22 Things to Change About Retail Business on this Earth Day

earth day

22 Things to Change About Retail Business on this Earth Day

Earth Day is a time to reflect on our impact on the environment and take steps to reduce it. Unfortunately, one industry that significantly impacts the environment is retail.

From using non-renewable resources to producing waste, the retail industry can contribute to significant environmental harm. In this blog, we will explore 22 things retailers can change to become more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact.
 

1. Implement digital receipts to reduce paper waste

One of the easiest ways to reduce paper waste in the retail industry is by implementing digital receipts. With the advancement of technology, it has become easier to send receipts via email or text messages, reducing the need for paper receipts. Retailers can also invest in point-of-sale systems that offer digital receipts as an option.
 

2. Use energy-efficient lighting and appliances to reduce energy consumption

Retailers can significantly reduce their energy consumption by using energy-efficient lighting and appliances. LED lighting, for instance, uses less energy and lasts longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Energy-efficient appliances, such as refrigerators and air conditioning units, can also help reduce energy consumption.
 

3. Use renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to power stores and POS systems

Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, can help retailers reduce their reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Retailers can install solar panels on their roofs or purchase energy from renewable sources to power their stores and POS systems.
 

4. Implement recycling programs for waste materials, such as plastic bags and packaging materials

Recycling programs can help retailers reduce their waste and carbon footprint. Retailers can work with recycling companies to ensure that their waste materials, such as plastic bags and packaging materials, are properly disposed of and recycled.
 

5. Use biodegradable plastics and packaging materials to reduce waste

Biodegradable plastics and packaging materials can help reduce waste and promote sustainability. These materials can decompose naturally, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans.
 

6. Implement sustainable transportation practices, such as bike delivery services or electric delivery vehicles

Retailers can reduce their carbon footprint by implementing sustainable transportation practices. Bike delivery services, electric delivery vehicles, and other sustainable transportation options can help reduce emissions and promote sustainability.
 

7. Implement composting programs to reduce food waste

Composting programs can help retailers reduce food waste and promote sustainability. Retailers can work with composting companies to ensure that their food waste is properly disposed of and turned into compost.
 

8. Source products from sustainable and eco-friendly suppliers

Retailers can reduce their environmental impact by sourcing products from sustainable and eco-friendly suppliers. These suppliers use sustainable materials and practices in their production processes, reducing the overall environmental impact of the products.
 

9. Use sustainable materials in-store design and construction

Sustainable materials, such as reclaimed wood and recycled steel, can promote sustainability in-store design and construction. Retailers can also use energy-efficient building materials and insulation to reduce energy consumption.
 

10. Offer incentives for customers who bring reusable bags and containers

Retailers can encourage customers to use reusable bags and containers by offering incentives, such as discounts or loyalty points. This can help reduce the amount of waste generated by single-use bags and containers.
 

11. Implement water conservation practices, such as low-flow toilets and faucets

Water conservation practices can help retailers reduce their water consumption and promote sustainability. Low-flow toilets and faucets, for instance, can help reduce the amount of water used in stores.
 

12. Use eco-friendly cleaning products and practices

Retailers can reduce their environmental impact by using eco-friendly cleaning products and practices. These products and practices are less harmful to the environment and promote sustainability.
 

13. Implement sustainable printing practices, such as using recycled paper and eco-friendly ink

Sustainable printing practices can help retailers reduce their environmental impact. For instance, using recycled paper and eco-friendly ink can help reduce the amount of waste generated by printing processes.
 

14. Implement sustainable packaging practices, such as using minimal packaging and eco-friendly materials

Sustainable packaging practices can help retailers reduce their environmental impact. Using minimal packaging and eco-friendly materials, such as biodegradable plastics and recycled paper, can help reduce waste and promote sustainability.
 

15. Implement sustainable shipping practices, such as using carbon-neutral shipping or shipping with renewable energy sources

Shipping is an integral part of the retail industry and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce the environmental impact of shipping, retailers can adopt sustainable shipping practices, such as using carbon-neutral shipping methods or shipping with renewable energy sources. For instance, retailers can partner with shipping companies that have invested in renewable energy technologies or pledged to reduce carbon emissions. By doing so, retailers can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.
 

16 Offer eco-friendly products and alternatives to traditional products, such as reusable straws and bags

Retailers can also play a vital role in promoting sustainable consumption patterns by offering eco-friendly products and alternatives to traditional products. For example, retailers can offer reusable straws and bags instead of single-use plastic products. By doing so, retailers can help reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills or oceans. Additionally, retailers can also offer products made from sustainable materials such as bamboo, hemp, or recycled plastic.
 

17. Implement sustainable employee practices, such as offering telecommuting options and reducing employee travel

Retailers can also adopt sustainable employee practices, such as offering telecommuting options and reducing employee travel. By doing so, retailers can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future. For instance, retailers can use video conferencing technologies to reduce the need for travel or offer flexible work arrangements that allow employees to work from home.
 

18. Offer incentives for employees who use sustainable transportation, such as bike commuting or public transit

To encourage sustainable transportation habits among employees, retailers can also offer incentives for employees who use sustainable transportation methods, such as bike commuting or public transit. For example, retailers can provide bike racks or parking spaces for employees who bike to work or offer discounted transit passes for public transit employees. By doing so, retailers can encourage their employees to adopt sustainable transportation habits, reduce their carbon footprint, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
 

19. Use eco-friendly materials in marketing and advertising materials

Retailers can also promote sustainable practices in their marketing and advertising materials by using eco-friendly materials. For instance, retailers can use recycled paper or soy-based inks in their marketing materials. By doing so, retailers can reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices to their customers.
 

