Over 60% of small businesses fail due to a lack of planning and execution of a business plan?

January 26, 2010 by Admin · 3 Comments
Filed under: Small Business 
babydollof4kids asked:


Over 60% of small businesses fail due to a lack of planning and execution of a business plan. When businesses are so small it is rare to have an HR manager, because of that training and follow-up is non-existent. Who would be accountable and how could management implement a training routine to make it beneficial and cost effective?

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How to setup a retail business in Singapore, news by Company Incorporation Specialist

January 24, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Entrepreneurship 
Paul Media asked:


In many cases setting up a retail business in Singapore is relatively straight forward. The nature of your retail business and the space often determine whether you will need license and permit to operate. In any case, you will need to secure a premise for your retail operation first. The premise has to be zoned for commercial use. You are not allowed to use residential premises for any retail activities. Then, you will register your business with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA). Your business, though retail, must register as a sole proprietorship, partnership or a private limited company.

Once you have secured a retail space do make sure that it is current on building codes and fire safety measures. If you plan to renovate the shop, you will need to apply for a building work permit through Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). While waiting for the building works approval, you will also need to obtain from BCA:  a Certificate of Statutory Completion and a Temporary Occupation Permit before you can occupy the space. All renovation works are to be performed by certified or licensed contractors including architects. Almost all retail shops have a signage for their businesses. You will need to apply for an Advertisement License from BCA to place a signage on a building.

You need not be concerned if the space is already set up for retail; otherwise, you will need to liaise with the landlord to convert the existing space into a retail one. Oftentimes it just requires an application for Change of Use permit from Urban Redevelopment Authority. You will also need the necessary licenses or permits if your retail business involves food, animal products, drugs and etc. The three main Singapore government agencies that preside many of these licenses are National Environment Agency, Agri-food and Veterinary Authority and Health Sciences Authority.

You may wish to obtain your retail goods from wholesalers in Singapore or you can import your own goods. For more information on importing goods, please see our article To Apply for License and Permits to Import Goods into Singapore. You will, of course, need hired help to assist you in selling your goods. Ministry of Manpower determines, on a case-by-case basis, if you qualify to hire foreign workers. All foreign workers working in your retail business must have valid employment passes or visas. Consequences for failure to comply with employment regulation include fines and imprisonment.

For foreigners who are interested in setting up a retail business in Singapore, it would be helpful to seek an agency that specializes in incorporating businesses in Singapore. It is, in fact, necessary to engage a law or an corporate services agency to incorporate a business in Singapore with ACRA.

Tags: singapore company registration, retail business setup, singapore retail business,



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Make Your Internet Retail Business a Real Success

January 19, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Business 
Nazir Daud asked:


Have you considered starting your own internet retail business? Whether you have an existing shop working on the high street or are just considering working from home, online retail stores can often prove to be hugely successful, with much fewer overheads. However, if this idea does sound appealing it must be approached with caution. Whilst the figures will tell you that a billion pounds is spent online every day and that the internet is the fastest way to make a fortune, it is best not to get too excited just yet - there are many pitfalls waiting for you if you’re not careful.

Let’s consider the situation from the point of view of someone who already has an existing retail store in town. This can prove to be an advantage in many respects because the business is already set up and running, the accounts are in order, the stock is catalogued, the brand has been created and the business name / feel have already been thought through. There’s also the advantage that the website can be promoted from within the store as well.

However, it can also prove to be detrimental and limiting. From finding an appropriate domain name to creating a website which represents the store, there are any number of decisions that must be made. But above all the biggest challenge, and the one most often ignored, is how to market the online store. This is such an obvious aspect, yet so frequently overlooked. How many times have you seen a small, possibly family run high street store advertise a website, and when you’ve visited that website, it’s little more than a business card for the real shop?

Assuming you’re paying for hosting, and possibly even paying someone to design the site for you, that works out as an expensive business card. Not only that, but if you’re directing customers to it, all you’re really doing is directing them away from your shop to your business card. Shouldn’t it work the other way around?

