Why Bulky Product Retailers Choose Industrial Locations

Have you ever noticed that furniture stores, appliance retailers, building supply retailers, and equipment retailers all have one thing in common? They all sell products that take up quite a bit of space. These types of retailers cannot function properly in a shopping mall or main street location. It doesn't work well for companies selling sofas, washing machines, lumber, and construction equipment.

That's why more and more bulky product retailers are turning to an industrial location to set up shop. There are many benefits to occupying industrial properties that go beyond just square footage and space, leading to better customer experiences and business operation in bulk product retail.

There is Space for Proper Display of Stock

When it comes to bulk products, they need space to be appreciated. It is difficult for a consumer to sit on a sofa when it's jammed against ten other sofas. Kitchen appliances are more attractive when they're able to be displayed next to each other with some space. Building supplies must be lined up in a way where customers can browse their options.

Industrial retail spaces have the square footage and ceilings tall enough for bulky products to be appropriately displayed. When items have space around them, customers are more able to walk around, assess, and envision them inside of their homes or on the job site. Therefore, displaying products in a manner that encourages engagement ultimately leads to successful sales.

In addition, tall ceilings allow for creative displays - showcasing doors and windows vertically, having a showroom of furniture on a mezzanine level, or stacking products in a way that demonstrates the full extent of the product line is only possible where adequate height allows, something standard retail spaces cannot offer.

Loading Areas and Logistics that Make Sense

Imagine trying to get large products into and out of a storefront with a small door - narrow access, loading docks with other businesses sharing the space, no equipment for heavy duty items bringing them from one point to another through the store. It's a disaster. This is where industrial locations come into play.

With an industrial location, loading docks are designed for this purpose, roller doors are wide enough, and there is enough clearance for forklifts and pallet jacks to operate seamlessly. Getting stock is easy as is loading up customer purchases. Products glide from delivery trucks through stores and into customer cars without awkward wrestling that comes with standard retail locations.

For those considering industrial shop for rent options, it's always best to assess what loading situations look like before making any final decisions. Every minute saved with every delivery and customer transaction adds up exponentially when it comes to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Storage Can Be Integrated

Retailers selling bulky products need massive amounts of storage - the furniture retailer needs more stock than what they have on display, the building supplier needs enough supply between various product lines, and equipment dealers need to have different styles and sizes on hand.

When display needs to be separated from storage space in another location for stock applications, there's always hassle involved. An industrial facility generally has storage as part of the area needed for retail applications. Stock can be out of sight but not out of mind for the customer browsing the store, employees have easier access to ensure inventory is checked if pulled quickly to help expedite customer transactions.

Furthermore, the storage options have more appropriate heights for bulky goods - higher ceilings for racking systems, stronger flooring for weight support, proper ventilation, and space for equipment to safely move around to make goods accessible.

Access For Customer Vehicles

When people buy bulky items, they generally purchase them in vehicles that can transport them - trucks, vans, cars with trailers - and they need accessible parking nearby for efficient loading. Traditional retail locations do not have great parking options for customers; industrial sites do.

Good parking means good access means good customer service. There’s nothing worse than a customer being unable to park close enough to where they need to load up their car, especially if there’s a considerable amount or weight of items. Industrial retail options often have overhead parking bays that allow clients to move out of the rain while loading instead of exposing themselves (and their purchases) to the elements.

This is especially important with trade clients who may often pick up large quantities or larger items consistently. If it's a hassle for them to find someone else with easier access, they'll go on their way instead of remaining a loyal customer.

Cost Structure Benefits

Typically industrial sites cost less per square meter than an ideal shopping mall site or main street. For businesses that span thousands of square meters as part of their operational considerations, this is a substantial cost difference.

Less occupancy cost allows for higher margins or competitive pricing - or even both. Retailers selling bulky products often rely on volume sales as opposed to high-margin per-item sales. Keeping overhead low is important for making sure the business can be profitable on ideal everyday customer-facing sales.

In addition, there are less business rates associated with industrialized locations than commercial locations in addition to no added hoops from real estate holding companies (i.e., easier leases and fewer restrictions on what can be done with/in a space).

Changing Customer Expectations

Destination retail has become accepted; customers have adjusted to going to specific locations for furniture, appliances, or building supplies instead of expecting everything jammed into one shopping center. They drive places specifically to secure either one type or many products which means that prime main street access is not as important.

In turn, this benefits retailers in industrial areas. If someone is going somewhere specifically with purpose and direction (albeit knowing what they want) then the experience offered inside is greater than worrying about foot traffic through a busy shopping mall.

In fact, many consumers prefer these options over typical malls because there is better parking available, less foot traffic within the actual shopping experience - and they'll appreciate having more time to decide without anyone hurrying them along instead of through a busy shopping center.

Demonstration Space

Some bulky products need demonstration opportunities - sitting on furniture, having appliances running next door to potential buyers, seeing how machinery works. Industrially designed spaces allow these extra features without causing chaos along the way.

A furniture store can create a makeshift room option with chairs and sofas all aligned together. An appliance dealer can have an open microwave; an equipment dealer can showcase how machinery operations work; a building supply dealer can showcase different types of materials as needed rather than just inside a store - and all because there's ample space.

Trade Appeal

Sometimes professionals - contractors, builders, designers, facility managers - are buyers too. Industrial retail locations make sense - they're either on their way to/from worksites anyway so they don't mind stopping, there's easy loading for bulk purchases if necessary - and it aligns with what trade clients prefer - a no-frills approach.

Many bulky product retailers cater to both retail and trade clients. Industrial locations help accommodate this collaboration better than retail business spaces.

Flexibility

Generally industrial retail spaces can expand; one can start with enough display room and storage capacity and grow into adjacent areas as needed and as businesses emerge (or downsized if necessary). This flexibility helps instead of relocating.

Spaces can also downsize for certain types of products as needed. Transitioning from one product line to another, display configurations changed or storage arrangements considered are much easier than purpose-built traditional retail sites.

Making Industrial Work

This isn't about finding cheap space - this is about finding better space that works better with bulky product retailers’ needs. An industrialized space works better with moving large items around and displaying them appropriately while consistently accommodating larger than average inventories with sufficient customer service before an inevitably large sale - implying that no one wants this stock back in any other location.

Retailers selling furniture, appliances, building materials, equipment and similar goods find that industrial spaces work better for their operations and customer experience because it works well for what they have to offer - and what customers expect when investing in bigger purchases overall.