Buying storage containers is a great way to store items if your retail business needs more storefront space or is overwhelmed with excess inventory. Lack of space can reduce the square footage of your store and create a disorganized and unprofessional look for customers. It also makes it hard to find items and can cut off additional rooms that could be used for customer fittings or additional office space. Retail shipping containers give you extra space so you can clear your backrooms of clutter. A purchased storage container can also help promote your business, either on-site or during an exhibition, putting your brand in the mind of potential customers.
5 Retail Uses for Shipping Storage Containers
From excess inventory storage to pop-up shops, here are five uses for shipping containers at retail businesses:
1. Retail Storage Containers for Extra Inventory
Retail businesses routinely receive incoming inventory, whether it’s the latest clothing style or the newest toy on the market. In many cases, there’s more inventory than actual space. Keeping your inventory in-store can create clutter. However, if you’re storing at an offsite warehouse, you must spend the time and money to travel back and forth for anything you need. Depending on the warehouse hours, you might not be able to visit early in the day or later at night, meaning you have to go during regular business hours. Purchasing a shipping storage container can provide quick and easy on-site access to your inventory. Instead of driving offsite, your retail storage container can sit near your store, eliminating the drive time.
And because you purchased your container, you have a wide variety of customizable features.
2. Retail Pop-Up Shops in Shipping Containers
In an ever-growing digital landscape and changing customer preferences, your retail store might need help attracting new customers or keeping current ones. Promoting your business is a must, especially online, but advertising can be expensive. Custom shipping containers for retail have become a trendy tool that helps to heighten a brand’s presence affordably. The easiest way is placing your business logo or painting your retail storage container in your business’ colors. But you can go even further than that with a pop-up shop.
Pop-up shops are temporary retail storefronts, usually done to highlight a brand launch, a new item, or an event. Online retail businesses take advantage of pop-up shops. Not only does it allow current customers to browse in a physical location, but it also helps garner the attention of potential customers. But don’t think online businesses can only use pop-up shops. Physical retail businesses can use pop-up shops to help announce new product lines or partnerships. Companies like Nike, Adidas and others have used pop-up shops for special promotions, product launches and marketing purposes.
3. Mobile Satellite Offices
Your retail business might be small now, but you’re probably looking to grow your business beyond its current location. While exciting, there are still challenges, like finding a new place and securing a new rental agreement. Mobile offices from retail shipping containers make perfect satellite offices as they cut down on building expenses while providing an additional location for your growing retail business.
4. Shopping Malls and Marketplaces
Shopping malls and marketplaces have been created out of retail storage containers, taking pop-up shops to a more permanent level. For example, Boxpark, in London’s creative district, was the world’s first pop-up shopping mall created with shipping containers. It’s made from 60 standard containers stacked two stories high and five rows across. Another example is Revolutsia, the first retail shopping mall in Wichita, Kan. It utilizes 36 shipping containers to create a one-of-a-kind, two-story development.
Purchasing a storage container for retail business can open up different opportunities, from storing large quantities of inventory and growing your company to other locations to using a pop-up shop to promote your business brand.
5. Restaurants and Coffee Shops
Another innovative trend is using shipping containers for restaurants and coffee shops. Containers can be customized in several different ways to accommodate food service. A few restaurants and coffee shops worldwide have seen success running their business from a shipping storage container. In Phoenix, The Churchill has cultivated its unique look in the city’s heart by using 20 repurposed shipping containers to provide a home to several locally owned restaurants, bars and shops.
Shipping storage containers from Southwest Mobile Storage are fully customizable to meet your retail needs. The possibilities are endless! Need some inspiration? Check out our happy customer gallery if you want to see other ways businesses can benefit from storage shipping containers.
