It’s the time of year for spring cleaning — out with the old and in with the new!
And just like you need a personal reset, your small business is likely due for a clean-up.
As the seasons change, so do the needs of your customers. It’s crucial to stay on top of cleanliness and organization to attract new customers and keep your current ones coming back.
To help you tackle all the important tasks, including decluttering your display and deep cleaning your floors, we've created a 6-Step Retail Spring Cleaning Checklist for 2023.
We’ll also include how to spring-clean your systems, streamline your strategies, and spruce up your marketing efforts.
Use Our Retail Spring Cleaning Checklist to Freshen Up Your Store
You know how important it is to have a clean and organized store. But that organization must reach all parts of your business. From your inventory to your online store, customers expect a consistent experience.
It never hurts to freshen things up, and with our handy checklist, you’ll know where to start. Best of all, you can create a process that everyone can follow!
- Perform an Inventory Count
- Order and Test Seasonal Products
- Focus on First Impressions
- Offer a Consistent Multichannel Experience
- Update Your Marketing Efforts
- Consider Updating Tech Solutions
For Your Inventory
1. Perform an Inventory Count
The first thing to check off your list is an inventory count.
It may not be time for you if you’ve done this recently, but generally, we recommend performing a cycle count every three months — in addition to your larger yearly count.
Use your cycle counts to spot inventory discrepancies and account for shrinkage. You can also note your best-selling products and which are the slowest to move to help plan upcoming in-store deals and promotions.
Related: What is Inventory Shrinkage in Retail? 8 Ways to Prevent It
These tasks also make adjusting automatic purchase orders and low stock notifications easy, ensuring everything is completely accurate.
2. Order and Test Seasonal Products
The next spring cleaning task is to do seasonal ordering.
Do you run a small business that changes with the seasons?
For example, if you have a garden center or nursery, you know that certain plants thrive in the spring while others don't. Or, if you have a liquor store, certain liquors and craft beers are just more appealing on a sunny day.
If this sounds like your small business, don’t forget to rotate your inventory based on the time of year. If you can think of anything customers get excited about in a particular season, make sure you have it in stock.
If it’s your first time ordering a specific product, test out a small batch to see how it sells. If the new product is a hit, you can order more or take note of its popularity for next year.
And if there’s anything left over from the last season that you’re ready to move, running a promotion or significantly discounting these products will help you get them out the door.
Checklist:
- Perform a cycle count
- Look for inventory discrepancies
- Identify your best-selling products
- Identify your slowest-moving products
- Decide if you need to adjust automatic purchase orders
- Rotate inventory (depending on the time of year)
- Notice if there's anything your customers get excited about this time of year
- Decide if you have any merchandise you want to clear
For Your Physical Space
3. Focus on First Impressions
If your shop gets mostly maintenance cleanings, this is an excellent time of year to organize your floor and back room inventory, and get rid of dust bunnies.
The organization and cleanliness of your store affect the customer and employee experience — so do your best to make a positive impression.
Related: 6 Retail Checkout Counter Ideas for Higher Sales & Happier Customers
Additionally, your decor and other visuals might need a refresh too.
If you’re going to run a promotion, design and print off some eye-catching flyers to put around your store. You can also freshen up signage on your shelves, products, or at the register occasionally.
The little details make a huge difference — and trust us — your customers will notice!
Checklist:
- Have you buffed and polished the floors?
- Have you cleaned out the air vents?
- Have you dusted and cleaned your window displays?
- Are the windows clean and free of debris?
- Have you checked your smoke detector batteries?
- Is the signage for your offers still relevant?
- Is your point of sale display and hardware clean and clear of clutter?
- Are your shelves clutter-free and organized?
For Your Online Store
4. Offer a Consistent Multichannel Experience
If you’re going to give your customers a consistent experience, your online store will need frequent updates, too. For example, you’ll want to ensure you have an up-to-date email list, taking into consideration data and privacy laws.
You’ll also want to ensure you’re sending promotional offers to the right people and that customers get personalized recommendations.
What about the buyer journey? Make sure it’s easy to navigate your online store, and that checkout is easy. Do you offer BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store)? If so, ensure a smooth transition.
Most potential customers will research online before stopping in, and you don’t want to frustrate them with confusing information.
Pro tip: Use your POS system to send personalized messages, offers, and discounts to customers enrolled in your loyalty program.
Checklist:
- Is your email list up to date?
- Is your pricing and inventory up to date?
- Is it easy to browse your store and check out?
- Are there any broken links or forms?
- Is your branding consistent with your physical store branding?
- Do you have any old advertisements that need to come down?
For Your Marketing
5. Update Your Marketing Efforts
The next item on your list should be a marketing checkup. Now is an excellent time to check your marketing campaigns, offers, and other marketing materials.
Are your social media profiles up to date? You don’t want to have any promotions on there that no longer apply. And how did those promotions do? Did they work? Or fall short?
You can also update your about us information, location, and hours across your social media profiles. Consider updating your cover images and trying new strategies.
If you posted about jobs that you’ve already filled, double-check that they aren’t being promoted anywhere.
No matter where you promote your retail store, you want to ensure that what’s out there is accurate and promptly updated.
Checklist:
- Are you running any marketing campaigns?
- What offers do you currently have running?
- Are your social media profiles up to date (location, hours, cover images, promotions)?
- Do you have any active job listings?
For Your Technology
6. Consider Updating Tech Solutions
Technology often needs some love and care, too. Most software updates automatically, but you might need to perform manual updates, and at least ensure your systems are up to date.
You can dust and clean any hardware, consider disposing of or upgrading current hardware you’re not using, and ensure your employees have the tools they need to do their job well.
Consider your data. Ensure that your technology meets the latest industry standards and back up your data regularly.
You should always be looking to update or implement new technology if it improves operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. For example, is your retail POS system top-of-the-line?
Here’s what you should get with a robust POS system:
- Label and barcode printing
- Customized hotkeys
- Inventory management
- Loss Prevention
- Integrated payment processing
- Employee management
- Customer loyalty and sales history
Related: 9 Must-Have Features for Your Next Small Business Retail POS System
Does your current POS system match up? If not, it might be time for an upgrade.
Checklist:
- Have you cleaned your POS hardware?
- Is your POS software up to date?
- Is your data backed up?
- Does your software comply with the latest industry standards?
- Is it time for an upgrade?
The Retail Spring Cleaning Checklist: Not Just For Spring
Use the checklist above to tackle all the important tasks and create a clean, organized, and inviting space for your customers.
Checking these tasks off your list will ensure a successful spring refresh for your small business. And a POS system can help you track and manage many of them!
POS Nation offers one of the most affordable and effective retail POS systems for small businesses — containing all the great features you need in a retail POS system and nothing you don’t.
Our team of retail experts supports thousands of businesses like yours, and we’d love to help you succeed, too.
Why not schedule a demo today? We can show you exactly how we can help you thrive. Alternatively, check out our Free Buyers' Guide: Finding the Best Retail POS System to arm yourself with all the information you need!
