listed and in hand, you are ready to think about the form your advertising should take and its cost. Ask the local media (newspapers, radio and television, and printers of direct mail pieces) for information about the services and results they offer for your money.

How you spend advertising money is your decision, but don't fall into the trap that snares many advertisers who have little or no experience with advertising copy and media selection. Advertising is a profession. Don't spend a lot of money on advertising without getting professional advice on what kind and how much advertising your store needs.

The following work sheet can be useful in determining what advertising is needed to sell your strong points to prospective customers.

Form of Advertising / Size of Audience / Frequency of Use / Cost of a single ad / Estimated Cost

_____ ___________

_____ ___________

_____ ___________

_____ ___________

Total ________

When you have a figure on what your advertising for the next twelve months will cost, check it against what similar stores spend. Advertising expense is one of the operating ratios (expenses as a percentage of sales) that trade associations and other organizations gather. If your estimated cost for advertising is substantially higher than this average for your line of merchandise, take a second look. No single expense item should be allowed to get way out of line if you want to make a profit. Your task in determining how much to spend for advertising comes down to the question, "How much can I afford to spend and still do the job that needs to be done?"

 

In-store Sales Promotion

To complete your work on marketing, you need to think about what you want to happen after prospects get inside your store. Your goal is to move stock off your shelves and displays at a profit and satisfy your customers. You want repeat customers and money in your cash register.

At this point, if you have decided to sell for cash only, take a second look at your decision. Don't overlook the fact that Americans like to buy on credit. Often a credit card, or other system of credit and collections, is needed to attract and hold customers. Customers will have more buying confidence and be more comfortable in your store if they know they can afford to buy. Credit makes this possible.

To encourage people to buy, self-service stores rely on layout, attractive displays, signs and clearly marked prices on the items offered for sale. Other stores combine these techniques with personal selling.

List the display counters, racks, special equipment (something peculiar to your business like a frozen food display bin or a machine to measure and cut cloth), and other fixtures. Figure the cost of all fixtures and equipment by listing them on a worksheet as follows:

Type of equipment Number X Unit Cost = Cost

___________

____________

____________

____________

____________

Draw several layouts of your store and attach the layout that suits you to the cost worksheet. Determine how many signs you may need for a twelve month operation and estimate that cost also.

If your store is a combination of self-service and personal selling, how many sales persons and cashiers will you need? Estimate, I will need ________ sales persons at $ ________ each week (include payroll taxes and insurance in this salaries cost). In a year, salaries will cost: _________.

Personal attention to customers is one strong point that a store can use as a competitive tool. You want to emphasize in training employees that everyone has to pitch in and get the job done. Customers are not interested in job descriptions, but they are interested in being served promptly and courteously. Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than being ignored by an employee. Decide what training you will give your sales people in the techniques of how to greet customers, show merchandise, suggest other items, and handle customer needs and complaints.

 

Buying

When buying merchandise for resale, you need to answer questions such as:

• Who sells the line to retailers? Is it sold by the manufacturer directly or through wholesalers and distributors?

• What delivery service can you get and must you pay shipping charges?

• What are the terms of buying?

• Can you get credit?

• How quickly can the vendor deliver fill-in orders?

You should establish a source of supply on acceptable terms for each line of merchandise and estimate a plan for purchasing as follows:

Name of Item / Name of Supplier / Address of Supplier / Discount Offered / Delivery Time(1) / Freight Costs(2) / Fill-in Policy(3)

__________ ______

__________ ______

__________ ______

(1) How many days or weeks does it take the supplier to deliver the merchandise to your store.
(2) Who pays? You, the buyer? The supplier? Freight or transportation costs are a big expense item.
(3) What is the supplier's policy on fill-in orders? That is, do you have to buy a gross, a dozen, or will the supplier ship only two or three items? How long does it take for the delivery to get into your store?

Stock Control

Often shoppers leave without buying because the store did not have the items they wanted or the sizes and colors were wrong. Stock control, combined with suppliers whose policies on fill-in orders are favorable to you, provides a way to reduce "walkouts".

The type of system you use to keep informed about your stock, or inventory, depends on your line of merchandise and the delivery dates provided by your suppliers.

Your stock control system should enable you to determine what needs to be ordered on the basis of: (1) what is on hand, (2) what is on order, and (3) what has been sold. Some trade associations and suppliers provide systems to members and customers, otherwise your accountant can set up a system that is best for your business. Inventory control is based upon either a perpetual or a periodic method of accounting that involves cost considerations as well as stock control. When you have decided what system you will use to control stock, estimate its cost. You may not need an extensive (and expensive) control system because you do not need the detailed information such a system collects. The system must justify its costs or you will just waste money and time on a useless effort.

