What Is A Company Store
Company Stores are online stores that are designed, built and curated for a specific company instead of the general public. Businesses of all types utilize company stores for a variety of reasons. They are used to maintain strict brand standards throughout an organization, as a resource for employee rewards, and as the source for company branded apparel and promotional products.
Typical Products
Typical Products in company stores can include branded apparel, drink ware, bags, golf or sports products, office and desktop items, writing instruments, seasonal items, and recognition rewards.
Types of Company Stores
Company stores can take different forms to fulfill the needs of your organization. While many company stores are targeted for use by managers that oversee the ordering for their department, others may make products available for ordering to all company employees.
MANAGER STORES
Allow managers to purchase company branded apparel and promotional products for their department. This allows companies to maintain their brand standards while allowing individual department heads to align their needs with their budgets.
These are sometimes referred to as minimum volume stores. Many of the products may require a minimum order quantity and are produced as the products are ordered, so there may be additional production and shipping time involved.
Managers have the option to pay for the order or submit the order on net 30 terms. Password protection keeps the store available to authorized employees only.
Provide corporate apparel or uniforms and promotional products for internal use to employees or for use as premiums to customers. Products and apparel can be limited to specific groups if required.
EMPLOYEE STORES
Branded Merchandise – Let your employees purchase official company-branded apparel, gifts and promotional products. This type of company store typically involves some level of inventory management and fulfillment.
Employees check out using their own payment method.
Password protection keeps the store available to employees only.
These programs can also be used to provide uniforms and other necessary work apparel to employees. You have the option to set a per-employee limit for the amount ordered with points and coupons if desired.
CUSTOMER STORES
Brands that have or are working to build a loyal following from their consumers may also choose to sell their branded merchandise to the public.
A Company Store can allow public access to the site. This type of program may involve an investment inventory and fulfillment management.
These stores are sometimes referred to as “fan” stores. It’s a great investment for companies that are working to do fun things to invest in turning their consumers into evangelists for their products or company.
EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
These programs are a great method to motivate employees, and a Company Store can make the process easier for your clients.
You can assign points or dollar amounts and allow employees to pick their reward from a list of options. Or, offer different rewards to different groups for special achievements or 5- or 10-year anniversary gifts.
These programs can also be used as performance based reward programs for salespeople or to foster competitiveness between regions or other groups.
EVENT AND FUNDRAISING STORES
Company Stores can even be configured to promote short term special events or fundraisers. You can offer specially branded products branded for an event and add any sponsoring logos to the graphics.