Starting a Retail Department Store

If you want to start a retail department store, driving revenue can be hard because of the existing competition but with the right strategies, you’re sure to make some great profits.

Check out the local department stores in your area and identify what is lacking. Use your competitor’s weaknesses in achieving an edge when you enter the market.

starting a retail department store

Starting a Retail Department Store

There are many things that you will have to attend to when putting up a retail department store. Driving revenue can be hard because of the existing competition but with the right strategies, you’re sure to make some great profits. A department store can sell various kinds of items. When you are creating the business plan, you need to determine the items that you want to sell so that it will be a lot easier to find the suppliers. Check out the local department stores in your area and identify what is lacking. Use your competitor’s weaknesses in achieving an edge when you enter the market.

To ensure success, you need to enhance your knowledge about this particular industry. Competition is tough but if you can specialize and meet a certain need in the community, you have a better chance to succeed. Again, it all boils down into determining the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. Another thing that you have to do is to lessen your expenses. Being thrifty can be an advantage. If you want, you can purchase used retail store fixtures that are still of good quality. You can find used merchandise online as well as in the local newspapers.

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Keeping yourself well informed is vital. The market is always changing and the trends shift often. As a business owner, you need to adapt to the changes and so you need to be flexible. Know the latest items that you can sell and give value to the needs of customers. Make sure that your retail store is safe and secured because there will always be issues on theft. Stolen merchandise can cut down your profits, so try to take measures in decreasing this unlikely situation. If you have a larger department store, you can hire in-store staffs that will act as customers and catch the thieves.

A retail department store is a lot of work but if you have a detailed business plan, you will surely succeed. Find an ideal location, hire the needed staffs, and buy the supplies or inventory. Don’t forget to apply for a license in advance because this can take some time. Also, you will need to have good accounting software to keep track of all expenses and profits. This is the best way to calculate if you’re making some money from the store or not. Be flexible and change some of the contents of the business plan when needed. Refer to the plan whenever you’re losing track of the business operations.

