Candy Store Equipment

Becoming familiar with some of the most useful pieces of candy store equipment will help you create the best display for your candy - whether you manage an old-fashioned candy store or stop-and-go style gas station.

Plastic and Glass Containers

Not all candy displays will require containers to hold the candy, but many will - especially those you plan to create using additional display fixtures like display racks and wooden tables (see below).

When it comes to choosing candy containers, your options are plentiful, and you can make your selection process easier when you think about the following factors:

• Material: The most common materials of candy containers are glass, plastic, and acrylic, though you can find wooden barrels and wicker baskets (see below). Choose the material that works best both with your store's décor and the amount of traffic your store normally sees.
• Size: You can find candy containers in numerous sizes - from mini to large - which helps you create displays that work with the space you have allotted.
• Shape: Containers are available in everything from traditional round, square, hexagon, and "fish bowl" shapes to those in holiday-inspired shapes like Christmas trees and Santa Claus boots.
• Color: Clear is the most common "color" for candy containers, but many plastic and acrylic bins and even some glass jars are available in a variety of translucent colors.
• Accessories and Other Extras: If you plan to display unwrapped candies and candies that customers will need to pour out, look for containers with lids, handles, and handgrips as well as extras like plastic or aluminum scoops.

Display Racks

Think of "display racks" as an umbrella phrase for the numerous kinds of racks available for you to display your candy containers.

• Traditional convenience store racks with shelves.
• Neon pegboard racks that allow you to place your candy on shelves or hang it from pegs.
• Bucket display racks designed to hold buckets filled with your candy.

Note that you can find most kinds of candy display racks in rotating or fixed-position models, as well as racks that are designed specifically for floor or countertop displays.

Wooden Table Displays

Like display racks, wooden table displays are great choices for holding your plastic or glass candy containers. You can find wooden table displays with round or square shelves that wrap completely around the base and in varying shades of "wood" colors, such as maple and cherry.

Wooden Display Barrels and Wicker Basket Displays

Wooden display barrels and wicker basket displays are fantastic candy display fixtures for shop owners who want to add a bit of rustic charm to their merchandise displays. Take note that wooden barrels and wicker baskets work best with wrapped candies; there is nothing included with these candy store fixtures to keep unwrapped candies fresh and protected from dust and debris.

Pre-Filled Candy Displays

While they're great pieces of candy store equipment for all stores, pre-filled candy displays are especially useful for retail stores and other businesses that don't focus solely on selling candy. Gumball machines, lollipop trees, and bucket display racks pre-filled with popular and novelty candies are excellent choices for these businesses because they require so little work. Simply order the candy fixtures and set them up when they arrive!

Wholesale Cosmetics

The cosmetics industry is one of the biggest in the world. With a lot of products being used by both men and women, it isn't a surprise that people find where they can buy lower-priced cosmetics in the Internet. That's why a number of entrepreneurs are now looking at cosmetics to retail.

The usual $20 mascara in the malls can be bought at $10 in the Internet. But how can that be possible? The answer lies in the production. For example, a particular cosmetic company produced a lot of that particular product and they aren't able to sell it in a particular time, they can sell it for a much lower price. Since these products usually have a certain shelf life and expiration date, they must dispose them quickly or sell them to others. However, there are others who manufacturers who choose to sell their unsold products in wholesale lots - that's what you need to find if you want to retail them.

Other cosmetic manufacturers mark down their cosmetics and/or sell them in wholesale lots because they will be re-branding or launching a new variety. They need to get back their 'capital' so that they can start anew again, which means that you get to have more cosmetics at lower prices.

eBay is a good source of finding these wholesale cosmetic lots. You can choose to buy them, mark them up a bit then sell them at retail prices. Like always, buying in wholesale lots is always cheaper than buying per piece.

Another good source of these wholesale lots is a wholesale directory. This lists down a number of wholesalers and suppliers for cosmetics. Therefore, you have a big chance of snagging a great deal on wholesale cosmetics. By buying at much lower prices, you can have higher profits and still keep offering reasonable prices to your customers.

Always check the cosmetics before you buy. Establish a good relationship and communication with your supplier, and ask him or her all the questions that you need. You don't want to buy a wholesale lot of expired cosmetics. You should still think of their quality, so you can be confident to sell them to your customers.

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Going Out of Business Sale

How a going out of business sale is ended in the last week could mean several thousand dollars difference to the small business owner. It is crucial that steps are taken to finish the sale properly.

First, the retail owner must understand that the inventory left is not the best inventory and needs to be liquidated. Otherwise, you will have a garage, house or storage building full of merchandise instead of cash in your pocket.

Usually, this inventory depreciates. I had a few owners take stuff home and if they sold it made less than they could have during the sale.

