How to Increase Retail Sales: Five Actions for Store Owners

To increase retail sales, start with the reason your store is losing purchases: the right product is unavailable, the customer lacks an explanation, a salesperson misses a relevant add-on, an order is delayed, or the customer does not receive an agreed reminder. Choose one problem, assign someone to address it, and try a specific change for a month.

Measure the result by completed sales, returns, and the amount left after the cost of goods and selling expenses. Revenue growth alone does not show whether the store has benefited. Customers must receive truthful information about products and prices, remain free to decline an additional purchase, and control whether they receive marketing messages.

Identify What Is Getting in the Way of Sales

During the first week, ask sales staff to briefly record inquiries that did not result in a purchase. For each one, it is enough to note the product or need, the reason the sale was not completed, the solution offered, and the outcome. Anonymized notes are usually sufficient for this analysis. For example: “Size 39 was unavailable, another model was offered, and no purchase was made.”

The store owner or manager reviews the notes daily and compares them with stock and sales. If customers regularly ask for an unavailable size, the first change should be to replenish that size. If the product is available but customers do not understand the differences between models, start with explanations and price labels. In a small team, the owner can oversee several actions, but set a separate deadline and result for each one.

1. Stock the Products Customers Actually Need

Check availability for each specific product variant. Having shoes in stock in general does not help a customer who needs a particular model in a particular size. The purchaser should compare sales with unmet requests, because an unavailable product does not appear in sales statistics.

1. Make a short list of the products and variants most often responsible for sales not being completed because they were unavailable.
2. Compare the recorded quantity with the amount actually on the shelf and in the stockroom. Refer discrepancies to the person responsible for inventory records.
3. Determine the delivery lead time and the quantity needed to cover it. Also account for demand fluctuations and the risk of ending up with unsold stock.
4. Set a day to review stock and assign an employee to order the product or arrange its transfer.
5. After replenishing stock, check whether refusals specifically due to unavailability have decreased and whether the new shipment is selling.

Illustrative example. A store sells an average of three units of a product per working day, and delivery takes four working days. The estimated need for that period is 3 × 4 = 12 units. The owner decides separately whether to keep stock above that quantity, considering demand volatility, shelf life, and available funds. This is an initial estimate for purchase planning.

If the requested product is unavailable, a salesperson can suggest a compatible alternative or arrange an agreed notification when it arrives. State an arrival date only when the store has a sound basis for promising it.

2. Make Product Features and Prices Clear Before Purchase

Ask sales staff to identify the questions they hear most often. For the selected category, prepare a short explanation covering what the product is for, who it suits, how it differs from nearby options, what is included, and what its limitations are. Employees should explain only features that can be substantiated by product information.

A practical consultation follows this order: the salesperson clarifies the customer’s need, shows a suitable option, explains a material difference, and states the full price. For example: “Which device model do you need an accessory for? Let’s check compatibility and see what is included.” If the customer declines, the salesperson ends the offer without applying further pressure.

The administrator should compare the price label, the information on the website, and the price charged during checkout. Under Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Rights Protection”, necessary, accessible, reliable, and timely information must be provided before a product is purchased. Price notices must be clear, and the price must include all taxes and mandatory charges paid by the consumer at the time of purchase. Special information requirements apply to certain product categories; the general rules apply to matters those requirements do not cover.

Choose one shelf or category for the trial. Correct its price labels and explanations, then compare sales, reasons for inquiries not resulting in a purchase, and returns due to unmet expectations. This will help the owner assess whether customers can make their choice more easily.

3. Offer Relevant Add-ons Without Pressure

List compatible add-ons for the main products. For each pair, specify the customer need it addresses and any compatibility conditions. For example, a salesperson can offer batteries for a device after checking the required type and whether batteries are included.

The offer should include an explanation and a separate price: “Batteries are not included. Would you like me to show you compatible ones and tell you the price?” If the customer declines, the employee proceeds with the purchase the customer chose. If an add-on is necessary to use the main product, say so before the customer decides to buy.

If the store sells a set at a combined price or discounts the second product, disclose the products included and the offer price, the conditions for accepting the offer, its duration, and any limits, including quantity limits. For products sold together at a single price, their individual prices must also be stated. These requirements are set out in Part 3 of Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Rights Protection”.