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376 Comments

  • Govinda Regmi said on March 22, 2011
    i want open a department store in the Nepal. i'm going to open a small groceries , cosmetic, baby ware , girls ware etc.
  • balaji said on January 15, 2012
    Hi I like to open a departmental store in North Chennai, India. Kindly give me detail idea to start operation
  • Jatin Chadha said on February 22, 2012
    i want to open a retail departmental store in new delhi. and i want to open it round a clock. so that people can visit and shop 24hrs and any day. could u please help me with that. and please tell me what all license i need to take and how much does it costs(approx).
  • krishna dhakal said on March 30, 2012
    hello this is kisu from nepal have a dream to start department store in nepal now i have small fancy shop suggest me
  • Rinchen Tsering said on June 3, 2012
    Hi, I want to start a retail departmental store in Dehradun. Can you please give me how to obtain a license and how long it will take. And some important ideas about its starting operation etc. Thanks in advance, RT
  • Srijana Shrestha said on June 19, 2012
    hi, I want to open a small mart / department store in my locality in Kathmandu, Nepal.... Can you please suggest the process such as from where shall i start and how much should i be investing...Also, kindly advise all the details that a department store needs while opening
  • Jeyasri Maheshwaran said on June 25, 2012
    Hi, I want to open a departmental store in madurai. How much i would require. Can u please give suggestions
  • D.Prakash said on June 29, 2012
    Hi, I have a place measuring around 1200 Sqft in a prime location in chennai. I would like to know the procedures and process for opening anew department stores in chennai. kindly share more details
  • Karthik M said on July 5, 2012
    SEKAR M, How to start a departmental store? I need to start a departmental store in Erode, Tamilnadu. Please give anyone idea for this field, I need advantages, disadvantages, needing money, billing systems, space and offers and product selling..etc; How much amount invest to start departmental store
  • Vipin Kumar said on July 16, 2012
    I am resident of Agra. I want to start a Departmental store in Agra (U.P). Can i get a Plan for doing this from scratch. please give info about how to get loan from bank, administrative approvals, billing systems, inventory control software's, list of vendors/organisations for supply of materials to be sold. Please send me a detailed business plan.
  • Anupam Demta said on July 24, 2012
    Hi... I like to open Departmental Store in Bokaro Steel City.(Jharkhand). So please suggest the process and also advise all the details that a department store needs while opening. Please send me the details.
  • kiruthika said on August 18, 2012
    hi sir, i am resident of trichy(tamilnadu). i want to start department store in trichy. please tell me what are all the procedure to start this store? and give some tips to run mu store successfully. plz send me response to my mail sir.
  • P.Gopalakrishnan said on August 19, 2012
    Dear Sir/Madam, I want to start a departmental store in punjai pulimapatti its located in Erode deistic in tamilnadu. in that location only have a small maliki store. can you give some advise for starting a departmental store in our location
  • vimal raj said on September 6, 2012
    sir this vimal i want to start a departmental store in madurai so give your suggestion and approximate value and details like license and infrastructures
  • Bala said on September 9, 2012
    Hai sir i am keep small kadai in area but i want set a department store in my area from tamilnadu vellore dst ranipet pls give me idea
  • sai said on October 20, 2012
    Hello, I want to start a departmental store in visakhapatnam, Andhrapradesh. But i don't know the suppliers list. Also i want a software which can manage all needs in departmental store including inventory. Please guide me regarding these 2 questions. Thanks, Sai
  • nallathambi said on October 29, 2012
    i have 12 years experience in running a department stores, now i wish to start in allover tamilnadu, interested persons can contact me
  • karthick said on November 1, 2012
    Hi, this is karthick , i need 17th number of nallathambi contact number, i want supplier details..
  • Magesh said on November 16, 2012
    I am running 2 provision retail and wholesale shops in North Chennai and would like to start department stores. If anyone want to have partnership with us, can mail me. magiromance@gmail.com
  • Gopalakrishnan said on November 22, 2012
    I would like to start a departmental store in Aruppukkottai, Tamilnadu. Please mail us the following details.
    a)sample project report or business plan
    b)Procedure and required licence and approval.
    b)Software to be used
    c)Items & supplier list
  • Adakole Ochiba said on December 26, 2012
