Have you ever wondered about company stores? Maybe you’ve heard the term or saw a quick demo and are interested in pitching one to your customer, but how do you know if it’s the right fit?
First, let’s talk about what a company store is. Simplified, a company store is a custom web store built for your client and stocked with only their branded merchandise.
The most common company store clients are businesses that want to provide branded merchandise to their employees (either for uniforms or as incentive stores), large businesses with multiple branches under the same brand (such as hospitals, banks, etc.), or businesses that already have branded products in stock (like franchises) and need to move their inventory. The store may be accessible to the public or only for internal employees.
Fleshed out, let’s say Wayne Tech is one of your biggest customers—they order a lot! They order everything from apparel to business cards, and they are looking for an easier way for their employees to place their orders.
Or, perhaps Mister Bruce Wayne is feeling extra generous this year and has decided to set up an incentive store where employees can pick out a gift of their choosing. You can work with Mister Wayne to select which products fit his budget and what exactly he is looking to give his valued employees. And there may or may not be several suspiciously bat-themed gift items included.
Beyond the ability for your customers’ employees to order their own apparel or gifts online and at their leisure—which by the way, exponentially streamlines the ordering process for everyone involved—one of the biggest pros of a company store is consistency in branding.
From logos to color palettes, your customer can rest assured knowing that every employee’s purple polo from that point on will always be the same purple polo every. single. time. That purple logo on that fancy backpack or Stanley tumbler? Yep. That’s the same every time too.
And of course with SAGE Company Stores, you can customize your customer’s store to match their branding and offer flexible payment options including credit cards, purchase order numbers, account credit or promo code support, or even a point system for check out. Plus, you can automatically integrate shipping charges and automate tax calculations without loading in tax tables because that’s called working smarter, not harder. And no one wants to figure out sales tax, amiright?
So, now that you know what a company store is and just a few of the ways they can benefit you and your customers, here are a few quick questions to consider when trying to determine if a company store is the right fit for your customer:
Size and frequency are the name of the game here! Do they need uniforms? Are they a large company? How often do they order? And if they’re looking to start a company incentive program, how often will it be used? Ask yourself these questions the next time you’re thinking about offering a company store to your customer. If you answer yes to a few of these, you might have a good candidate!
The next thing you have to do is consider your customer’s budget and needs and decide what type of company store is right for them. SAGE has three tiers to choose from: Standard, Premium, and Premium Plus. You can also check out our handy comparison chart here.
But wait—there’s more!
We’ve just made it even easier to pitch your customers with the brand-new SAGE Starter Stores. These pre-built industry-specific themed stores are a great way to inspire your customers and show them what their store could look like or even kickstart a custom store. With multiple themes to choose from, all populated with industry-relevant products, all you have to do is pick your theme and tailor it to perfection. And the best part? They’re available at no additional cost for all SAGE Company Store tiers. Creating a company store has never been easier!
So, do you have some customers in mind that you think would benefit from a company store? Let us help you get started! Contact your account advisor, or if you want to dig a little deeper, check out our resources page here for additional info on company stores like best practices, a company store checklist, and more.
