Starting a Retail Business? Top 5 Tips for Saving Money

Businesses that are just starting up can always benefit from saving money and, in today’s economy, that’s especially true.

Whether you’re starting a candy store or opening a gift shop, the five tips below can help you save money.

1. Buy Only What You Need

Actually, this tip has two parts: First, you figure out what you need, and then you buy only what you need.

Chances are, you already have a pretty good general idea of what you need, such as merchandise and display fixtures. For example, maybe you already know you’re going to sell candy and you need display fixtures for your store’s floor and countertops. At this point, you just need to decide what kind of candy you’re going to sell (wrapped candies? unwrapped candies? novelty candies? gourmet candies?) and how you want to display the candy (clear plastic containers? colored acrylic bins? glass fish bowls? gravity bins?).

Determining exactly what you need before you start shopping ensures you don’t spend money on items you won’t sell or use.

2. Don’t Buy Everything at Once

This tip goes hand-in-hand with buying only what you need.

While you don’t want to buy too little for your store’s opening day, you can opt to buy only what you know for sure you’ll need during the first few months and then, after spending that time observing your customers’ needs, buy more. This also gives you a great opportunity to advertise “new” and “special” items that will please your existing customers and attract new customers!

3. Buy Bulk Items at Wholesale Prices

Generally, buying in bulk and buying at wholesale prices go hand-in-hand. When you buy bulk items for wholesale prices, you’re getting large quantities of items for a lower price than you’d spend if you bought the items individually or in smaller quantities.

Think of the kinds of merchandise you want to sell a lot of, as well as the kinds of display fixtures you plan to use the most, and find a distributor that sells those items at wholesale prices. Just be sure to compare the prices of several different companies, because many companies that claim to offer wholesale prices actually don’t.

4. Buy On Sale

In addition to looking for wholesale items, look for on sale items. Just like the retail businesses they cater to, retailers and distributors have sales and offer discounts. Store owners can save tons of money when they browse the catalogues of sale and discount items.

Just be sure all the savings don’t sweep you up, because you’ll waste money if you purchase items you don’t need just because they’re on sale.

5. Buy Start Up Specials

Many retailers and distributors offer start up specials for retails stores that are just getting started. Such start up specials might include:

• Pre-filled candy displays for your floors and countertops.
• Pre-filled novelty displays for your floors or countertops.
• Versatile display racks designed with basic display needs in mind, like bucket racks wooden basket racks for countertops and floor displays.
• Basic tools like aluminum scoops and acrylic tong kits for handling unwrapped food items.
  

5 Tips for Shopping for Candy Store Supplies

So, you’re thinking of opening a candy store. Or, maybe you already have a candy store, but you need some ideas for giving the place a facelift. Whether you’ve yet to schedule the Grand Opening or you just want to freshen up your existing establishment, below are five tips to help you shop for supplies best suited for your candy store.

Tip #1: Know Your Store

First, you need to get to know your candy store – or the candy store you want to operate. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of candy store do you want to operate? Will it have a particular theme, color scheme, or overall “feel”?

• How much space will you have to work with inside your store? Will there be room outside the building for outdoor displays?

• Will you candy store have any special features? For example, will your business have an area set aside where customers can sit and snack on the candy they’ve just purchased?

Tip #2: Know Your Customers

Second, you need to know what kind of customers you plan to cater to. Candy stores generally appeal to two main kinds of customers:

• Children and families who prefer “fun” kinds of candies.

• Adults who have more mature tastes in candies.

Tip #3: Choose the Candy You Want to Sell

In order to choose the kind of candy you want to sell in your store, you need to look again at the first and second tips. Consider your candy store’s “theme” as well as the kind of customer base you plan to cater to.

• If you plan to operate a fun, fast-paced candy store that does most of its business with children and families, consider selling popular traditional candies like gumballs, Jawbreakers, lollipops, Jelly Beans, and Tootsie Rolls.

• If you plan to operate a more mature establishment that caters mostly to adults, consider candies like gourmet chocolates, including chocolate-covered nuts, pretzels, cherries, and coffee and espresso beans.