Stock Turnover

When an owner-manager buys reasonably well, you can expect to turnover stock several times a year. For example, the stock in a small camera shop should turnover four times to four and a half times a year. What is the average stock turnover per year of your line of merchandise? How many times do you expect your stock to turnover? List the reasons for your estimate.

 

Behind-the-Scenes Work

In a retail store, behind-the-scenes work consists of the receiving of merchandise, preparing it for display, maintaining display counters and shelves, and keeping the store clean and attractive to customers. The following analytical list will help you decided what to do and the cost of those actions.

First list the equipment (for example a marking machine for pricing, shelves, a cash register) you will need for: (1) receiving merchandise (2) preparing merchandise for display, (3) maintaining display counters and shelves, and (4) keeping the store clean. Next list the supplies you will need for a year, for example, brooms, price tags, and business forms.

Use this format to figure these costs:

Name of Equip./Supplies | Quantity X Unit Cost = Cost

__________

Who will do the back-room work and the cleaning that is needed to make a smooth operation in the store? If you do it yourself, how many hours a week will it take you? Will you do these chores after closing? If you use employees, what will they cost? On a worksheet describe how you plan to handle these tasks. For example:

Back-room work will be done by one employee during the slack sales times of the day. I estimate that the employee will spend _______ hours per week on these tasks and will cost ________ (number of hours times hourly wages) per week and _____ per year.

I will need ________ square feet of space for the back-room operation. This space will cost _______ per square foot or a total of ________ per month.

List and analyze all expense items in the same manner. Examples are utilities, office help, insurance, telephone, postage, accountant, payroll taxes, and licenses or other local taxes. If you plan to hire others to help manage, analyze these salaries.

Put Your Plan Into Dollars

At this point, take some time to think about what your business plan means in terms of dollars. This section is designed to help you put your plan into dollars.

The first question concerns the source of dollars. After your initial capital investments in a retail store, the main source of money is sales. What sales volume do you expect to do in the first twelve months? Write your estimate here ________, and justify your estimate.

Start-Up Costs:

List the following estimated start-up costs:

Fixtures and equipment* ______

Starting inventory ______

Decorating and remodeling ______

Installation of equipment ______

Deposits for utilities ______

Legal and professional fees ______

Licenses and permits ______

Advertising for the opening ______

Accounts receivable ______

Operating cash ______

Total ___________

*Transfer your figures from previous worksheets.

Whether you have the funds (say in savings) or borrow the money, your new business will have to pay back start-up costs. Keep this fact in mind as you work on estimating expenses and on other financial aspects of your plan.

Expenses.

In connection with annual sales volume you need to think about expenses. If, for example, you plan to do sales amounting to $100,000, what will it cost you to do this amount of business? How much profit will you make? A business must make a profit or close.

The following exercise will help you to make an estimate of your expenses. To do this exercise you need to know the total cost of goods sold for your line of merchandise for the period (month or year) that you are analyzing. Cost of goods sold is expressed as a percentage of sales and is called an operating ratio. Check with your trade association to get the operating ratios for your business's. The following is the format for an Income Statement with operating ratios substituted for dollar amounts.

 

Summary of Operating Ratios
of 250 high Profit Hardware Stores
Percent of sale

Sales 100.00

Cost of Goods Sold -64.92

_____

Margin 35.08

 

Expenses

Payroll and other employee expenses16.23

Occupancy expenses3.23

Office supplies and postage0.40

Advertising1.49

donations0.08

Telephone and telegraph0.24

Bad Debts0.30

Delivery0.47

Insurance0.66

Taxes (other than real estate and payroll) 0.46

Interest0.61

Depreciation (other than real estate)0.57

Supplies0.37

Legal and accounting expenses0.31

Dues and subscription0.08

Travel, buying, and entertainment0.19

Unclassified expenses0.64

_____

Total operating expense -26.33

Net operating profit 8.75

Other income 1.65

______

Net profit before income taxes10.40

Now using your operating ratio for cost of goods sold and your estimated Sales Revenue, you can breakdown your expenses by substituting your ratios and dollar amounts in the Income Statement.