The owner assesses the share of receipts that include an add-on among receipts for the corresponding main product. Factor in discount expenses and returns as well. An increase in this share is useful to the business only if the financial result is acceptable and there are no recurring complaints about pressure to buy.

4. Record Unfinished Sales and Keep Your Promises

For orders to be collected later or delivered, keep a shared working list. Each entry should state the product and quantity, agreed price, method of receipt (collection or delivery), deadline, person responsible, and next action. Add the customer’s contact information only if it is needed to fulfill the agreement.

Before the shift begins, the employee responsible reviews orders due that day; before the shift ends, they review outstanding orders. Distinguish between the statuses “prepared,” “sent,” and “handed to the customer.” Decide in advance what agreed outcome with the customer counts as order completion, then use that outcome to assess whether the deadline was met. If the deadline is at risk, the employee contacts the customer in advance and agrees on what to do next.

Review inquiries that did not result in a purchase separately. “Product unavailable” calls for a stock decision; “no response at the agreed time” calls for a change in how inquiries are assigned; “the model was not suitable” calls for more careful clarification of the customer’s needs. Do not record every “I’ll think about it” as a sale the store could have made.

To assess the share of inquiries that result in a purchase, divide the number of such inquiries by the total number of inquiries over the same period. To assess service speed, measure waiting time and inquiry handling time separately. Define in advance what counts as one inquiry and apply that rule consistently. The number of receipts divided by the entrance counter reading measures the ratio of receipts to recorded entries: one person may enter several times or make several purchases.

5. Agree on Reminders for Repeat Purchases

Choose products for which a follow-up may be useful: consumables, regularly used products, or compatible accessories. The salesperson asks whether the customer wants a reminder, which channel they prefer, and roughly when it should arrive. It is better to agree on the timing with the customer because people use products at different rates.

Set a process for obtaining separate consent to receive offers. Record the date, channel, agreed message content, and method of confirmation. A phone number provided for delivery does not automatically mean the customer agrees to receive marketing messages. The purpose of providing contact details for an order and the purpose of sending later offers must be clear to the customer.

In Ukraine, the grounds for processing personal data are set out in Article 11 of the Law “On Personal Data Protection”, including consent and the performance of a transaction. Under Articles 6 and 12, collect only data needed for a defined purpose. When a customer provides data to the store, immediately tell them who controls the data—the individual entrepreneur or company that determines the purpose, data collected, and processing procedure—what data is being collected, why, what rights the customer has, and to whom the data will be transferred.

Article 8 provides for the right to withdraw consent. When a customer opts out of offers, the employee who receives that request must stop sending the relevant messages and notify the person responsible for the customer list.

Article 10 of the Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Commerce” provides for consent to commercial electronic messages and also allows messages to be sent without consent if recipients can opt out of receiving future messages. This exception does not remove the requirements for lawful processing of personal data. For the approach described here, use contacts who have agreed to receive messages and include a simple way to opt out of future offers. Make the commercial nature of each message clear, state incentive terms unambiguously, and provide recipients with easy access to information about the seller. If you state a price, state that taxes are included and specify the delivery cost where applicable.

To assess the result, compare repeat purchases over the same period after the first purchase. If there are enough customers who have consented, send an agreed reminder to some and withhold it from others during the trial. Compare purchases and financial results between the two groups. Not every purchase after a message was caused by that message; for products with a long period of use, the observation period will need to be extended.

How to Track Stock and Purchase History in Torgsoft

In Torgsoft, open “Склад → Стан складу” (“Warehouse → Stock Status”) to view the quantity, size, selling price, and cost of the product you need. An accounting center means a store or warehouse in the program. To work with multiple accounting centers, use the “Усі склади” switch (“All warehouses”) and select warehouses. Before deciding to replenish stock, make sure you are viewing the balance for the right store and compare it with the quantity actually on hand.

For products that need regular replenishment, set a minimum stock level and use the “Закінчується товар” filter (“Product running low”) to select items. The purchaser reviews this list together with customer requests and decides what to order. If a quantity seems questionable, open the movement history for the selected product or its inventory record: this helps trace the balance after receipt, sale, return, or internal transfer. Review the minimum stock level when demand or delivery lead times change.