Tip #4: Think About the Best Candy Displays

Now that you’re familiar with your candy store, the kinds of customers you plan to have, and the types of candies you want to sell, you’re ready to choose the candy displays that will best suit your business.

Most all candy stores can use display items like glass and plastic containers, colored acrylic bins, and floor and countertop display racks; however, depending on your candy store’s theme and the kinds of customers you expect, you can choose versions of these display tools that best suit your store.

For example, if your store will do business mostly with children and families, colored acrylic containers and bright display racks for your floors and countertop might be best. You can even add additional fun display items like gumball machines and lollipop trees.

Gumball machines and lollipop displays might also work for older customers, but if you plan to have a more mature customer base, you might want to choose wooden baskets and display racks and glass candy jars in lieu of plastic and wire.

Tip #5: Shop for True Wholesale Candy Prices

You’re familiar with your store, your customers, and the kind of candies you want to sell and how you want to display those candies. Now it’s time to make sure you stock your store with those candies at true wholesale prices.

As you're shopping for wholesale candy, make sure you compare the prices of several different candy retailers. Some companies will claim to offer wholesale prices on bulk candies, but further shopping around will prove these prices aren’t true wholesale at all.

Thinking of Selling Bulk Candies in Your Store?

If you’re not thinking of ordering bulk candies for your store, you certainly should be! Candy is a popular food item among nearly every kind of retail business – even those that don’t typically sell food.

• Convenience stores and gas stations can set up countertop displays of candy, situate gumball machines near their stores’ entryways, and use c-store racks to display candy throughout their stores.
• Restaurants can create candy displays on their countertops near their registers so their customers can purchase gum, breath mints, or pieces of hard candy before they leave.
• Hotels and motels can offer candy to their patrons in their deli or snack areas, as well as their more formal dining areas. Some hotels even opt to place gumball machines throughout high traffic areas of the building such as hallways and near conference rooms and lounge areas.
  

There are so many different kinds of candies on the market, which means you’re able to easily offer your customers a wide variety of candies to choose from. Plus, when you buy bulk candy at wholesale prices, you’re helping your business save money and making sure your store stays stocked with your customers’ favorite kinds of candy!

Bulk Wrapped Candies Offer Many Countertop Display Options

Wrapped candies lend themselves to a great deal of flexibility when it comes to displaying them throughout your store. Wrappers protect the candies, so you don’t have to worry about choosing plastic containers with lids or scoops; this usually means you have more freedom to play around with the sizes and shapes of your display containers, as well as where you situate them.

Look for popular bulk wrapped candies at wholesale prices such as:

• Jolly Ranchers
• Bit-O-Honey
• Tootsie Roll Midgees
• Atomic Fireballs
• Smarties Rolls
• Lemonheads
• Jawbreakers
• Laffy Taffy
  

Add Bulk Unwrapped Candies To Your List

Unwrapped candies are great for gumball machines, but you can also create countertop displays using food grade plastic containers with lids and plastic or aluminum scoops. Containers with lids help protect the candy from dust and other debris, while the scoops provide a sanitary way for your customers to access the candy.

You can find a variety of bulk unwrapped candies at wholesale prices, including:

• Good & Plenty
• M&Ms
• Hot Tamales
• Jelly Beans
• Runts
• Skittles
• Sprees
• Mike & Ike
  

Save Money Buying Bulk Candies at Wholesale Prices

Saving money is something everyone – including business owners – strives to do during these tough economic times, and saving money is one of the best benefits of ordering bulk candies at true wholesale prices.

Be careful not to place your bulk candy order with the first vendor you run across. Although many companies claim to offer bulk quantities of candy at wholesale prices, a little research quickly shows that the prices these companies are quoting are significantly higher than true wholesale prices. Be sure to shop around and compare the prices of several different vendors before placing your order.

