The proposal for a casino in Richmond was rejected in the election held in November the next year. It was for the casino ‘One Casino and Resort’. The proposal had come from URBAN ONE, the company that owns radio stations across the United States. The four casino hotels that got the approval from voters are:

1. Caesars Virginia

This $500 million casino resort would be opening in late 2023 in Danville. Caesars Entertainment has named the casino ‘Caesars Virginia’. Besides an elegant casino, it will also have a hotel and an entertainment center. The number of slot machines in this casino would be 1,400.

In addition to these slot machines, it will have 75 table games, a sportsbook, and a poker room. There would be 500 guest rooms in the hotel along with a conference center and meeting rooms. The seating capacity of the entertainment center will be 2,500. Want play slots online? Check this website!

2. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol

Until the construction of this casino hotel is completed, the Bristol Casino would be in operation. This is a $400 million project located in the city of Bristol in Virginia. Completion of this property is expected in late 2023 or in early 2024. Upon completion, it will have a 90,000-square-foot casino.

Besides this, the casino hotel will have a 750-room hotel and a convention center. It will also include a 3,200-seat entertainment center, an outdoor entertainment venue, retail shops, and restaurants.

3. Rivers Casino Portsmouth

Currently under construction, this $300 million casino resort is located in Portsmouth. The date of opening for Rivers Casino Portsmouth is February 2023. Upon completion, the casino will have table games, slot machines, and restaurants. The 400,000-square-foot complex will include a movie theater and a 3,000-seat venue for events.

Additionally, the property will also have a 4-star hotel and retail stores. A Chicago-based gaming and entertainment company called ‘Rush Street’ will develop and operate this property. As of now, the company operates casinos in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York.

4. Headwaters Resort and Casino

This casino hotel will open in Norfolk in 2024. The cost of this project is estimated to be $500 million. Headwaters Resort & Casino will be located next to Harbor Park on the Elizabeth River. The casino will have 150 table games and 3,000 slot machines. There will be 300 guest rooms and suites in the hotel.

The Pamunkey Indian Tribe had signed a development agreement at the beginning of 2020 with the City of Norfolk. It was to build this casino hotel on the city land measuring 13.4 acres. The voters gave their approval to this casino in the election held on the 3rd of November 2020.

There are plans to include a rooftop entertainment area and an event center in the property. It will also have a spa and rooftop pool along with multiple restaurants.

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They include an enclosed shopping mall, a grocery store, an open-air shopping center, or a drug store. All these businesses have different requirements in terms of location. Here are a few things that a location must have for your retail business:

1. Accessibility of space

You must always go for a location that’s easier to access. People shouldn’t have any difficulty in finding your retail store or shopping center. Having a good amount of parking space in the front would be an advantage. How easily the vendors can deliver your inventory is also important. Let’s say you’re opening a furniture store. In this case you’ll need enough space for the trucks to park and move the items of furniture.

2. Availability of potential customers

Selecting a location where most of your target customers live or work is a great idea. For example, if you’re opening a store for kids’ toys, don’t choose a location full of college-going crowds. It just wouldn’t make sense. You must have a good amount of research on the demographics of the location.

See what’s the average vehicle and foot traffic in the area. Look for spots where you can attract the maximum number of passers-by during business hours.

3. The neighboring businesses

Having competing businesses can give you some headache, but those who are complementary can be good to have as neighbors. If your business is into aquarium supplies, you wouldn’t want another aquarium supplies store next to you.

Some businesses make huge profits due to their location near restaurants or entertainment venues. So, before opening your retail store, ask your landlord if there are any competing stores coming up nearby.

4. Move-in readiness

You’ll have certain retail spaces where you’ll not require significant modifications. Such spaces are ideal as they save you a lot of costs. The retail spaces that are not move-in ready would need modifications according to your business needs. They might involve adding walls or bringing down the existing ones, and rewiring the electrical system. This adds to your cost and you’ll also end up wasting some precious time.

5. Lease term

A shorter lease term is always beneficial if you’re starting a new business. It will give you more flexibility. Upon signing a longer lease term, you’ll lock in your rent. In case your business fails, you’ll find yourself in a pretty difficult situation. One disadvantage you have with a short lease term is that you’ll be vulnerable to a rent increase during renewal.

Retail leases can get a bit complex, so it’s better to consult an attorney to review the lease. This will give you a fair idea before you sign the documents.

