Now that you have decided to open up a new farm supply store in your community, it's a good idea to figure out which resources you can use to make the store attractive to customers so you can optimize your profits. Here are a few resources to consider investing in for your new shop:
A Pallet Racking System
One of the easiest ways to stock your farm supply goods is on pallet shelving because it will keep everything off the floor and organized, so it's easy for customers to find. A pallet racking system will allow you to store pallets of goods in several rows both vertically and horizontally. You can always add on to your racking system as time goes on, so start small and expand as your customer base gets bigger.
A Forklift
You'll need a forklift to help stock and retrieve pallet goods from your racking system, and the machine will come in handy when it comes to delivering large orders to your customers' vehicles. When the A forklift can be used for cleaning up large boxes and other debris that are left behind after a shipment is delivered.
You'll find that a forklift makes store management quick and easy for your employees too. It's a good idea to make sure that any employee who will be using the forklift is trained to properly operate it before their first time in the driver's seat. This will help ensure their safety and minimize the chance that you'll end up dealing with a workers' compensation case in the future.
Feed Bins
To make getting food for their animals easy and convenient, set up some feed bins in your store where customers can get as much as they need while shopping. Chicken scratch, cattle food, and even dog and cat food can be put into large bins with plastic bags hanging off the bins. Customers can fill the feed bags with as much food as they need and then pay by the pound.
This will come in handy for customers who don't need several bags of animal feed at one time, and since you're selling the feed in smaller portions, you can charge more for it by the pound and increase your profit margins. This will make your bulk feed look more attractive as well because customers will see that they're getting a discount when they buy in bulk.
A Medication Center
While you can't provide most medications to your customers for their animals because you're not a veterinarian, you can provide basic medication services which will increase the perceived value of your farm supply store among potential and current customers alike. You can provide flea management, deworming treatments, and other basic services, so customers don't have to make an appointment with the vet. Set up a small area right outside the entrance to your store where customers can bring their cats, dogs, chickens, goats, and other farm animals for basic medications and treatments.
The area can also serve as a waiting room or animals when customers bring them along to go shopping. This will keep them out of your main store area, so it stays clean and safe for humans. Stack hay around the perimeter of the animal holding space to keep animals in and lay hay on the ground to keep them comfortable and to help soak up urine. The hay on the ground can be changed every evening, so it's clean for the next day's visitors.
With the help of these tips and tricks, you can turn your new farm supply store into a reliable and resourceful place that your customers are sure to appreciate. To learn more about your options, contact services like Horizon Equipment Rentals.
