Retailers, like garden centers, farmers markets, and thrift shops, can benefit from doing business in outdoor retail spaces. These retailers need durable point of sale (POS) hardware designed for outside use, a reliable network, strong payment and physical security, and an emergency weather plan.
It’s the season to get outside, and shoppers, like everyone else, want to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Merchants can meet their customers where they want to be by selling in outdoor retail spaces. Retailers can take products to community events, craft fairs, or open-air markets. Of course, businesses can set up their own outside selling spaces (as long as they comply with local laws and regulations) on sidewalks, in parking lots, or in available space near their stores.
If you have the opportunity and space to sell outside, you can boost summertime revenues and increase customer satisfaction. But doing business outside takes planning, preparation, and a little flexibility so you can sell outside the four walls of your store.
Which Retailers Are Selling Outside?
Outdoor pop-up shops can work for a wide range of retailers. But consumers expect outdoor sales from some sellers. If you operate these businesses, look for ways to meet the demand for outdoor retail spaces:
Garden Centers
When the sun is shining, there’s no reason to bring plants and flowers (or shoppers) indoors. Create outside spaces that allow your garden center customers to browse, select their plants, and pay without queuing up at a checkout counter inside the store.
Farmers Markets
When it’s time to harvest, display freshly picked fruits and vegetables outside. It makes it easier for customers to transfer purchases to their cars. An added benefit is that farmers markets visible from busy roadways can also attract seasonal retail sales.
Orchards and U-Pick Farms
Orchards and u-pick farms draw customers who want to enjoy picking their own produce. These businesses can make the experience even better by totaling sales and taking payment outside for fruits and veggies or merch.
Thrift Stores
Thrift stores are trending choices for budget-conscious shoppers and consumers who want to make sustainable choices. Showcasing inventory outside can help shoppers spot the next great find while they’re strolling in the sunshine.
5 Challenges You Need to Solve Before You Sell in Outdoor Retail Spaces
If you’re ready to consider growing your business by creating or taking advantage of outdoor retail spaces, remember to start with a solid plan. Doing business in a new place means you need to prepare for some challenges. To expand your business to the outdoors, you need the right tools, including:
Point of Sale Hardware for the Outdoors
Point of sale (POS) hardware that you use outside must be rugged, durable, and, maybe, different from what you use inside the store. If you use countertop POS terminals at your checkout counter, you might want to consider using mobile devices outside so your staff can work everywhere customers want service. Invest in devices that manufacturers design so they resist damage from dust, dirt, rain, and high temperatures. Also, try mobile devices and barcode scanners outside to make sure you can read the screen in sunlight. You also need to find secure places to install or dock devices outside and figure out how to manage supplies, like receipt paper, so they aren’t damaged by rain, heat, or UV light.
Network Connectivity
In addition to choosing the right devices for your outside retail spaces, you also need to make sure they work there. Test wireless connectivity, since a wired connection might not be possible. You could also benefit from POS software that works offline and syncs data when the connection is up and running. This setup will help you make sure you collect all sales and inventory data. Another option is to use mobile devices that can switch to cellular connectivity so you don’t have downtime from a network issue.
Payment Security
People will want to make digital payments outside, just like they do inside the store. You’ll find that giving customers payment choice in outdoor retail spaces will capture more revenue. Direct Selling News reports that 57% of consumers choose where to shop based on payment choices.
When you’re setting up open-air market spaces for seasonal retail sales, make sure you choose Payment Card Industry (PCI)-compliant devices and payment security measures like encryption to protect your customers and your business. Also, remember that outdoor retail spaces can be more vulnerable to bad actors who want to steal payment data. Train your team to watch for “skimming” and “shimming” devices that fraudsters attach to payment devices to steal card information.
Physical Security
Making seasonal retail sales outside without the risk means you have a well-trained team to keep your inventory and assets safe. Arrange items carefully so you can monitor them with cameras or staff. Also, find a way to control the flow of traffic through your outside “checkout,” to keep cash secure and losses low. Make sure all your POS hardware is protected with locking tablet enclosures or stands, locks, and cables.
What to Do When the Wind Blows
Inside your store, you pretty much control the environment. You don’t have that kind of control in outdoor retail spaces. You need to use sturdy displays and ways to hold items so they aren’t damaged if the wind picks up. You also need tents or enclosures to protect items from the rain or direct sunlight. Before you start selling in open-air markets or other outside spaces, create an emergency plan and train your team so everyone is on the same page if severe weather approaches.
Where To Get Advice on Expanding to Outdoor Retail Spaces
Moving business outside during good weather is a good idea, but you need to do it right to grow seasonal retail sales and profits. Making outdoor seasonal retail sales probably doesn’t mean packing up your inventory and POS system and moving it outside. You probably have to adapt your retail technology to the outdoors, including adding mobile devices that allow you to accept payments inside or outside the store.
NCC’s resellers with retail expertise can work with you to practically set up a shop outdoors, while protecting your inventory, payment data, and your business.
Contact us to learn more about taking advantage of outdoor retail spaces to grow your business!