Countertop Displays: Consider Bulk Candy Wholesale

Countertop displays are staples in many retail settings. For businesses like convenience stores, grocery stores, and even some restaurants, countertop displays often consist of wrapped and unwrapped candies purchased in bulk at wholesale prices.

Ideas for Countertop Displays of Bulk Unwrapped Candies

If you plan to store and display your unwrapped candies using a countertop display, there are two tools you should become familiar with: gumball machines and food grade plastic containers.

You don’t have to use gumball machines strictly for gumballs; these machines can hold an assortment of small, unwrapped candies. Many gumball machines are attached to tall stands, but you can also find smaller, standless gumball machines that are perfect for sitting on convenience store countertops.

Food grade plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Lids designed for the customer to screw or snap on and off, or lids designed to stay attached to the containers with hinges, help keep the candies protected from contamination, and plastic or aluminum scoops make it easy for each customer to get the exact amount of candy he wants without touching the rest of it.

Ideas for Countertop Displays of Bulk Wrapped Candies

When it comes to creating countertop displays of bulk wrapped candies, traditional acrylic and plastic containers are very durable and glass candy jars add an elegant charm to your display. Consider the following factors as you decide how to create your countertop display of bulk candies:

• Countertop Space: The number and size of the candy containers you use depends on how much countertop space you have to work with. Regardless of the size of your countertop, you might consider using countertop racks to hold your containers. Small versions of convenience store racks, or c-store racks, help you make the most of the space you have and include even more candies in your display.
• Store Traffic: If your store is quite busy, plastic or acrylic containers will work best. They’re durable and less likely to break or cause harm to anyone if a customer accidentally knocks them off the counter. If your store has a slower pace, or your displays are located in a place where they’re less likely to experience passing traffic, you might want to use glass candy containers.
• Store Theme: You can find acrylic and plastic containers in a variety of shapes and colors to add pizzazz to your countertop theme! If your store has a more muted atmosphere, glass containers are a stylish solution for holding and displaying your bulk wrapped candies.
  

You can find containers with lids if you want to help protect the candy from theft or if you like the visual appeal some candy bins with lids provide, but because these candies are wrapped, the lids aren’t necessary as far as protection from contamination is concerned.

Buying Bulk Candy Wholesale Helps You Save Money

Aside from helping you create attractive countertop displays and making sure your store is always stocked with your customers favorite items, buying candy at bulk wholesale prices helps you save money.

Wholesale prices are less expensive than retail prices, and when you buy in bulk your getting more candy than you would if you spent the same amount of money on candy set at retail prices. Plus, buying in bulk means you won’t have to order as much candy as you would if you purchased smaller quantities.

Before you place an order for bulk candies, make sure you shop around and compare prices. Some companies might claim to offer bulk wholesale prices but actually charge higher prices than what is considered “wholesale.”

How Can Bulk Unwrapped Candies Benefit Your Retail Business?

If you haven’t started selling bulk unwrapped candies yet, what are you waiting for? These kinds of candies:

• Are ideal for nearly every kind of store, restaurant, and retail business where any kind of food product is sold. You can sell these candies in convenience stores, gas stations, hotel snack bars, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, and even more formal dining establishments.
• Lend themselves to an assortment of display options. You can display these candies on convenience store countertops, in gumball machines, in plastic food grade containers near your store’s deli area, and even near the entries and exits of markets and major national chain stores (think of stores like Wal-Mart and Target).
• Come in a variety of types. You can find unwrapped candies like Sprees, Skittles, Mike & Ike, and gumballs to display throughout your store or restaurant. Because of the wide variety of candies available, you can make sure your store is always stocked with something to please every customer.
  

Find Unbeatable Bulk Wholesale Prices on Unwrapped Candies

When you buy in bulk, you’re making sure your business is always stocked with the kinds of merchandise your customers prefer. Before you order bulk unwrapped candies at wholesale prices, take some time to observe sales trends. What kinds of candies do you customers buy the most? What kinds of candies do they avoid? You’ll want your ordering process to match your customers’ buying trends.