20. Offer sustainable product options for customers, such as products made from recycled materials or eco-friendly fabrics

To promote sustainable consumption patterns among customers, retailers can offer sustainable products such as products made from recycled materials or eco-friendly fabrics. For example, retailers can offer recycled polyester or organic cotton clothing. By doing so, retailers can promote sustainable consumption patterns, reduce waste, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
 

21. Implement sustainable supply chain practices, such as sourcing materials locally and reducing transportation emissions

Retailers can also promote sustainability by adopting sustainable supply chain practices, such as sourcing materials locally and reducing transportation emissions. For example, retailers can work with local suppliers to reduce transportation emissions and promote local businesses. By doing so, retailers can reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices throughout their supply chain.
 

22. Use sustainable farming practices to source food products

Retailers that sell food products can also promote sustainability by sourcing food products from farms that use sustainable farming practices. For example, retailers can work with farmers that use organic farming practices or have implemented regenerative farming practices. By doing so, retailers can promote sustainable agriculture practices, reduce their environmental impact, and offer healthier food options to their customers.

Liquor Store POS Systems – All Features You Could (AND COULD NOT) Think of!

liquor store pos system

Liquor Store POS Systems – All Features You Could (AND COULD NOT) Think of!

When you walk into a liquor store pos, what do you see? What do you hear? To answer these questions, many liquor stores have installed point-of-sale or “POS” systems—computers that sit behind the register.

These POS systems have all your personal computer features and are always scanning for card swipes and reprinting receipts. With such a wide variety of features available, there is bound to be something that will interest anyone in the market for a new Retail POS system on their business premises.

In this article, we will give an overview of the various features of some of these popular POS systems and how they could benefit your business operation.
 

What do Liquor Store POS systems do?

A POS (point-of-sale) system is a device that keeps track of the wine, spirits, and beer items a liquor store is selling and manages the transactions. The system keeps track of all the wine, beer, and spirits products a store has available and how much they have left. It also keeps track of the prices customers pay for each item. When customers order drinks, they get a receipt with their purchase information. If someone buys multiple items during one transaction, they get multiple receipts.

Several things happen automatically with systems:

  • Billing customers.
  • Keeping receipts for tax purposes.
  • Storing information on who bought what and when they did it.

This POS system can be designed to do much more than that: it can be fully customized by businesses to fit their specific needs. It doesn’t necessarily have to just manage wine, though — many stores also use it for other products.
 

Features of Liquor store POS systems

Liquor store brick-and-mortar POS systems have been evolving for over 20 years. Most retailers in the U.S. are adopting new technology due to retailers competing on social media and online rankings.

Boost Sales with Product Recommendations:
POS systems enable liquor stores to add almost any feature they can think of. You can become an expert by integrating your database of notes from liquor manufacturers, wineries, and breweries (this advanced feature requires your setup and configuration). The liquor POS system can pull up the necessary information when a customer asks for a recommendation. With POS systems, you can position yourself as the expert and increase sales.

Customer Facing Displays:
Your customers can see the details of their transactions as well as promotional videos or graphics highlighting your current sales or seasonal products. A customer may decide to use one of your featured products.

Digital Touchscreen:
As off-premises retail continues to grow, touchscreen technology has provided a new way of interacting with consumers. Rather than turning your back on customers, you can now be working around them without losing any customer interaction.

Integrated Sales Floor Management:
A major advantage that starting off-premise operations has is being able to focus more solely on sales floor management for better customer service and increased profit margins.
Real-time inventory management:

Many brick-and-mortar liquor stores do not know the inventory count in the store when they are open, which leads retailers to pay a lot more on inventory than necessary because it is very costly to order more of an item. This is the case for many liquor stores that still operate cash registers and have no way of tracking inventory in real-time.

Digital Signage:
The ability to attach digital signage allows liquor stores to display important information like happy hour information in digital signs throughout their store. Most importantly, this allows retailers to change the displays at will, something that not every retailer has been able to do due to space or cost restraints.

POS designed for off-premise:
An extremely important distinction between traditional Point of Sale Software and newer systems is that they have to be designed specifically for the liquor industry. Very few retailers have taken advantage of POS that is designed specifically for the liquor industry.

Reliable ID Verification
As technology advances, it becomes more difficult for liquor store pos owners and employees to tell the difference between a real ID and a fake ID. Before a sale can begin, the POS system for liquor stores requires all driver’s licenses or state ID cards to be scanned. The sale will be canceled if the system discovers that the potential customer is underage or that the ID card is not genuine.

Gift and Loyalty Programs
Liquor and wine make excellent gifts. It may be difficult, however, to always get it right when it comes to what friends and family members prefer. Your liquor store can help your customers give the perfect gift without having to guess what the recipient likes by providing a gift solution, such as gift cards. They make excellent gifts and can be used at the recipient’s leisure.

Payment Processing Alternatives
Customers’ payment options within your locations are expanding as retail and liquor store technology evolves. New payment methods are emerging in addition to traditional payment methods, such as cash and credit or debit cards.

A Strong Back Office Suite
Your back-office software must be used for all aspects of your liquor store operation. From employee scheduling to inventory management and vendor management, you need a back-office solution that is powerful enough to run all aspects of your business.

Future-Proof integrations
It is impossible to anticipate what the future will carry. However, as you plan and prepare, keep your liquor store tech in mind and what you will require to succeed. Retail Ecommerce is the future, and it would be prudent to invest in technology that not only assists with your liquor store’s in-store functions but also easily and efficiently integrates with one’s liquor store POS system to close both online and in-store sales.
 

Bottom line

Business owners can benefit from liquor store POS systems in a variety of ways. Liquor store POS systems make it easier for business owners to manage their stores by automating tasks and tracking inventory. Furthermore, liquor store POS systems can help boost sales by making it easier for customers to buy items.