The truth is that marketing an online retail store is quite different to marketing a store on the high street. Trying to squeeze a high street store into a website effectively is rarely successful, and even some of the bigger high street names have got it wrong initially. The problem is that your high street store has been marketed to appeal to the local people who happen to pass by the shop window. Websites don’t work that way. In fact, websites don’t even try to appeal to real human beings to begin with.

But surely real human beings are the ones you are trying to attract? They’re the ones who place orders and have the money after all? This is to ignore the way the internet works. Publishing your website will not instantly generate thousands of visitors a day. In fact, if you publish a website you will be very lucky to have even a single visitor in your first month unless you market it properly.

Marketing a retail store online means thinking about the search engines and working to their rules. The vast majority of people looking for a product or service online start by typing in a search in one of the major search engines such as Google or Yahoo. From the many thousands or millions or results, the first page, usually consisting of ten results, will be the only one which will be looked at by 60% of people.

This means that for your retail store to be successful, you need to make sure that you have optimized it appropriately to match the keywords that people are likely to use to search for the sort of products you’re offering. By doing this it will be your task to get your website on to that first page of results and then, and only then, will you start to see an influx of visitors and an increase in sales.

So what about those people who do not have an existing retail store, and are looking to set one up from scratch? This is an entirely different ball game because there is massive scope for flexibility. Have a look at the numerous retail franchises available. They will give you ideas as to what is out there and what is working.

If you’re considering setting up an online store, a good idea is to start with the search engines and find out what people are looking for. Identifying niche markets where there are few results, but a regular quantity of searches gives you the best chance to have your retail store appear high up the search results listing, and therefore more likely to attract visitors.

There are a number of ways and tools to carry out this keyword search analysis, too many to cover in this article, but there is a substantial amount of information already on the web. Marketing a store on the internet is very different to high street marketing, and being aware if this is the first step to making your virtual retail store a real success



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A Source Code Based Retail Business Management Software

January 19, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: 961 
Jeff asked:


Retail business management software has been growing rapidly in last few years, although major big retailer needs more functionality than standard package. The fact is retail environment needs highly customizable system - A source code based Retail Business Management Software! Every business in retail environment shares some similar components: Point of sales with cash collection and daily sales analysis, inventory to track available stock on every store, accounting system to maintain financial reporting and cash flows. And yes, each and every retail software provides such functionality. Every retail software needs something more than standard software. They need to be more powerful for their competitive advantages! When it comes to competitive advantages in IT, automation and information available are two of the main components. The software must be flexible enough to achieve automation.

Retail software should also provide online and realtime information to lower the stock level and increase the sales by better stock flow control - refill fast selling items automatically. This can not be possible with standard software to implement, because every retailer controls their stock distinctly, and to adjust to the software they lose competitive benefit. The best method will be restructuring present business operation, redesign or customize the software to their requirements and strengthen the company competitive advantages through the software process automation.

This sort of retail business software has been specifically designed to make the numbers game much easier for business owners and accountants to play. For retail businesses, it’s important to keep track of the shop’s stock and how many products are being sold. By examining these factors, businesses are able to decide which products are the most profitable and which ones are demanding them resources. With retail business management software, processing these vital figures becomes fairly simple.

Especially integrated into the program itself are crucial business criteria that are taken into consideration by the retail industry. All you need to do is put data in the required figures as well as other information. Retail business management software will automatically do the rest of the work. There is no need to manually put the data in the computer.

ETP Group offers retail business management software to the leading retailers that you bill, exchange, order, tender, and search for inventory across store and warehouses. ETP’s retail business management software integrates demand and supply effectively to enhance bottom line.



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How to setup a retail business in Singapore, news by Company Incorporation Specialist

January 17, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Entrepreneurship 
Paul Media asked:


In many cases setting up a retail business in Singapore is relatively straight forward. The nature of your retail business and the space often determine whether you will need license and permit to operate. In any case, you will need to secure a premise for your retail operation first. The premise has to be zoned for commercial use. You are not allowed to use residential premises for any retail activities. Then, you will register your business with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA). Your business, though retail, must register as a sole proprietorship, partnership or a private limited company.