Notice that Gross Margin must be large enough to provide for your expenses and profit.

and continue to fill out the entire Income Statement. Work out statements monthly or for the year. (Free retail business plan template; retail business plan sample.)

Cash Forecast

A budget helps you to see the dollar amount of your expected revenue and expenses each month. Then from month to month the question is: Will sales bring in enough money to pay for the store's bills? The owner-manager must prepare for the financial peaks and valleys of the business cycle. A cash forecast is a management tool that can eliminate much of the anxiety that can plague you if your sales go through lean months. Use the following format.

Sales 100.00

Cost of Goods Sold -64.92

_____

Margin 35.08

 

Expenses

Payroll and other employee expenses16.23

Occupancy expenses3.23

Office supplies and postage0.40

Advertising1.49

donations0.08

Telephone and telegraph0.24

Bad Debts0.30

Delivery0.47

Insurance0.66

Taxes (other than real-estate and payroll) 0.46

Interest0.61

Depreciation (other than real estate)0.57

Supplies0.37

Legal and accounting expenses0.31

Dues and subscription0.08

Travel, buying, and entertainment0.19

Unclassified expenses0.64

_____

Total operating expense -26.33

Net operating profit 8.75

Other income 1.65

______

Net profit before income taxes10.40

Now using your operating ratio for cost of goods sold and your estimated Sales Revenue, you can breakdown your expenses by substituting your ratios and dollar amounts in the Income Statement.

Notice that Gross Margin must be large enough to provide for your expenses and profit.

Cash Forecast

A budget helps you to see the dollar amount of your expected revenue and expenses each month. Then from month to month the question is: Will sales bring in enough money to pay for the store's bills? The owner-manager must prepare for the financial peaks and valleys of the business cycle. A cash forecast is a management tool that can eliminate much of the anxiety that can plague you if your sales go through lean months. Use the following format.

Estimated Cash Forecast

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total

(1) Cash in Bank
(Start of Month) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(2) Petty Cash
(Start of Month) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(3) Total Cash
(add (1) and (2) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(4) Expected Accounts
Receivable _______________ ___ ___ ___

(5) Other Money
Expected _______________ ___ ___ ___

(6) Total Receipts
(add (4) and (5)) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(7) Total Cash and
Receipts (add (3)
and (6) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(8) All Disbursements
(for month) _______________ ___ ___ ___

(9) Cash Balance at end of Month
in Bank Account and Petty Cash
(subtract (8) from (7)* _______________ ___ ___ ___

*This balance is your starting figure for the next month

 Is Additional Money Needed? Suppose at this point that your business needs more money than can be generated by present sales. What do you do? If your business has great potential or is in good financial condition, as shown by its balance sheet, you will borrow money (from a bank most likely) to keep the business operating during start-up and slow sales periods. The loan can be repaid during the fat sales months when sales are greater than expenses. Adequate working capital is needed for success and survival; but cash on hand (or the lack of it) is not necessarily an indication that the business is in bad financial shape. A lender will look at your balance sheet to see the business's Net Worth of which cash and cash flow are only a part. The balance sheet statement shows a business's Net Worth (financial position) at a given point in time, say at the close of business at the end of the month or at the end of the year. Free Retail Business Plan How To.

Even if you do not need to borrow money you may want to show your plan and balance sheet to your banker. It is never too early to build good relations and credibility (trust) with your banker. Let your banker know that you are a manager who knows where you want to go rather than someone who merely hopes to succeed.

Control and Feedback

To make your plan work you need feedback. For example, the year-end profit and loss (income) statement shows whether your business made a profit or took a loss for the past twelve months.

Don't wait twelve months for the score. To keep your plan on target you need readings at frequent intervals. An income statement compiled at the end of each month or at the end of each quarter is one type of frequent feedback. Also you must set up management controls that help you insure that the right things are done each day and week. Organization is needed because you as the owner-manager cannot do all the work. You must delegate work, responsibility, and authority. The record keeping systems should be set up before the store opens. After you're in business it is too late.

The control system that you set up should give you information about stock, sales, receipts and disbursement. The simpler the accounting control system, the better. Its purpose is to give you current useful information. You need facts that expose trouble spots. Outside advisers, such as accountants can help.

Stock Control

The purpose of controlling stock is to provide maximum service to your customers. Your aim should be to achieve a high turnover rate on your inventory. The fewer dollars you tie up in stock, the better.

In a store, stock control helps the owner-manager offer customers a balanced assortment and enables you to determine what needs ordering on the basis of (1) what is on hand, (2) what is on order, and (3) what has been sold.