The last day of the sale, you should be 90% off. In addition, make good prices for sections of merchandise. The leftover merchandise will cost you money for the time to remove it.

The next to last day have an 80% discount. In some cases, this should be two days.

Before the previously mentioned discounts, you should have at least a week of 70% off. I have found often, it is best to run an extra week of ½ off and then go to 70%.

Fixtures need to be marked down for the last week. Fixtures are sold as is price and any discounts do not apply.

Call local businesses to see, if they can use any of your fixtures. Place an ad on craigslist and if needed in the classified section of the paper.

Keep condensing aisles to have traffic limited to specific aisles. It will help with the shoplifting and by being neat will increase sales.

Make sure all the end caps and front of the store are filled. Sometimes, putting some of the fixtures with prices in these areas can help move these items.

Make sure anyone buying fixtures understands when, they can get them. When possible have fixtures picked up at time of sale, if they are empty or the merchandise can be moved easily.

In today's business climate, If you try closing your store and any of these areas are done in a haphazard way, you can either lose thousands of dollars by selling off to quickly or not fast enough and in either case you lose money or have a great deal left at the end.

Wholesale Clothing

Wholesale clothing seems to be the hot business to set up these days. But at the same time, you want your wholesale clothing business to be a big success. Past experience has shown that business success comes to those who love the business they are in. That adulation for the business may manifest itself in the love of a particular business activity or the love and admiration for the specific product they are selling. The past has also shown that most people do not love all clothing. They are only interested in a particular type of clothing; or niche. There are generally three clothing niches; menswear, ladies fashion wear and children's clothing.

Menswear has traditionally been a fairly straightforward niche. Dark business suits of black or blue, casual slacks and pullover shirts and athletic gear were the basics of the man's wardrobe. Convenience and efficiency characterized the clothes shopping habits of the successful male. That could be interpreted to indicate that an online menswear clothing business could be successful. However, experience again shows that a male does not spend excessive amounts of time online shopping for clothes. He spends his time online checking out sports or what's happening in the car market.

Women certainly spend more time than men online shopping. There are volumes of ladies fashion wear available online all over the world. This is the niche you want to be a part of. But wait; there can be all sorts of drawbacks. Popularity and name recognition is vitally important and tends to flucuate rapidly. The winners have to be aware of market trends almost on a daily business. This can be a tremendous burden just to keep up and keep your website or marketplace listing current. This niche may be just a bit too challenging.

Lastly children's clothing would seem to have many advantages and far fewer disadvantages. Children constantly need new clothes because they are constantly growing. Style is not such a major issue with children. Besides, the mothers mostly make the purchasing decisions and they usually look for the best price. The high demand can be very good for the new business. But the cost of the clothes you are going to sell needs to be managed very closely.

Given the considerations identified for each wholesale clothing niche, it is quite clear that children's clothing provides you with the best opportunity for success with your wholesale clothing business.

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Shopkeepers! Stylish Gift

Christmas may only come once a year, but shoppers are always on the lookout for stylish, attractive gifts.
After all, think of the steady stream of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and special occasions (like celebrating a new job or moving to a new home) for which the done thing is to turn up with a gift in hand.

It is these events that have made the gift market such a hugely lucrative business. Just look at the amount of space the large department stores offer to their ranges (especially in the run-up to Christmas) and the number of websites which specialise in gift purchases.

However, if you're just a small boutique in the centre of town, how can you possibly compete with the High Street and web-based giants?

Well, while your store may be smaller, and you possess nothing like the buying clout of your bigger rivals, it can work to your advantage.

When buying a special gift for a loved one, buyers appreciate a personal touch and that's something that no matter how hard they try, department stores and Internet sellers can't offer.

Offering fashionable gift and retail packaging can add a dash of style to your shop, and it's the sort of special detail that will have your customers coming back for more.

Thick, high-quality shopping bags printed with the logo of your store can be a highly effective marketing tool. It gets your brand out there and increases potential customers' knowledge of your business and the sort of clientele you attract.

And you'll be surprised how many men you can attract to your store with the offer of in-store gift wrapping! It is an easy and simple service to provide, and one that will make your enterprise really stand out.

All the essentials that you'll need to stylishly pack gifts are available online and, if you buy in bulk, at a reasonable cost. Again, you can pick up gift boxes, crepe paper and presentation bags in the livery of your store to help spread the word.

If you are a specialist wine or whisky store, ordering in smart bottle bags and boxes can add value to your purchases, and offer a quick solution to gift buyers who may be rushing around to find a last-minute present.

Overall, gift wrapping and the provision of stylish and liveried shoppers is an easy way to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and the High Street giants, while offering something extra to your customers.