    I would like to start a departmental store in Makurdi, Benue state, Nigeria. My decision to start one is informed by the opportunity that lies in Makurdi. And also the poor service delivery that competition currently offers. Please what is cheapest and best way to start a departmental store.
  • Ishwor Darai said on December 30, 2012
    hi i want to start retail department store in my locality in nepal. the market where i want to open store is small so please kindly tell me how i can start my store and tell me what will be the cost to open the small retail department store.
  • Arivazhagan said on January 4, 2013
    I want to start a departmental stores in Tamil Nadu with three of my friends.. what are the basic needs to open. Plz suggest m
  • r r lakshmi said on January 16, 2013
    i would like to start a 1500-2000 sqft of small departmental stores mainly of food and grocery in one of the residential complex in chennai. i would like to start from the scratch and with all details inclusive of sourcing, billing, inventory management, what kind of investment required, etc etc
  • k.karunanithi cholan said on January 18, 2013
    i want to start a department store in maraimalai nagar chennai tamilnadu (area 1500)what are the basic needs to open
  • Abhishek Srivastava said on January 31, 2013
    I want to open departmental store in lucknow, please send me the total initial expenditure for that.
  • Kavitha said on February 5, 2013
    Hi, I have planned open a provisional store in Chennai. Please advice. I want the price structure and some idea on this
  • uma said on February 5, 2013
    hi i want to start retail department store near by tiruppur. Please tell me how i can start my store and tell me what will be the cost to open the small retail department store.(approximately)
  • karthik said on February 8, 2013
    I would like to start retail provision store in chennai rural areas kindly give estimate cost, materials etc
  • krishna dhungana said on February 10, 2013
    hi i'm working in dubai i want to start small department store in nepal if any interested partner please email me and how it will i can start please advice me sir
  • raja sekhar said on February 13, 2013
    hi i want to open a departmental store in visakhapatnam. Please tell me how i can start my store and also tell capital required to open a departmental store.
  • DAVID PAUL RAJ said on February 14, 2013
    I want to start departmental store in Chamrajnagar district, kollegal taluk, karnataka state. so provide some ideas
  • Harish said on February 18, 2013
    I would like to open a departmental store in bikaner rajasthan. Provide me with some inputs.
  • Smita said on February 20, 2013
    I would like to open a departmental store in Greater Noida. Kindly provide me with the following details.
    1) License required and any other official documents required to start one
    2) Accounting software
    3) Product list and /where to acquire from?
    4) Minimum budget required
  • prem said on February 24, 2013
    I would like to open a departmental store in Dehradun. Kindly provide me with the following details.
    1) License required and any other official documents required to start one
    2) Accounting software
    3) Product list and /where to acquire from?
    4) Minimum budget required
  • dhiraj said on March 8, 2013
    i want a retail departmental store in jhakhand so tell me how i can start . where i get a display racks for store.
  • elavarasan said on March 14, 2013
    Respected sir, I would like to open a mini supermarket in chennai. kindly provide me with the following details. 1) product list 2) how to identify the fast moving products 3) which are all the best brand is each product.
  • Deepak said on March 20, 2013
    Hi, i am already running a small wholesale shop its turn over is 20 lakhs, now i want to what are the rules to get tin number ,is it necessary for my shop or not .if i need to take tin number how and where should i apply for that and how to do this .can u help me , my shop is in madurai, tamilnadu
  • Pugal said on March 31, 2013
    We are the manufacturer of food products since 1988 and our group turnover 780 Crores p.a. We are looking for the people wanna ready to invest Rs.10-15 Lacs to take the our Departmental General Stores Franchise all over Tamilnadu (Shortly all over India)
  • Sri said on April 6, 2013
    We are interested in opening a Departmental stores or Supermarket in Barugur, tamilnadu - Please, let me know more on terms and HOW ?
  • JAYAKUMAR said on April 9, 2013
    HI, I want to start a departmental store in Chennai(Madambakkam circle). what are the basic needs to open the store. Plz suggest me thank you, jayakumar
  • prabu said on April 14, 2013
    i am in tamil nadu at krishnagiri distirct near mathur i want to open department store
  • kamal said on April 18, 2013
    hi, I am working in private sector now i want to start own departmental store in mohali, Sector 69, could you pl. guide me what cost required to start store and what profit in monthly sale.
  • shankar said on April 21, 2013
