Retail Store Opening and Closing Procedures Checklist (2023)

Starting your retail store requires lots of attention. The same goes for the opening and closing procedures you must follow daily. 

Not focusing on closing and opening procure causes dangerous situations like theft and other problems. 

According to Forbes, the US retail industry lost $46.8 million, which is 1.33 percent of their revenue on average income, to the theft.

Last year, the report says that American retail monster,  WalMart lost $4.3 billion yearly because of theft.

Besides the dangerous situations to ignore, following a checklist can help in saving time and keeping work on its speed. 

Retail store opening Procedure checklist  

Getting your business ready before your customer walks in is the important part. 

Whether you are running a brand new business or an old and established one, Opening your retail stores always looks like important but hectic work. 

To ensure that your day starts on the right foot, it’s important to have your checklist ready for opening the retail store. It also keeps everything ready and makes sure nothing goes wrong. 

Start With Preparation 

Good practice starts with arriving early to the business. Get yourself present at least 30 minutes early to your premise.

Also, keep important things with you, including your keys and anything you will need for a complete day. 

For example, forgetting or missing something important and running back home will cause too much time waste. 

Also, it will disturb your whole day.  The opening and closing times are high times for robberies. Having at least two people during the opening of store time is crucial. 

And keep everyone punctual about timing. 

Do The Building Inspectio

A building inspection is an important part of your checklist. Before you enter to start your business, check every part of the building to ensure no one enters inside.

Also, inspect important parts like – 

  • Windows
  • Doors
  • Air Vents

Make sure to check if there are any signs of forced entry. If you see any sign or you feel like someone tampered with the locks, call the police. 

Do not enter inside; it could be dangerous. 

Also aspect the surrounding of your store. Look for suspicious behavior, like loitering nearby, weird signs, cars you don’t know, or something that makes you feel weird. 

If you feel anything like this, do not proceed; contact the police and inform others to avoid it. 

The Entry 

When you feel like everything is normal and safe, it’s time to open your store.  Also, relock once you enter, and make sure to disable the alarm. 

If you have installed a security system that requires panic or distress code. Inform your members who are either joining you during the opening time or are familiar with the opening process. 

When you open your store, do not let it unlock.  With every employee inside the building, keep the door locked for entry. 

Pro Tip: Installing a security camera is a safe idea. Also, change the tapes and unit for recording. 

General Inspection & Evaluation 

When you finish the basics, the next point in your checklist includes general inspection.

Walk to your floor and turn on the lights. The next includes store evaluation. Here are points to evaluate your store – 

  • See if there are any vermin or pest traces. If you find one, make sure to contact the exterminator. 
  • Look out for wet spots. It can be on the ceiling, floor, walls, etc. Wet spots are also a sign of a faulty HVAC system,  plumbing issue, or maybe because your roof leaks.
  • Keep your cleaning services focused. Check the areas if you want to understand more. Create short feedback for your cleaning service to make them understand where they need more cleaning. 
  • Check the shelves to ensure it’s arranged and stocked. 
  • Takedown the signage that is not in use anymore. Do not let the promotional signage on your store that ended two days back. 
  • Keep your signage updated. If there are new ones, add them. 

Get Ready for Your  Electronic System 

After getting the store ready, ensuring everything and there is nothing wrong.

Now, turn on the electronic systems and check the registrar. Keep things ready to go.  

Also, check your cash drawers and register, do the double-check just for peace of mind.

Boot up the retail POS system, computers, sound system, and television, and get the air condition on. 

Using your screens to show the latest promotion? Make sure to update with the latest and new ones. 

Keep Storefront Ready

Preparing your storefront is important too.  It doesn’t matter if you have stores in the mall or you having a stand-alone building. The storefront can help you in getting more attention. 

Make your storefront appealing and clean the place. Check for any litter or debris, clean out the outdoor signs and banners.

Get a look at your windows and clean the property. Update your display windows to add new products or more to appeal to the people. 

Hold A Meeting For Staff 

Before you do the staff meeting, create the daily task, and update the schedule. Call a meeting in the morning for your staff and keep it short.  

Start assigning their duties, and help them understand what they need to complete today.

If you have any important announcements, such as daily targets or notices about something important. 

Also, the COVID-19 aspect is going on,  updating your staff to keep health & safety on their top priority. 

Maintain the distance and follow the given instructions to start your business. 

