Never Be Out of Your Core Products—EVER!
One retail tip that all storeowners need to repeat to themselves as a business mantra is to never be out of the key products that customers come to expect of you. Do customers come back to you constantly for your bakery-scented candles? Then never, ever be out of stock of them! People come to you to purchase those particular items, and if you don't have them available, they'll go to another shop to find them. And if they're at that other shop, they might just find more items they like there better, or they might start doing all their shopping there. Be sure your inventory system is in place so these core products can be re-ordered regularly and well in advance of when they are expected to be low. No inventory on the shelf is bad, but just as bad can be one or two leftover products.