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In any retail setting there’s a risk of merchandise falling off of shelves and hurting employees or customers. The risk can be even more prevalent in the secondhand store setting, with items being of various size, shape and condition often packed into small spaces. Shoppers in secondhand stores often replace items on shelves somewhat haphazardly as they rummage for the perfect find.
That’s why placement of inventory in your ReStore is important to help eliminate the risk for falling objects.
ReStore managers by and large understand these basic concepts for merchandising:
- Store large and heavy items on bottom shelves and lightweight, easy to maneuver items on higher shelves.
- Clearly mark shelves/racks with signs that alert shoppers to ask for help with items on top shelves and items that are heavier in nature.
- Make sure all shelvingand displays are secure and not overloaded.
Another important aspect of inventory management is that merchandise arrangement and organization should not be done only at the start of a day. As shoppers browse items—picking them up, dragging them out, sliding them around—it’s easy for storage areas to become disheveled. This increases the risk for things falling out of place and potentially causing injury. All areas of your retail floor should be frequently inspected and reorganized, as necessary.
Not only should the retail floor be kept up, but employee-only storage and holding areas should be orderly as well. It can be easy to stash items away in a hurry, paying little attention to unstable piles or nearby items that could topple over, causing injury or damage.
So remember, even during the busiest shopping hours, you should have a staff member or volunteer do routine inspections of your inventory to ensure it’s being displayed and organized safely and in a timely manner.