Retail Store Opening Checklist
Free template · Updated 26 October 2026
A retail store opening checklist makes sure the store looks the same, and works the same, every morning. Shelves are full, prices are right and the till is ready, so the first customer of the day gets the same experience as the busiest hour.
Adapt the template to your store's size and layout, and add any checks your head office or franchise requires.
Sales floor
- Tidy and face up the displays and shelves
- Restock shelves from the stockroom or overnight deliveries
- Check that prices and promotional signs match the system
- Turn on window display lights and screens
- Check that fitting rooms are clean and empty, if you have them
Till and payments
- Count the opening cash float and record it
- Turn on the point-of-sale system and card readers and check they connect
- Check receipt paper, bags and packaging supplies
Store standards
- Clean the entrance, glass doors and counter
- Sweep or vacuum the floor where needed
- Check that customer toilets are clean and stocked, if you have them
- Set the music and temperature
Team and opening
- Check who is on shift and plan breaks
- Brief the team on promotions, deliveries and goals for the day
- Check messages from head office or the owner
- Get click-and-collect or online orders ready for pickup
- Unlock the doors at opening time
Tips for using this checklist
Open in the same order every day
The floor first, then the till. A fixed order makes it easy to see what's left when someone is interrupted.
Walk the store as a customer
Before you open, walk in through the front door and look at the store the way a customer would. Empty gaps, wrong prices and dirty glass stand out.
Keep head office checks separate
If you have weekly or monthly checks from head office, keep them on their own list so the daily opening stays short.
Every business is different, so adapt this checklist to yours and to your local requirements.