6. Infrastructure

This is one aspect you must never ignore. Always look for the infrastructural facilities that are available for you. If you’re considering a building that’s a bit old, make sure there’s enough heating, cooling, internet, and other facilities. Among the other things to look for are the restroom facilities available for your customers and employees.

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Today, with greater accessibility of the internet and some fantastic smartphones, you can shop from almost anywhere. Besides, online shopping can be a fun experience if you want to stay indoors. So, here are the most renowned online shopping sites for you:

1. Amazon

On this exciting online shopping site, you can have millions of products to choose from. You can compare the prices and go through the details of the product before making your buying decisions. Amazon has come a long way since it started off as a small online book store. Today, it not only sells books but also offers almost all the imaginable products on the planet.

It gets plenty of visitors every single day than any of the other online shopping sites. The website also brings you some great offers on select products. Besides this, you can expect hassle-free delivery, returns, and a dependable customer service.

2 Etsy

Etsy is a great shopping site if you’re looking for some brilliant handicrafts and other art items. It offers excellent products from several talented artists. You can buy anything from homemade candles to beaded necklaces and caramel apples. The most innovative crafts are offered for sale on this online shopping site.

With the introduction of Etsy on the online space, many artists have been able to earn good money. So, if you’re someone who can craft brilliant and marketable items, you can sell them online on Etsy. You can easily set up your store and gain a lot of exposure on this website.

3. eBay

This website was originally started with the intention of supplementing a Pez collection. Since then, it has grown into the largest online auction site in the world. If you have some valuable but unwanted items, you can list them on eBay for sale. You’ll find almost everything on this online shopping and auction site. The website also offers seasonal gift guides and has a page that lists the daily deals.

You can search using filters on this website, such as price, size, brand, and color. Besides, you’ll find consumer ratings and reviews on this site. Over the years, it has achieved great popularity as a fantastic online bargain-shopping destination.

4. Google Shopping

Now, this website is perhaps among the most overlooked. Yet, it offers some powerful ways to shop at the popular stores. All you need to do is type what you’re looking for and it’ll give you a list of stores. You can then filter the results according to price, category, store, brand, type and features.

Another great criteria that can be filtered on the site is screen size. This website is only helpful if you want to take a look at products available near you. Some items can be purchased directly from Google as well. You can also track the price changes. In this way, you’ll be able to grab the best deal.

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Before making their buying decisions, they consider the overall customer experience that the products offer. Never before have consumers wielded such power. With such variety of choices in almost all the products, brand loyalty has been waning gradually. Today, they usually look for the products that best serve their needs at a certain point.

So, they don’t mind switching between retailers and online stores while making their purchase. Even the luxury retailers are feeling the winds of change while trying to keep their customers happy. The wealthy customers also tend to go around, looking for their best option. Under such circumstances, the retailers have been trying to find the most innovative ways to attract customers.

Besides, the technological advancements have also provided retailers with certain tools. They have helped retailers considerably in attracting new customers and retaining the existing ones.

Technologies driving marketing and sales

It seems that there’s no dearth of technologies for driving the sales and marketing efforts of retailers. However, these technologies haven’t been effective in working together. The amount of data that a business gathers keeps growing at an unbelievable rate. Yet, the number of available staff for analyzing such huge volumes of data remain more or less the same.

In this situation, it becomes important to ensure the use of information in a correct manner. The retailers must also take utmost care that they don’t contribute towards the problem of data silo. A good solution is to find a technology that can handle such huge volumes of data.

It’s also important to focus the data in a direction that doesn’t overwhelm but benefits the marketing efforts. As time goes on, it will become even more important to approach marketing like a data scientist.

Consumers choosing multichannel buying experiences

While it appears that almost every customer is shopping online, they’re also going for in-store purchases. There are certain benefits that e-retail provide and one of them is reduction in shipping times. So, nearly 96% of the Americans use online shopping in today’s times. It is also true that these Americans spend almost 65% of their overall shopping budget in land-based shopping establishments.

So, it’s quite clear that the customers like online as well as offline shopping experiences. They generally prefer retailers who can facilitate such transactions in the best possible way. One also considers the mobile retail revolution that has gripped almost every country in the world.