Once you have secured a retail space do make sure that it is current on building codes and fire safety measures. If you plan to renovate the shop, you will need to apply for a building work permit through Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). While waiting for the building works approval, you will also need to obtain from BCA:  a Certificate of Statutory Completion and a Temporary Occupation Permit before you can occupy the space. All renovation works are to be performed by certified or licensed contractors including architects. Almost all retail shops have a signage for their businesses. You will need to apply for an Advertisement License from BCA to place a signage on a building.

You need not be concerned if the space is already set up for retail; otherwise, you will need to liaise with the landlord to convert the existing space into a retail one. Oftentimes it just requires an application for Change of Use permit from Urban Redevelopment Authority. You will also need the necessary licenses or permits if your retail business involves food, animal products, drugs and etc. The three main Singapore government agencies that preside many of these licenses are National Environment Agency, Agri-food and Veterinary Authority and Health Sciences Authority.

You may wish to obtain your retail goods from wholesalers in Singapore or you can import your own goods. For more information on importing goods, please see our article To Apply for License and Permits to Import Goods into Singapore. You will, of course, need hired help to assist you in selling your goods. Ministry of Manpower determines, on a case-by-case basis, if you qualify to hire foreign workers. All foreign workers working in your retail business must have valid employment passes or visas. Consequences for failure to comply with employment regulation include fines and imprisonment.

For foreigners who are interested in setting up a retail business in Singapore, it would be helpful to seek an agency that specializes in incorporating businesses in Singapore. It is, in fact, necessary to engage a law or an corporate services agency to incorporate a business in Singapore with ACRA.

Tags: singapore company registration, retail business setup, singapore retail business,



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Retail Business Management Software Can Expect Several Benefits

January 11, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: 957 
Jeff asked:


The retail industry is developing at a breath-taking pace the world over. Store and retail business are getting bigger and better each and every day. Even the third-world countries are steadily waking up to the advantages of organized retail and are witnessing the mushrooming of mega malls and hyper mall each passing day.

In response to this tough competition, small and medium size retailers can’t afford to be complacent. No longer can mom & pop stores take their customers for granted. Retailers are now realizing that they require to spruce up their services and infrastructure to provide to the new generation of consumers.

Conventional point of sales machines are bring given the boot by retailers who have now realized the advantages of professional retail business management software. This has been further complemented by ever falling hardware prices. Various software companies are now creating retail business management software as per regional needs. Retailers opting for retail business management software can expect several advantages, like:

Dynamic Inventory Control

Even though simple point-of-sale machines have features for inventory control, retail software does it far better using the power of specialized software to allow retailers to professionally maintain their inventory.

Smarter Decision Making

Being better informed allows retailers to widely improve their decision making. Dedicated software’s functionality assists retailers keep a better tab on all aspects of the retail business.

Improved Business Management

Deployment of retail business management software is important to enhance the quality of business management and also helps raise customer service levels.

Professional retail business management software allows retailers to make available the right product at the right price at all times. Research indicates that adoption of this technology helps retailers entice new customers and improve their business profitability. For all big and small retailers, this in one most important investment which promises excellent returns in the long run.

ETP Group offers retail business management software that provides dynamic inventory control and excellent business management. If you are looking for retail business management software, contact ETP Group today!



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Selling a Retail Business

January 10, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Sales 
Anne Brown asked:


Owning a retail business can be a great experience for an entrepreneur.  Selling a retail business, however, can be tricky if not approached with the right strategy. 

This article will briefly look at some unique characteristics to think about if you would like to sell your retail business.

Financial performance

Like all other businesses for sale, it is important to demonstrate to a buyer the financial viability of a retail store for sale.  Many stores operate as cash businesses and find that they cannot find a buyer when the time comes to sell.  Having well documented records and a trend that shows increasing success year over year is a major step to successfully sell a store.

The lease

A buyer will be incredibly interested in the lease terms of the retail outlet you would like to sell.  Some things that buyers find important are:

- the length of the term of the lease (longer is better),

- option(s) to renew the lease,

- lease rate,

- what is included in the lease (TMI, etc)

- general provisions governing the relationship between lessee and lessor

How seasonal is the business?

Selling a retail business in January after the busy Holiday rush may be more challenging than selling it in the summer.  The busy period for a retail store is usually the Fall/Winter period.  Selling the business in the summer could give the new owner the advantage of taking over just as it gets busier.  This could be a great selling point.