Retail store closing Procedure checklist  

Just as your opening business is important, the same goes for closing.  

Getting your closing procedure helps you in starting your next day better. If you overlook the details, it might create a hassle and also decide how you will deal with the first customer. 

Closing the retail shop ensures safety. It’s a highly conscious time for robberies and anti-theft too.

Wrong people know that closing time has the largest amount of money. It’s a more important time when the thieves can do the robberies.

The checklist will keep you more insured about the right procedure.  Here is what you need to do. 

Required Steps 

Required steps include the things you did when you were opening the store. The same steps followed the closing procedure too. 

It includes turning off lights, security, and other important things you do in the morning. However, before you move forward, make sure you get the assurance that you are ready for the closing. 

Clearing & Announcement 

When you get the time for closing, you need to ensure that customers are not in the store anymore.  Do not rush this; give your customers some time before clearing out. 

To make sure you are not crossing your closing time, you can do the announcement before the time. 

Give 15 minutes earlier announcement so it’s enough time for wrapping the browsing and checkout from the store. 

After this, here are some major points to check – 

  • When you get everyone out, give them some minutes to check if anyone is left inside the store. Inspect the areas like closets,  stockrooms, and restrooms.
  • Bring the signs,  shopping carts,  banners, etc, that customers randomly put Or left outside. 
  • Lock the entrance and exit doors. Also, get someone out of the door to keep the door closed when everyone is out.
  • Make sure that everything is paid before you move to the next step. 

Check For Recovery & Restock 

Look around for things that need more attention. Is there any non-defective merchandise ready to return?

Get your staff to reorganize the items and keep them on shelves. To make sure it doesn’t get more time-consuming, you can start doing this when your customers are in the store. 

Use the given 15 minutes to the customer to recover the item to its original place.  Get things that need to get restocked. 

Cleaning And  Preparation For Tomorrow 

Cleaning is important before you close the store. It will keep your work less hassled when you open for tomorrow. 

Start with cleaning the areas, and utilize the time for doing aisles, carts, litter, mopping, dusting, etc. 

If you have people to do it, you can create a checklist for them. Note down the places where you need extra cleaning and attention. 

Also, you can give feedback to ensure you don’t have the hassle. And keep a sense of responsibility. 

Get your trash and put everything in bags. But do not use the dumpster until the next morning. 

It’s unsafe but also gets stolen by thieves for the next removal. 

Closing Registration & Systems 

Well, your business type determines how many processes it would take to close the store. For the general procedure, you can consider these points. 

  • Set the time for your cash drawers and count cash. Keep your counting cash away from the place where the customers are there.  Also, keep it away from the front door as well. 
  • Make sure that you close all of your POS hardware.
  • Settle the machines like credit cards etc. 
  • Get the countdown of money that the manager can witness and acknowledge. 

Final Look For Assurance 

Once you get your working displays,  computer,  season items, music, television, etc, close, turn off your lights, and anything extra. 

Get your stuff in the places and check the doors are locked properly  

Do not forget to alarm system activation and duress code before you exit. Also, ask everyone to leave before you walk out. 

Close doors, windows, and other possible places where someone can break in. recheck locks repeatedly.

Importance Of Retail Closing Procedure Checklist 

For a retail business, make sure to have your checklist ready. It’s important so you don’t forget what you’re supposed to do. 

For a business owner, it can be easy to forget basic points since you have lots in your mind. 

Before you close, you should close the electronic systems like – 

  • Tv Screens
  • Working displays
  • Air conditioners 
  • Cooling or heating system 
  • Computers
  • Music system

Letting your electronics off will save you from the extra charge on the electricity bill. 

Also, getting a record of what things you are done for today and that you will do tomorrow helps you decide your next day’s checklist. 

It saves time, and you can start your day with a fresh and much clear mindset. 

Apart from protecting your retail store and keeping it safe from sudden break-ins or thieves. You can also keep any unwanted attention away and make everyone safe. 

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs)

Why should closing procedures be important?

Following a checklist for the closing procedure can give the exact idea of how your next day will be. You can be more ready to determine what might you need tomorrow to begin the day. 

Why should retail stores care about the checklist?

It gives much clarity, just like making closing and opening procedure checklists which allow you to know the step you need to take. It also assures that you do not forget the important points or anything that can cause you damage.

How to keep the retail safe before closing?

Use important equipment like activating the alarm and keep the anti-theft devices ready for safety. 

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