What does a Storekeeper do?

A storekeeper oversees numerous facets of a retail outlet’s management. The exact nature of her duties depends on the size and type of store at which she works. In the case of an independent business such as a bakery or bookshop, she often performs a full spectrum of administrative duties, including staff management, bookkeeping, merchandise production and development, site maintenance, and promotion. When the shop is part of a franchise or larger corporate enterprise, then she may only be responsible for some of these duties.

Staff management, often a central function of the storekeeper’s job, encompasses a range of duties. She may hire and train new personnel. In many cases, she will also oversee her staff’s work, creating schedules, delegating tasks and ensuring that each employee is performing efficiently. Additionally, she may manage workplace conflict, administer disciplinary measures, and even terminate staff when necessary.

Bookkeeping, or tending to a business’s accounts, is another common and multifaceted element of the storekeeper’s work. This can include payroll, analysis and recording of daily earnings and operating costs, and budget projections. In addition, she must ensure that her business complies with all applicable tax regulations.

The storekeeper must also oversee her business’s merchandise needs. If the business produces its own merchandise — as with a bakery, for instance — she must constantly monitor product quality and ensure that the production space is stocked with adequate supplies or ingredients. Should she sell others’ products — as with a bookshop — she must develop relationships with vendors, keep track of inventory, and place orders for new merchandise when necessary. Additionally, she may be responsible for setting prices and developing new products or introducing new merchandise lines to her store.

Often, the storekeeper is also responsible for physically maintaining her store. To maximize her business, she must make sure her storefront and interior are clean and that merchandise is well-stocked and attractively arranged. Should her business produce edible merchandise, she must make sure the building and the employees meet all health code requirements.

Lastly, the storekeeper often attends to her business’s promotional needs. She may implement sales, special offers, or customer loyalty schemes. Additionally, she may design and place advertisements in local media outlets to raise awareness of her business’s presence, or she may hire a professional advertiser to perform this function on her behalf.

In many cases, a storekeeper’s shop is part of a larger corporate enterprise, such as a clothing or coffee chain. With a corporate-owned shop, business needs such as payroll and marketing are often conducted off-site. Therefore, a shopkeeper at this type of store may perform only limited duties, such as staff management and merchandise arrangement.