I'm selling my retail store and most of my interested buyers work weekdays. I've had a few ask about weekend viewings. How do you all handle Saturday/Sunday showings without disrupting staff or looking desperate? Do you open the store specially or just let them walk through during normal hours? Any advice on scheduling and security would help.
Store viewings
How to show your store to private buyers on weekends
We did Saturday mornings before opening. Staff was there anyway for prep, so it felt normal. Just make sure your manager knows and can handle it if you're late.
Do not open the store just for a buyer. That screams desperation. Schedule them during regular weekend hours and give them a 30-minute window. If they cant make that, they're not serious.
What kind of store? That channges things. A boutique is different from a hardware store.
I'd be careful with weekends. You get more walk-in traffic and nosy neighbors. We only did private viewings after hours on Sundays, with the buyer coming in through the back. Felt more controlled.
Have a simple one-page info sheet ready. Buyers on weekends often bring spouses or partners, and having numbers on paper keeps the conversation focused. Also lock up any personal files.
We just told buyers to come during normal Saturday hours. Staff was briefed to say nothing about the sale. It worked fine. Only one guy showed up in a suit and made it obvious, but that's on him.
Agree with MarloweRidge. Opening specially for one buyer is a red flag. Also, if your lease has weekend restrictions or landlord approval needed, check that first.
One more thing: don't let buyers poke around the stockroom unsupervised. We had a guy trying to count boxes and estimate inventory. That's not a tour, that's an audit. Keep them in the customer area.
How many buyers are we talking? If it's more than two or three, maybe set aside one Saturday afternoon and do back-to-back slots. Otherwise you'll sepnd every weekend showing the place.
Still curious what type of store. If it's food Service, weekend viewings are a nightmare because of prep and deliveries.
We required buyers to sign a simple confidentiality sheet before the walkthrough. Nothing fancy, just a page saying they won't share financials or employee info. It also filters out tire-kickers.
Schedule the first weekend viewing for the most serious buyer only. See how it goes before you commit to more. And have your phone on you in case staff needs backup.
One mistake we made: not telling the landlord. He found out from a neighbor and got annoyed. If your lease requires notice for any buyer visits, send an email first.
Also check your insurance. Some policies have exclusions for non-customers on the premises outside normal business hours. Not worth risking a claim over a tire-kicker.
We ended up doing Sunday mornings before church crowds. Quiet, staff was there for cleaning, and buyers fpelt less pressured. But we only did it twice. After that, serious buyers made weekday time.