Is the business a franchise operation?

Selling a retail store that is a franchise operation means that the buyer will probably need to get approval of the franchisor in order for the sale to go through.  This is usually a straightforward process but it could add an unexpected layer of complexity.

Does the store require renovations?

If you are serious about selling your business, you should make sure that the store presents well.  Not only is this important for customers, it is also important to potential buyers.  A store that is dated and looks worn may require leasehold improvements and capital expenditures from the buyer.  Having a well presented retail business can make your store shine in the eyes of an investor.

How secure are your supplier relationships?

A buyer of a retail business for sale would also be interested to understand how secure your supply of good is.  Do you have contracts in place with reputable suppliers?  Will the vendors be interested in continuing business with the new owner at the same terms?

Inventory

No discussion about selling a retail business is complete without mentioning inventory.  A business buyer is concerned with a few things with respect to store inventory:

- what level of inventory does the business need to carry (inventory is a use of cash),

- are you selling the existing inventory in the sale (or in addition to)

- what condition is the inventory in

- Do you have any old, damaged or unsellable inventory?  If so, a buyer will probably not want to purchase this.

Location

The Location for a retail business is extremely critical.  If you would like to sell your business, think about your business location and how it will appeal to potential buyers? 

- Is it in a growing or declining area

- Is it in a busy new Toronto mall or a shoddy old strip plaza with little traffic?

- Does your signage present well?  Can it be seen effectively from the passing traffic?

Be honest with yourself when you go to sell.  If you were in the market to buy a business, how does yours compare to other similar businesses listed?  Talk to a reputable business broker to get a frank assessment of the price range that your retail business can sell for.



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A Source Code Based Retail Business Management Software

January 10, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: 985 
Jeff asked:


Retail business management software has been growing rapidly in last few years, although major big retailer needs more functionality than standard package. The fact is retail environment needs highly customizable system - A source code based Retail Business Management Software! Every business in retail environment shares some similar components: Point of sales with cash collection and daily sales analysis, inventory to track available stock on every store, accounting system to maintain financial reporting and cash flows. And yes, each and every retail software provides such functionality. Every retail software needs something more than standard software. They need to be more powerful for their competitive advantages! When it comes to competitive advantages in IT, automation and information available are two of the main components. The software must be flexible enough to achieve automation.

Retail software should also provide online and realtime information to lower the stock level and increase the sales by better stock flow control - refill fast selling items automatically. This can not be possible with standard software to implement, because every retailer controls their stock distinctly, and to adjust to the software they lose competitive benefit. The best method will be restructuring present business operation, redesign or customize the software to their requirements and strengthen the company competitive advantages through the software process automation.

This sort of retail business software has been specifically designed to make the numbers game much easier for business owners and accountants to play. For retail businesses, it’s important to keep track of the shop’s stock and how many products are being sold. By examining these factors, businesses are able to decide which products are the most profitable and which ones are demanding them resources. With retail business management software, processing these vital figures becomes fairly simple.

Especially integrated into the program itself are crucial business criteria that are taken into consideration by the retail industry. All you need to do is put data in the required figures as well as other information. Retail business management software will automatically do the rest of the work. There is no need to manually put the data in the computer.

ETP Group offers retail business management software to the leading retailers that you bill, exchange, order, tender, and search for inventory across store and warehouses. ETP’s retail business management software integrates demand and supply effectively to enhance bottom line.



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What Commercial Security Systems Can Do to Protect Your Retail Business in Tampa, Clearwater and St

January 7, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Home Security 
Business Local Listings asked:


Studies show that businesses lose as much as $70 million per day to a combination of internal and external theft. The retail industry is extremely vulnerable to shoplifting and employee theft. Some thirty to forty percent of inventory losses are attributed to employee theft, and more is lost to employee fraud. Commercial security systems offer various services to curb such losses among retail businesses in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

How exactly do these commercial security systems protect your retail business in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg?

Many retail stores use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on their merchandise. If any of such merchandise is brought out of the store unpaid, it will trigger alarms and alert the guards. This is one of the most effective deterrents against shoplifters.