    hi, i am working in a private sector now i want to start my own departmental store or provision store in port blair andaman & nicobar island. plz guide me some necessary steps.
  • SUSHIL said on April 21, 2013
    i want to open a departmental store in raniganj west bengal. please send me the details and guide me.
  • Gokulan P said on April 22, 2013
    Am gokul, I want to start small size department store in my village. how much I should invest. what is the procedure .where I should purchase the goods
  • Rajesh said on April 24, 2013
    I want to start a super market business in east bangalore, India. Kindly help me with all the necessary details and licenses required Thanks
  • ANAND said on April 25, 2013
    Hi I like to open a departmental store in madavakam,Chennai, India. Kindly give me detail idea details and licenses required Thanks Mob No 9841105187
  • boby said on April 26, 2013
    i want to open a departmental store in kosi kalan distt mathura. this is town area i have plot in commercial area size 25feet x 75feet
  • RAJENDRAN said on April 27, 2013
    Dear sir, i would like to start medium provision store in chennai. Kindly give the least/modern provision list & whole sale distributor location. What is minimum requirement & basic ideas & budget+ etc. THANKS, 99 86 76 46 75, TAMIL NADU
  • Banu Ahem said on April 29, 2013
    Dear Sir, This is Banu Ahem. I am in Trichy. I am willing to start the Departmental (super market) stores in Trichy. Can you please suggest the process such as from?
    1. Where shall i start and
    2. How much should be investing approximately,
    3. What are the official documents, approved license required?
    I am waiting for your reply. Please contact parighouse@gmail.com/livingnature111@gmail.com Regards, Banu Ahem
  • shyam harnathka said on April 30, 2013
    dear sir, i shyam. i am in katihar, starting in departmental store ( retail ) in katihar. please suggest the process & details. what are official document, approved license required. please help. i am waiting for your reply. please contact. shyam.agrawal15@gmail.com
  • seenu said on May 3, 2013
    Hi... I am planning to start a departmental store selling groceries in Urapakkam near Chennai. There are already Reliance Fresh, Nilgiris and 3 other big supermarkets near the main road. I am planning to start one in the middle of residential houses and apartments. Do you think it is wise to start one? any advice will be helpful. And how much do you think I need to start one? thanks...
  • Harish said on May 5, 2013
    Guys pls give your valuable advice to me . I want to start a departmental store in north chennai . Pls give me your suggestions and feedback. 9094940470. And any space to open shop
  • dineshkannan said on May 8, 2013
    TO HARISH, i am from erode. i also wish to start the department store in my native and all over india. if you are interest in discuss with me means call me this number 9442996949
  • Eswar Reddy said on May 9, 2013
    Hi, I want to start a small departmental/grocery/provisions store in south Chennai ( in residential area)in space 800 to 1000 sqft. kindly provide me with the following details.
    1)Sample project report or business plan
    2)Procedure and required licence and approvals in Chennai.
    3)Software to be used for billing, accounting and inventory
    4)Items & whole sale suppliers list
    5)Fast moving products and brands
    Thanks in advance
    Regards, Eswar Reddy, 9962582586
  • Anand said on May 10, 2013
    Hi, i want to start a small departmental store which includes Desserts, Bakery, Juices, Cosmetics, Grocery. The shop is approx 300sqft and located just in between 3-4 colonies, plz suggests how & where to take license. Plz suggest the FMCG should i have to keep. Suggestion required
  • Arnab kumar said on May 10, 2013
    I want to start up a departmental store in a prime location in kolkata with a space around 1700 sq.ft. Please guide me with A to Z with the related business at the earliest. Thanks, and my cell no. is +919831655236 if required.
  • Taranjeet Singh said on May 12, 2013
    Dear Sir, I want to start up a medium size departmental store in Manipur. I am currently at bangalore. I want to know the following details. Management software and hardware including the cost
  • vimal jain said on May 13, 2013
    I want to open a mini departmental store in Puzhal CHENNAI. pls give some idea for this one like space and investments etc
  • mohsin zaffar shah said on May 14, 2013
    I want to start a super market business in kashmir, India. Kindly help me with all the necessary details and licenses required Thanks
  • Naresh said on May 23, 2013
    Hi, I want to start a small departmental/grocery/provisions store in south Chennai ( in residential area)in space 500 to 800 sqft. kindly provide me with the following details. 1)Sample project report or business plan
    2)Procedure and required license and approvals in Chennai.
    3)Software to be used for billing, accounting and inventory
    4)Items & whole sale suppliers list
    5)Fast moving products and brands
