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Starting a Grocery Business in Canada
The retail sector is a market that has been conceived as a traditional one which does not require many upgrades or aesthetics to be able to bring in profits.
However, in recent years that has changed with many in the market investing their money to build more modernized and renovated stores to compete better with rivals. Aesthetics and the feeling customers perceive when they walk into a store matter more than ever.
For more information and consultation on setting up your supermarket or hypermarket, contact the experts at the Dina Group.
In the new market, retailers aim to provide this feeling by the use of improved equipment and services. Improving a retailer’s services is internal and dependent on the retailer but improving their equipment is something that they would have to depend on another business for.
As a store owner, finding a trustworthy seller to purchase high-quality equipment from is crucial since it allows you to operate at a high level without maintenance for several years. Therefore, it is important to get things right on the first try when starting your supermarket and retail store. For that reason, in this guide, we will help you learn about all the necessary equipment and steps required to set up a successful retail store.
To start any super or hypermarket you need commercial refrigerators of different varieties and sizes which depend on your preference and the size of your store. The most commonly used refrigerators in supermarkets and hypermarkets are upright refrigerators. These fridges, which occupy minimal space and provide a high product capacity are extremely advantageous for optimal use of retail space in both small and large stores. These refrigerators are generally used for displaying products like various beverages and dairy products. However, they are also used in butcheries for pre-packaged and pre-weighed meats.
Additionally, they can be used for selling fruits and vegetables by adjusting the temperature, as well as for other products that require cooling. Other types of refrigerators used in hypermarkets or supermarkets are chest or deep freezers and air curtain fridges. The reason for using these freezers and refrigerators is the upside it provides in product arrangement which can highlight products better.
However, this type is usually not recommended for small spaces as it offers limited product space over a large floor space, making it not cost-effective in terms of square meters per sales area.
Examples of these refrigerators include curved glass refrigerators which are serve over, flat glass refrigerators, air curtain refrigerators, etc. Such equipment is used depending on the store’s needs and available space. Most of the mentioned fridges are used in combination to accommodate both self-service and serveover.
The choice of serveover equipment means there has to be an operator that stands behind the refrigerator, serving the customer in front which requires hiring of extra personnel. Products displayed on one or two shelves are selected by the customer and then weighed, packaged, and handed over by the operator to the customer.
These refrigerators are usually used when customers should be in direct contact with products such as sausages and cold cuts, olives and vegetables, cheese, meat, poultry, and protein. The other version, the self-service warm counters which are commonly seen in hypermarkets such as Longo’s and Metro, can sell hot foods in hypermarkets and supermarkets.
A major concern for store owners in customer and consumer health, especially in-store freezers, is the defrost cycle. It can be harmful if a freezer undergoes defrosting three times a day, causing all products in the freezer to shift from frozen to semi-frozen and back to frozen. This is why freezer quality is highly significant in many countries because of strictly controlled health regulations.
Therefore, the quality of store equipment, especially freezers should not be compromised for the sake of price.
Fresh Produce Section:
If you plan to include fresh produce in your supermarket or hypermarket, it is essential to have special refrigerators or shelves for fruits and vegetables. Air curtain refrigerators are a suitable option for keeping fruits and vegetables fresh. It is recommended to place these refrigerators at the back of the store to minimize exposure to external air, thereby extending the shelf life of the product.
After selecting the appropriate refrigerator for your store, you should start to choose store shelving, one of the most functional store equipment pieces. Your choice of store shelving should again be dependent on your preferences and your store’s dimensions. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the material of these shelves. Generally, store shelves are divided into four types: metal shelves, wooden shelves, glass shelves, and plastic shelves.
In supermarkets and hypermarkets, most shelves are typically metal, with wooden or glass shelves used in specific sections like the bread or accessories section, depending on the design. The choice of shelf material varies depending on the area, climate, usage, etc.…and of course the retailer’s personal preference.
It is also crucial to ensure the choice attracts the most customers by understanding customer behavior and guiding them to the desired store or supermarket shelves, allowing them to find what they want more quickly while seeing a wider variety of products. It should be noted that the role of metal shelving is not just to organize products. In fact, store shelving has a direct relationship with marketing. Interestingly, with the rise of hypermarkets, a new form of modern marketing has emerged, where a precise selection of store equipment can be utilized.
For example, many large hypermarkets have turned their store shelves into platforms for advertising and showing off their products in a better way. In this case, store shelving not only helps in the proper arrangement of products in a supermarket but can also contribute to the store’s profitability. In addition to optimized display ability, store shelving also provides a high capacity for products which reduces the need for frequent warehouse visits and an unnecessary storage facility.
When it comes to deciding on a shelf to buy, a store owner should consider a few factors:
Shopping Basket and Trolley:
The most used store equipment pieces are the supermarket shopping trolleys or shopping baskets with wheels. A shopping cart or trolley is the only product that accompanies the customer from the moment they enter the store until they leave. A smooth, hassle-free cart movement provides a sense of calm for shopping.
The price of the mentioned shopping baskets and trolleys varies depending on the type and capacity of the basket or trolley. For example, small baskets with a capacity of 18 to 22 litres are cheaper than plastic and metal shopping carts with a capacity of 60 to 180 litres.
The variation is not only for capacity and looks. Today, most stores use shopping carts with plastic seats to make shopping easier for families with young children. Some stores also use shopping baskets equipped with a lock. When the customer enters the store and chooses a shopping basket, they need to insert a coin to unlock it and they get their coin back when they put the shopping cart back.
This prevents the spread of store shopping baskets and the need for an extra employee to organize the carts which is beneficial for store owners. Such variations are things to consider along with design, movement and capacity when selecting the right shopping trolley and basket for your store. When selecting, you must ensure that your shopping baskets and trolleys are from a reputable and well-known brand since they are such crucial equipment in any retail store.
Cash register equipment, as the last step of the customer purchase process, is one of the most important store equipment items. Due to the high number of customers, using checkout counters equipped with barcode scanners, invoice issuance systems, and POS (Point of Sale) devices is essential. The operator can easily issue an invoice by simply placing the barcode in front of the scanner.
Then, the purchase amount is transferred to the POS device, significantly speeding up the sales process. Along with the software variety comes the hardware variety, store checkout counters are designed and manufactured in two types: with conveyor belts and without conveyor belts. The dimensions for non-conveyor checkout counters are 1.20m, 1.50m, 1.80m, and 2m, while conveyor checkout counters range from 2m to 3.50m.
At the end of the checkout counters, a collection tray is installed to gather customers’ items easily after being registered. The conveyor belt movement is controlled either by an electronic eye or a foot pedal, with the pedal being used by the checkout counter operator and the electronic eye automatically responding to the movement path.
A cash register is supposed to create a neat and organized space for the transaction of money between customers and the store. This transaction needs to be as smooth and efficient as possible to be able to attend to as many customers as possible in the shortest amount of time. A time-consuming checkout process can repulse customers and ruin their overall shopping experience which will affect their decision to return to your store.
Selecting the right store equipment is crucial for the success of any supermarket or hypermarket. It impacts the store’s efficiency, customer experience, and overall profitability. By investing in high-quality store equipment, store owners can create a welcoming shopping environment and attract more customers. As mentioned in the beginning it is important to get things right on the first try when starting your supermarket and retail store so ensure that you are getting the highest quality for the best price.
For more information and consultation on setting up your supermarket or hypermarket, contact the experts at the Dina Group.
Retail in Detail is our specialty in Dina. From the start of your retail project, we can provide you with a wide range of services from consultancy to design, equipment and implementation. Our goal is to add value to your business by providing the high-quality service you deserve.
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