It has facilitated the combination of in-store research and online purchase. This is simply viewing a particular product in a physical store and making the purchase online. A win-win for online and offline retail would be free delivery of online orders to a local store.

The need to create a unique customer experience

There’s no denying that many customers are also into serving people in their own jobs. So, whenever they’re on the other side of the counter, they’d want to feel special. The biggest contributor towards brand loyalty is customer experience. A negative experience can significantly affect the chances of a customer’s repeat visit.

Promotions and offers do help to a great extent and make the customer feel important. The key to create an experience that’s truly unique is personalized service. If the retailers make constant efforts to know their customers well they can also serve them well. An example here would be getting to know them from their previous purchases and interests.

The retailers can use this information to serve them in a better way. This is how retailers can drive brand loyalty. The methods employed to make this happen would greatly depend on the size of the business. Something as simple as a quick chat with customers can make a big difference.

Sending the customers personalized content is also a great way to connect with them. Sending offers through the email or contact number that the customers prefer would be the best approach. The content must, in some way, anticipate their needs and wants. It must also guide them down the sales funnel towards making their next purchase.

Customers’ expectation of a seamless experience

A regular online customer would want to be treated as one even while at the retail business’s land-based location. In online as well as in-store experiences, customers would want the same products to be available. They’d also want a seamless experience. If they’ve made a purchase online earlier during the day, the in-store system must have a record of it.

The retailers can create this fluid online-offline experience for their customers. This is usually done with the help of a centralized customer data. The customer profile must be easily accessible. This can help retailers in promoting some excellent loyalty programs. Such programs are used not only to reward customers but also deliver relevant content. Across all the points of interaction, the data must be integrated.

Siloed customer data

Today, it has become a lot more important for retail businesses to engage with customers. So, the modern techniques of marketing use different channels for this purpose. They include text messaging, social media pages, and email. These multiple channels help the retailers in creating a great customer experiences. The problem is that with these different channels, the customer data can become siloed.

If the different teams in the marketing department don’t work together and communicate efficiently, customers can be overwhelmed with repetitive information. This overload of conflicting or repeat messages can easily create the opposite of what was originally intended. As a result, the customers can easily move on to the competitors if they’re more clear in their communications.

This explains the importance of having the right technologies and communication procedures. This would ensure that all the marketing teams are on the same page. A clear strategy would help them in working together instead of going in different directions. This will not only save time, money and efforts but also avoid any negative customer experience.

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Retail management software can work well with the hardware installed at the payment terminals. It can also provide mobile support with the help of its app. Now, let’s take a look at the top retail management software available in recent times:

1. 6DX

This software has been built on an open retail architecture. It helps in enhancing the retail experiences of your customers. The software comes from Intellect Commerce Limited. The company has been catering to mid-sized and large retail chains across 19 countries for more than two decades. The greatest benefit of 6DX is that it can handle multiple stores located across different geographies.

It works great even if you have a multitude of vendors, product lines, and channels. The POS that the software provides is cloud-ready. It gives you the chance to make good use of the components that you’ll need at any given point.

2. NetSuite

NetSuite offers a unified platform that would help you future-proof your retail business. In other words, it is the first and the last retail management software you’ll need. Using NetSuite, you can get real-time visibility across your business unit. The software also helps in the removal of any operational inefficiencies.

You can get your IT costs reduced, which would allow you to focus on revenue-generating activities. With over 29,000 implementations of the software, NetSuite can be the most reliable retail management software. It also has the right tools and years of expertise that will help you in expanding your business.

3. Detego

Combined with its artificial intelligence capabilities and comprehensive reporting, Detego is a highly efficient SaaS platform. It is powered by RFID technology. This platform gives you faster return on investment through improved stock accuracy, better decision-making, and product availability. It delivers operational efficiencies and increases revenue across the value chain.

The platform makes this possible through the digitization of traditional inventory management processes. As a result, these traditional processes are made more efficient and accurate. Customers of Detego include many international department stores and retailers.

4. Square for Retail

Square for Retail helps a great deal in making all the complex tasks simple and efficient. It’s a great platform for software, hardware, and payment systems of retail businesses. You can use it for your back office as well as your storefront, thus boosting sales and reducing costs. A retail business can complete a sale within seconds by scanning the bar code and searching with a keyword.

If you attach a card on file to the sale, it’ll facilitate a seamless and faster checkout. This software helps you in creating the profiles of your customers instantly. It also adds inventory from your point of sale. A free trial of this software is available for 30 days.