    Thanks in advance, Regards, Naresh, 9791148776. pls kindly advice me.
  • Dinesh said on June 2, 2013
    I want to open a provisional store in Chennai with 3 lakhs investment. could u plz guide me for the procedures, approvals and others process. thx in advance
  • Siva said on June 4, 2013
    I would like to start departmental/ grocery shop in the residential area of South Chennai. I identified 1200 Sq area for this purpose. Could you please let me know the procedure to get License, software required to maintain Accounting, inventory and billing, Minimum Investment required, Tips to attract customers. Contacts of wholesale supplier list and statery to keep inventory. Thanks in advance in anticipating your support. Warm Regards, Siva
  • Vishal said on June 5, 2013
    I am interested in opening a departmental store with a carpet area of about 2500 sqft in Guwahati, Assam .. Which items should i concentrate on? Also, which is the best software in this field .. Kindly advise
  • surender said on June 22, 2013
    I want to open an department store in kadayampatty village which is located in salem district tamilnadu .can u suggest me the procedure & where i should buy the goods
  • karthik said on June 23, 2013
    I would like to start a departmental store in pattukkotai, thanjavur distric, Tamilnadu. Please mail us the following details.
    a) sample project report or business plan
    b)Procedure and required license and approval.
    c)Software to be used
    d)Items & whole sale supplier list
    e) Any other official documents required to start one
    f) Minimum budget required
    i am waiting for your reply...
    Thanks in advance, Best regards, Karthik.
  • Sureshyaso said on June 25, 2013
    Yasodhai from Tamil Nadu. How to start a departmental store? I need to start a departmental store in , Tamilnadu, village near Karur. Please give anyone idea for this field, I need advantages, disadvantages, needing money, billing systems, space and offers and product selling etc; How much amount invest to start departmental store
  • Rahul singh said on July 8, 2013
    Hello sir I am interested in opening a departmental store in Maunath bhanjan , uttarpardesh so please help me to see the right way where i can satisfy the need and my contact no. is +919854221431
  • jeypradeep said on July 8, 2013
    I would like to start a department store in tirupur surrounding, please mail us the following details.(1) sample project report or business plan, (2) License and the procedure, (3) software to be used, (4) item's list and whole sale supplier's list, (5) minimum budget and any other needs. I am waiting for ur replay. Thanks, best regards, Pradeep
  • sivakumar said on July 19, 2013
    hi, i'm sivakumar from coimbatore. i like to start new departmental stores & retail shop, what is the procedure to start & how to start? about investments?, about registration?
  • sivaraj said on July 22, 2013
    Hello everybody, Regarding departmental store required item kindly connect me. we provide all items under one roof. connect number:8122707023. Thank you.
  • prem said on July 23, 2013
    i'm a fresher i'm interested in starting a business... give me some suggestions.. what business to start...
  • kamalanathan said on July 24, 2013
    I would like to start a new store in east chennai, I have exp in hotel side so could you help me in detail for opening Departmental store?
  • kunal bhushan said on August 1, 2013
    Hello, I want to start a departmental store in indrapuram,ghaziabad. But i don't know the suppliers list. Also i want a software which can manage all needs in departmental store including inventory & any license required for departmental store . Please guide me regarding these 2 questions. Thanks, kunal
  • Gopalakrishnan said on August 1, 2013
    I would like to open department store at Srirangam, Trichy Tamilnadu, Please advise what are the formalities to be followed i.e. getting of license what and where to get?
  • Misri Roa Pillay Vistoki Kanglay said on August 4, 2013
    I want open two store department type in my area to make some profile. Can somebody tell what items are hot now a days to make some profit. Appreciate feed back and may be by good suggestion can share some profit to the good suggestion. Thank you
  • Tariq Bahi Ganjawala said on August 4, 2013
    Making of profit is not easy until you open a departmental store than it is very easy. So I want to make profit by open the store in my area. There are many store in my area but I want to open a very good store so more and more people buy from my store and give more and more profit to my store. This way my store will go bigger and bigger and competition store will go smaller and smaller.
  • Ramesh said on August 5, 2013
    I am super market racks supper in all over Tamil. your marketing office in Coimbatore any Enrique call me. thank u by Ramesh. 9543512303
  • Rajeshwar Sharma said on August 5, 2013
    Wish to open New Departmental Store in or around Zirakpur (Chandigarh). So need to know the optimal project cost with the progressive scope of this business. Thanks. Rajeshwar Sharma. 9779580821