Retailers should train their personnel well, though, to ensure that RFID tags are always removed before merchandise that has been paid for is wrapped at the counter. If a paying customer triggers the alarm while going out the shop because of employee negligence, this will create a negative backlash on the store. The customer will be humiliated and will, understandably, be very furious. Other customers in the shop will surely sympathize with the victim. In extreme cases this could even lead to a boycott. Security should not be implemented at the expense of customer service and relationships.

For insider theft, access control is provided to identify and record everyone entering and leaving the company premises at any time. This is used for employee entrances and exits. Access control prevents employees from entering the premises beyond their work hours. It also prevents other unauthorized entry. If any theft occurs overnight, for example, records from access control will show who went in and out of the premises between certain time periods.

Digital video surveillance will provide even more protection. With multiple digital surveillance cameras positioned strategically throughout the store and backend areas, you can have full 24 hour coverage and monitoring. All footages are recorded and archived. You can also monitor all cameras any time from anywhere in the world through a laptop with an internet connection.

All footages from digital video surveillance should be saved even if there seems to be nothing interesting going on. Seemingly routine scenarios may later prove to be valuable in establishing certain facts or patterns. Video documentation is extremely valuable.

Surveillance cameras focused on points of sale will catch instances of employee cash register theft and fraud. Surveillance cameras throughout the store will catch shoplifters. In the backroom, round the clock digital video surveillance will record inventory theft and pilferage. Digital video surveillance will positively identify the persons involved in the crime, whether employees or outsiders.

Sometimes the mere knowledge of the presence of digital video surveillance in a store and its backend areas is in itself enough of a deterrent for criminals.

All the security features mentioned are designed to work together in a comprehensive structure that is also linked to a 24 hour emergency response system. It can also be made to integrate with all other systems used in the store, such as temperature control, smoke alarms and fire alarms. This further strengthens the protection for your business.

There are so many commercial security systems to choose from. In deciding which company to hire, check for references among other retail establishments and businesses in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Establishments with high security needs like the 24-hour Anytime Fitness franchise, for example, would hire only the best commercial security system available. It might be a good idea to go with what has already been proven to be reliable and cost effective.



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Retail business

January 6, 2010 by Admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Business 
v.padmanabhan asked:


Retail Business

Retailing consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by post, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be individuals or businesses. In commerce, a "retailer" buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells smaller quantities to the end-user. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of the supply. Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their overall distribution strategy. The term "retailer" is also applied where a service provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as a public utility, like electric power.

Shops may be on residential streets, shopping streets with few or no houses or in a shopping mall. Shopping streets may be for pedestrians only. Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to protect customers from precipitation. On line retailing, a type of electronic commerce used for business. Business-to-business, (B2C) transactions and mail order, are forms of non-shop retailing.

Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products. Sometimes this is done to obtain necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it is done as a recreational activity. Recreational shopping often involves window shopping (just looking, not buying) and browsing and does not always result in a purchase. marketing or financial support aimed at improving the performance of retail outlets.

Visions of magnificence can become cloudy once reality sets in for some entrepreneurs. The aspect that may lure you to your business concept in the first place, may become the thing you despise. If you are considering opening a retail store, the following highlights some advantages and disadvantages of retailing and can help you make an informed decision of whether or not retail ownership is right for you. Here are a few pros and cons of retail ownership.

Pros of Retailing and Business Ownership

Holiday sales figures



Research and assistance from trade associations



Satisfaction of building something from the ground up



Attending trade shows and buying events



Meeting new people



Having on hand exactly what your customers want



Cash transactions



You get to set all the rules



Selling merchandise you love and have an interest in



Creating a pleasant atmosphere and receiving compliments about your shop



Hiring and training wonderful employees

Cons of Retailing and Business Ownership

January sales figures



Large cash investment at startup



Long hours and little (or no) pay to start



Only vacation is attending trade shows and buying events



Meeting difficult customers



Not having what your customers want



Bounced checks



Having to do it all (marketing, buying, bookkeeping) yourself



Too little profit on the merchandise you love to sell



Finding damaged merchandise, empty packages and open food on your shelves



Firing and disciplining lazy or rude employees



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