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The average hourly earnings of those working in the private sector have also risen. Economic development grants and reimbursement for recruiting and training services are some of the business incentives offered. Listed below are some of the best places in the state for aspiring entrepreneurs to start a business:

1. Fairfax

For every 100 individuals, there are over 25 businesses in this city. This is considered the highest number of businesses in the state. At 4%, the unemployment rate is lower than the national and state average. The Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce plays an important role in serving the local businesses.

It also organizes regular networking events, marketing opportunities, educational workshops, and leadership training.

2. Tysons Corner

This is the central business district of the Fairfax County. Businesses located here have an average revenue of more than $11 million. About 45% of businesses in this area have paid employees. Tysons Corner has a little more than 23 businesses for every 100 people.

This ranks it second highest among all the communities in Virginia. Among the top employers in this area are Hilton Worldwide and Booz Allen Hamilton. The largest shopping mall in Virgina is also located in Tysons Corner.

3. Abingdon

Located in the Blue Ridge Highlands region, this town is an excellent place for outdoor lovers. The median monthly costs of housing in this town is among the lowest. Abingdon is either home to or close to many recreational trails as well as historic places.

This includes the Virginia Creeper Trail that spans 34 miles. For every 100 people, the town has 19 businesses. The Washington County Virginia Chamber of Commerce serves Abingdon’s local businesses.

4. Warrenton

Located at an hour’s distance west of Washington D.C is this fascinating town. It is close to Shenandoah National Park and has a little over 21 businesses for every 100 people. The highlight of this town for businesses is the Greater Warrenton Chamber of Commerce. It also offers a business assistance team.

The mission of this team is to provide support and education to the local businesses. This is aimed towards their sustained profitability and success. The chamber also provides its members with free professional guidance, expertise, and resources.

5. Vienna

This town is located at a distance of 17 miles west of downtown Washington D.C. The town’s ranking has been hampered by its median monthly housing costs. Despite this, it has a low unemployment rate of 2.1%. This town has a little more than 16 businesses for every 100 people.

It also has a high median annual income of over $83,000. Among the top employers in the town are Fairfax County Public Schools and Navy Federal Credit Union. The Vienna Business Association provides excellent opportunities for its members with regards to networking and promotion.

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It is the responsibility of such employees to walk the sales floor and watch out for any suspicious activity. Here are a few tips that can enhance the security of your retail store, irrespective of its size:

1. Monitor the sales floor

It’s good to have some protocols in place to help your employees in keeping a watchful eye. They must be in the form of guidelines, which they can use while watching the customers and merchandise. This must be followed even if your sales floor is just one small room. It is a part of customer service to make sure that the customers are safe while at your retail store.

You must instruct your employees to ask them if they require any assistance. It is necessary that your employees watch your customers while they’re shopping. If you have a large sales floor, you can divide it into zones. Then you can assign the employees in each zone for the security measures.

2. Have more than one employee on duty at all times

There are times when an employee can be alone. This would be mostly during the breaks. Make sure that in such a situation, they have an easy way to call out for help. One way to ensure this is to have a phone that’s easily accessible. You can also consider having a panic button in that particular area. Allowing employees to have their cell phones near them would also be helpful.

3. Have a professional monitoring system

If you have a sizable budget, you can hire professionals to install a professional security system. You might try your best to keep an eye on your business all day. However, it’s just not possible to do this every day. Having a professional monitoring system will help you in keeping a watchful eye on your business 24/7. You can also have these systems customized according to your budget and business needs.

4. Creat the space to facilitate clear line of sight

You can make it easier for your customers and employees to see each other with proper arrangement. Consider positioning the displays, signs, and shelves in an appropriate way. They must allow customers and employees to see each other. This can prevent instances of theft and keep both the parties safe. By having such an arrangement, they’ll not be isolated.

5. Set protocols to monitor cash register

You must always try to have someone close to the cash register. After all, it is the cash register that’s more important than any other thing at your store. Develop some best practices after careful thought to keep an eye on it. The employees who are responsible for it must not leave it unattended.

Tell your employees how far they can go from the register if they have to get up from their place. There are times when customers might need some help. Under such circumstances, these instructions can be of great help.