In the “Маркетинг → Клієнти” menu (“Marketing → Customers”), open the customer card (“картка клієнта”). The “Придбання” tab (“Purchases”) displays the customer’s purchases and returns as transactions accumulate. Before making a follow-up offer, the employee responsible can compare it with this history, then compare the result of the outreach with the customer’s actual subsequent purchase. This analysis covers transactions linked to that customer. Purchase history does not replace consent to receive marketing messages.

Calculate How Sales Contribute Toward Expenses

To decide whether to continue a change, determine its financial result. Contribution toward expenses is the amount left from sales after the cost of goods sold and variable expenses associated with those sales. It is used to cover rent, the fixed part of payroll, and other fixed expenses.

The owner or accountant should calculate it on a consistent basis: revenue after discounts and refunds, minus the cost of goods that remain sold, minus variable expenses. These may include payment processing fees, packaging, delivery paid for by the store, and the cost of handling returns. If a discount has already reduced revenue, do not subtract it again. A returned product fit for resale should be added back to stock so that its cost is not left among the expenses of completed sales.

Illustrative example. Before the change, the store received UAH 50,000 in revenue after discounts and refunds. The cost of goods that remained sold was UAH 30,000, and variable expenses were UAH 3,000. The contribution was 50,000 − 30,000 − 3,000 = 17,000 UAH.

During the trial, the value of sales before discounts was UAH 60,000, discounts were UAH 3,000, and refunds were UAH 2,000. Revenue after these adjustments was UAH 55,000. With a cost of goods that remained sold of UAH 33,000 and variable expenses of UAH 5,500, including return handling, the contribution was 55,000 − 33,000 − 5,500 = 16,500 UAH. Revenue increased by UAH 5,000, while the contribution decreased by UAH 500. This is a reason to review expenses and the terms of the offer; the figures alone do not explain why the result changed.

How to Set Up a Discount and Promotional Offer

If the trial includes a promotion, the owner defines the products, actual previous and new prices, duration, location, and limits before it begins. Under Parts 4–6 of Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Rights Protection”, a discount must apply for a defined, limited period to products sold directly by the store, and the price must be lower than the regular price. A promotional sale must cover all products in a particular place or a clearly defined group of products, have a limited duration, and reduce prices compared with regular prices. After a public announcement, state both the previous and new price.

Advertising a price reduction or promotional sale must state the location, start and end dates, and the discount amount or the ratio of the new price to the previous price. For audio media, the law requires the source of information about the terms to be stated. Prices in advertisements for products sold in Ukraine must be stated in hryvnias. These requirements are set out in Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising”. Articles 7 and 10 require accuracy and reliability and prohibit unfair advertising. Claims about product features, value, and availability must therefore match the actual terms of purchase.

Plan a One-Month Trial of One Change

1. Week one — identify the problem. The administrator gathers reasons why inquiries did not result in a purchase; the owner chooses one category and one metric. Record the starting figures, product availability, prices, and operating conditions.
2. Week two — introduce the change. Replenish the selected items, correct explanations, start offering a relevant add-on, or change the order fulfillment process. Assign someone to be responsible and train employees on the action required.
3. Week three — monitor implementation. The responsible employee checks whether the team is following the agreed process. Record separately any other events that may have affected the result: a new promotion, a schedule change, a delivery delay, or unusual demand.
4. Week four — make a decision. Compare comparable days or product groups, completed sales, returns, complaints, and contribution after variable expenses. Decide whether to continue, adjust, or stop the change.

Set the criteria for continuing before the trial begins. For example, aim for fewer refusals due to unavailable products while keeping stock at an acceptable level, or for a greater contribution from sales without an increase in complaints. If there are few inquiries or the repeat purchase period has not yet arrived, extend the observation period. After deciding, establish the working process and move on to the next problem.

Official Legal Grounds

• Law of Ukraine “On Advertising” dated 03.07.1996 No. 270/96-VR — Articles 7, 8, and 10: advertising reliability, requirements for advertising discounts and promotional sales, statement of prices, and prohibition of unfair advertising.
• Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Rights Protection” dated 12.05.1991 No. 1023-XII — Article 15: information before purchase, prices, combined offers, discounts, and promotional sales.
• Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” dated 01.06.2010 No. 2297-VI — Articles 6, 8, 11, and 12: purpose and grounds for processing, necessary data, customer rights, and notice at the time of collection.
• Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Commerce” dated 03.09.2015 No. 675-VIII — Article 10: commercial electronic messages, consent, the ability to opt out, and content requirements.