  • meenakshi said on August 8, 2013
    How to open then then reliance supermarket
  • MAHESH KUMAR said on August 9, 2013
    dear sr, i want to start a departmental store basically on medium scale like 1000 to 1200sqft of ground area vt fmcg products and other daily base items, currently staying in chennai and want to start in chennai itself. help me vt, procedure, legal formalities, suppliers list, required capital, and all other necessary things to start the business. please do the needful mahesh 9791437357. thanks
  • jyoti said on August 12, 2013
    i want to start a sort of supermarket in jaunpur, near varanasi, up. so i want to know the product list and the wholesale retailers near by.. thanks
  • sudha said on August 13, 2013
    sir i am sudha. I would like to open my dream retail departmental stores in salem. Please given all the details like space requirement, minimum capital requirement, software requirement, license, staffs, supplier details and etc of this project.
  • MUGUNTHAN B said on August 17, 2013
    Hi, I want to start a retail departmental store in Madurai we chosen our shop in main area in the city can you please give me how to obtain a license and how long it will take. And some important ideas about its starting operation. Ye planned to buy all dal items from a fine refined dal mill and to pack each pack of our selves to avoid loose sales . Kindly advise us about our above mentioned plan
  • anamika said on August 19, 2013
    hi, I want to open a retail departmental store in Lucknow, how to start? about investment.
  • Kamlesh Kumar said on August 22, 2013
    I Want To Open a departmental store in Aurangabad (Bihar). I have sufficient space of area infront of G.T. Road to open a very big departmental store & Also Mega mart. Thank You
  • saravanan.s said on August 25, 2013
    I want to start an online business regarding train/bus/flight ticket reservation, mobile recharging, DTH recharging, EB bill payment, hotel booking. Kindly let me know about the formalities, website address, software & system requirement. Location: India/Tamilnadu/Karaikudi (residential area). Anybody doing the business pl help me.
  • San said on August 27, 2013
    hi, I want to open a retail departmental store in Hyderabad, how to start?
  • thiru said on September 3, 2013
    how i want to start departmental store in chennai
  • sankar said on September 3, 2013
    I want to start a departmental store cum internet centre and recharge stores with the investment of 10 lacs in chennai urapakkam. Kindly advice me.
  • sivakumar said on September 6, 2013
    hai i am siva i am stay in my village, i like to start small department store in my village. Give me some idea's and how much need amount and were purchase idems how to manage. Sivakumar,s/o ramaiah, ramasamypatti, kamuthi(taluk), ramanathapuram(dist), tamilnadu(state), pin code -623603
  • eric turner said on September 8, 2013
    Atlanta, ga . I want to start a department store...one location in Atlanta only a specialty department store. please advise...how to get investors, etc.
  • amit said on September 8, 2013
    Hi... I like to open Departmental Store in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. So please suggest the process and also advise all the details that a department store needs while opening. Total investment. Please send me the details.
  • Emerson.C said on September 9, 2013
    I have plan to start a small departmental store in my hometown with a population of 11,000. Kindly suggest to me that what are the procedure needs to be taken and how much money really required for this area to start the business.
  • s.k.victor said on September 16, 2013
    Dear Sir, I would like start departmental store at Madurai district at tamilnadu state, please provide me detail and formalities need to be do, supplier detail. Thanks, S.K.Victor
  • upanita dutta said on September 16, 2013
    please give me idea of retail or wholesale business to start vill+po : lakshmisagar, dist: bankura, west bengal, 722160
  • Nanda Kishore said on September 16, 2013
    Hi I want to start department store like teddy bears, brass items, cosmetics, dry fruits, choclates, and cool drinks in IT park so please suggest me a good fancy name for that. thanks
  • R R REDDY said on September 19, 2013
    I want to start departmental store in about 4000 sqft of shop in Bangalore north guide me
  • Krishnarao Gontla said on September 22, 2013
    I would like to start a Mini departmental store in Apartment (140 flats) Gudivada, Krishna Dist., Andhra Pradesh. Please mail us the following details.
    a) sample project report or business plan
    b) Procedure and required license and approval.
    c) Software to be used
    d) Items & whole sale supplier list
    e) Any other official documents required to start one
    f) Minimum budget required
    i am waiting for your reply... Thanks in advance, Best regards, Krishnarao Gontla 9885265330.

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