When setting up inventory controls, keep in mind that the cost of the stock is not your only cost. There are inventory costs, such as the cost of purchasing, the cost of keeping stock control records, and the cost of receiving and storing stock.

Sales

In a store, sales slips and cash register tapes give the owner-manager feedback at the end of each day. To keep on top of sales, you need answers to questions, such as: How many sales were made? What was the dollar amount? What were the best selling products? At what price? What credit terms were given to customers?

Receipts

Break out your receipts into receivables (money still owned such as a charge sale) and cash. You know how much credit you have given, how much more you can give, and how much cash you have with which to operate.

Disbursement

Your management controls should also give you information about the dollars your company pays out. In checking on your bills, you do not want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. You should pay bills on time to take advantage of supplier discounts. Your review systems should also give you the opportunity to make judgments on the use of the funds. In this manner, you can be on top of emergencies as well as routine situations. Your system should also keep you aware that tax monies, such as payroll income tax deductions, must be set aside and paid out at the proper time.

Break-Even

Break-even analysis is a management control device that approximates how much you must sell in order to cover your costs with no profit and no loss. Profit comes after break-even.

Profit depends on sales volume, selling price, and costs. Break-even analysis helps you to estimate what a change in one or more of these factories will do to your profit. To figure a break-even point, fixed costs (like rent) must be separated from variable costs (like the cost of goods sold).

The break-even formula is:

Break-even point (in sales dollars) =

Total fixed costs
_________________________________
...........Total variable costs
1 - ___________________________
........Corresponding sales volume

Is Your Plan Workable?

Stop when you have worked out your break-even point. Whether the break-even point looks realistic or way off base, it is time to make sure that your plan is workable.

Take time to re-examine your plan before you back it with money. If the plan is not workable, better to learn it now than to realize six months down the road that you are pouring money into a losing venture.

In reviewing your plan, look at the cost figures you drew up when you broke down your expenses for the year (operating ratios on the income statement). If any of your cost items are too high or too low, change them. You can write your changes above or below your original entries on the worksheet. When you finish making your adjustments, you will have a revised projected statement of sales and expenses.

With your revised figures, work out a revised break-even analysis. Whether the new break-even point looks good or bad, take one more precaution. Show your plan to someone who has not been involved in working out the details with you. Get an impartial. knowledgeable second opinion. Your banker, or other advisor may see weaknesses that failed to appear as you went over the plan details. These experts may see strong points that your plan should emphasize.

Put Your Plan Into Action

When your plan is as thorough and accurate as possible you are ready to put it into action. Keep in mind that action is the difference between a plan and a dream. If a plan is not acted upon, it is of no more value than a wishful dream. A successful owner-manager does not stop after gathering information and drawing up a business plan, as you have done in working through this Guide. use the plan.

At this point, look back over your plan. Look for things that must be done to put your plan into action. What needs to be done will depend on your situation and goals. For example, if your business plan calls for an increase in sales, you may have to provide more funds for this expansion. Have you more money to put into this business? Do you borrow from friends and relatives? From your bank? From your suppliers (through credit terms?) If you are starting a new business, one action may be to get a loan for fixtures, stock, employee salaries, and other expenses. Another action will be to find and to hire capable employees.

Now make a list of things that must be done to put your plan into action. Give each item a date so that it can be done at the appropriate time.

To put my plan into action, I must:

1. Do (action) _________ By _________(date)

2. etc.

Keep Your Plan Current

Once you put your plan into action, look out for changes. They can cripple the best business no matter how well planned. Stay on top of changing conditions and adjust your business plan accordingly. Sometimes the change is within your company. For example, several of your sales persons may quit. Sometimes the change is with the customers whose desires and tastes shift and change or refuse to change. Sometimes the change is technological as when products are created and marketed.

In order to adjust your plan to account for such changes, you the owner-manager, must:

• Be alert to the changes that come about in your line of business, in your market, and in your customers.

• Check your plan against these changes.

• Determine what revisions, if any, are needed in the business plan.

The method you use to keep your plan current so that your business can weather the changing forces of the market place is up to you. Read trade and business papers and magazines and review your plan periodically. Once each month or every other month, go over your plan to see whether or not it needs adjusting. Certainly you will have more accurate dollar amounts to work with after you have been in business for a time. Make revisions and put them into action. You must be constantly updating and improving. A good business plan must evolve from experience and the best current information. A good business plan is good business.