Buying unwrapped candies in bulk not only helps make sure your business stays well stocked; it also helps you get the most bang for your buck. When you find a company that sells bulk candy at true wholesale prices, you save much more money than you would if you ordered smaller quantities of candy.

Of course, in order to make sure you get the best deal, you have to be careful of the “wholesale price” claim: Many suppliers will make this claim, but their prices might actually be higher than true wholesale. Be sure to shop around.

Display Suggestions for Bulk Unwrapped Candies

Unlike wrapped candies like Jawbreakers, Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls, and Jolly Ranchers, unwrapped candies need extra protection to keep them sanitary; therefore, a little extra thought has to go into display bulk unwrapped candies. Consider these ideas:

• Gumball Machines: Gumball machines aren’t just for gumballs anymore! You can use these machines to store and display gumballs as well as other kinds of unwrapped candies like Reeses Pieces, M&Ms, Jelly Beans, and BananaRama candies.
• Food Grade Plastic Containers: These containers have screw-on, snap-on, or attached hinge lids to help keep unwrapped candies protected. Using a plastic or aluminum scoop, customers can get as much candy as they want without contaminating any of the rest of it.
• Gravity Bin Dry Food Dispensers: These kinds of plastic containers often hold dry goods like cereal and coffee grinds or beans; however, they’re also ideal for storing and displaying bulk unwrapped candies. These bins generally feature a handle that will start the flow of candy when a customer spins it one way, and stop the flow when the customers spins it the other way – perfect!
  

Why Should Convenience Stores Buy in Bulk?

Convenience stores and the majority of other retail businesses benefit greatly from ordering bulk wholesale merchandise.

Bulk wholesale prices are generally less expensive than any other ordering method. Storeowners can order nearly any kind of merchandise they need in bulk, and this option also allows them to make sure their stores stay well stocked with their customers’ favorite items. Plus, ordering merchandise in bulk at wholesale prices also minimizes the amount of packaging the storeowners – and the environment – has to deal with.

Bulk Items Wholesale Are Perfect for Convenience Stores

There are so many different kinds of items you can order in bulk at wholesale prices, but especially of interest for convenience stores and other retail settings is bulk candy.

Retail businesses can order bulk wrapped candies and showcase them in countertop displays with clear plastic containers or colored acrylic bins, or put them in containers on convenience store racks or wooden basket displays designed to situate anywhere throughout the store. They can also order bulk unwrapped candies, such as gumballs and other small kinds of candies, to display in places like gumball machines.

Bulk Wholesale Prices Are Ideal for Retail Businesses

Simply put, you save money when you order your store’s wholesale items in bulk. Bulk wholesale prices are generally set to offer the storeowner a bargain. Plus, when you order bulk merchandise, you’re ordering a large quantity but you’re also order fewer times than you would be if you ordered in small quantities. This means you’re spending money at fewer intervals.

Ordering in Bulk Ensures Your Store Is Well Stocked

Retail settings – especially convenience stores – are generally pretty busy, and sometimes it’s difficult to find the time to set aside a time to take stock of what merchandise you need to replace – not to mention find the time to sit down and order it!

When you order bulk wholesale merchandise, you’re making sure of two things:

• Your store is always well stocked with best-selling items. In other words, your store is always packed with your customers’ favorite merchandise, and you never have to leave them disappointed!
• Your ordering dates will become fewer and farther between. Because you will have plenty of your customers’ favorite items, you won’t have to order as often as you would if you originally ordered small quantities.
  

Buy Bulk Wholesale Products Minimizes Packaging

When you buy candy wholesale in bulk, you have less plastic wrappers, bags, and containers to deal with. This is a big timesaver for you because you have less trash to worry about disposing or trying to figure out how to reuse. Of course, Mother Nature is happy anytime you can cut down on the amount of trash you’re creating.

And, remember: If you do find yourself with extra packaging, try to find a way to reuse it. For example, if your bulk products arrive in plastic containers, you can use those as storage containers in your store’s stockroom. If the containers are in good shape, you can use them to create countertop displays near your store’s register!