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Undoubtedly, the best place for such an experience is a physical retail store. The fear of pandemic is almost over. Now, you’d want to step up your efforts in bringing people to your retail store. So, here are a few ways, by which, you can increase the number of visitors to your retail store:

1. Make your storefront attractive

A well-maintained and fun storefront can draw in a lot of customers. A store that appears damaged will never attract customers unless they’re really desperate to buy something. Take a good look at your store from the outside and you’ll get all the answers. Notice whether the windows need some cleaning.

See whether there’s a need for some painting work to be done. One thing that you must be very particular about is maintaining your storefront well. Sweeping must be done daily and cleaning windows must be your top priority.

2. Offer your best customer service

Once your potential customers walk into your retail store, you must create a lasting impression on them. Their in-store experience would be extremely crucial in determining whether or not they’d visit again. One happy customer walking out of your store will tell 10 people all the good things about your store.

The opposite would be true as well. If you disappoint just one customer, he or she will tell 10 folks that your business is bad. If you’ve got employees, you must train them well in customer service. This is one aspect of your business you just can’t afford to ignore.

3. Plan some promotional events

Customers love promotional events such as lucky draws and contests. You can plan such events for boosting your brand awareness. Never hesitate to let your customers know what they can get in your store. Whenever a new product arrives, make an announcement without any delays.

All such events can also be promoted online. You can share some enticing posts about them on social media and send emails to your customers. Make sure you tell them that they have to visit your store to benefit from such events.

4. Keep your employees happy, enthusiastic, and busy

Customers notice each and every aspect of your retail store. This also includes the behavior of your employees and the look on their faces. No one wants to enter a place where they see bored-looking faces. What’s even worse is that if you have a large window, they’ll see your employees’ behavior from outside.

So, come up with some innovative ways to keep your employees cheerful and happy. Most importantly, they must be kept busy. Take time to chat with them and plan some fun events with them whenever you get the chance.

5. Work with your neighbors

Don’t see your neighbors as your competitors. If you do something that could possibly help their business, they’ll be happy to do something for you as well. Consider this as some sort of cross-promotion. You can hang small boards telling your customers more about your neighboring business or businesses.

If they’re offering some special offers, mention them on the flyer. If they benefit from this, they’ll happily promote your business as well.

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There are many factors that come into play while choosing displays for your retail store. Among them are understanding customer behavior and the dynamics of the market. Given below are some of the types of displays that you’ll come across in retail stores:

1. Window displays

These displays are what entice your potential customers to walk into your retail store. They play an important role in attracting customers and must therefore be highly attractive. Such displays must be placed strategically near the foot traffic areas. You must see to it that they’re not cluttered. Display only the items that are just enough to grab the customers’ attention.

If your window display is facing the sun, make sure that the items displayed are not affected by it. How you set up your window display is entirely up to you. One key thing to remember is that the way it’s set up will determine your success in enticing your customers.

2. POS shelves

POS or point-of-sale shelves can be an ideal spot to place your fast-moving products. They usually include candy, and other popular items. You’ll usually find such shelves near the door or the cash register. This makes it easier for customers to reach out for an item that’s within their arm’s length.

POS shelves increase the possibilities of impulse purchases. If some of the items are nearing their expiry date, you can place them on these shelves. It’s possible that your customers would feel the desire to pick them up.

3. Gondola displays

Gondola-style shelves are popular especially in pharmacy and grocery stores. This is because they usually have the ability to hold a number of different products. They’re two-sided displays with shelves that are adjustable. You can adjust them to fit items of different sizes. Gondola retail displays are a good choice for merchandising within your store. One of their biggest disadvantages is that they can be expensive.

4. Grid wall displays

You can easily customize grid wall displays. If you’re a retailer with limited space in your store, they can be your perfect choice. These displays have wire panels that can give you a variety of shelf options. Grid wall displays can look fabulous on your wall or as free-standing fixtures. A grid wall display can be easy to mount and is also a lot more affordable. The cost would go up only if you’re hiring a professional to install it.

5. Slat wall displays

These displays contain panels that have recessed horizontal spaces. In such spaces, you can display hooks, shelves, hangers, and pegs. Slat wall displays are shelving options that offer great versatility. They’re quite affordable and don’t require the services of an expert to mount them.

They can display a wide range of merchandise and can either be free-standing or wall-mounted. The cost of this type of display would go up if you decide to hire a professional installer.

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