The hodgepodge setup of a traditional head shop may seem nostalgic for the everyday connoisseur. From the thrifty vibes to the seemingly arranged chaos, it stimulates a particular curiosity you may have felt when visiting a smoke shop for the first time. However, if you're the one running the place, this sentiment is probably bittersweet.

If you're a smoke shop owner, keeping track of where everything is located in your store can be pretty overwhelming, especially when you stock so many different products. Organizing the store can seem like a task that may never be checked off the to-do list. The eclectic recollection that was mentioned before becomes a lot less romantic when your shop is so cluttered.

Can you relate?

If you are wondering if this is your shop, ask yourself these questions:

• Do my employees have a hard time directing customers to different store areas?
• Do people look confused when they walk into my store, not knowing where to start because it is too cluttered?
• Has a customer ever asked for a product that I know I stock but couldn't locate, therefore losing the sale?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, it's time for you to take a step back and really look at how your shop is arranged. You may need to come up with a new game plan, and we're here to help!

Categorize Your Smoke Shop

With over 5,000 skus in our inventory, we can relate to the overwhelming feeling of having so many products to organize. Our parent company, Humble + Fume, put their heads together to see what we could do to classify all of our products. They came up with four all-encompassing categories to make everyone's life a little easier:

• Prepare
• Consume
• Preserve
• Live

These core categories can help you figure out the best way to set up and organize your smoke shop or dispensary. Here is the breakdown of each category, and examples of which products that fall under each grouping.

Prepare

This category covers everything you need to get a session started. Whether your customer is looking to roll up a fat one, infuse their own butter, or find better tools to ease the process, direct them to the "prepare" section of your store. Here are a few of the go-to products:

• Grinders, rolling trays, hemp wicks, rolling machines
• Lighters and torches
• Infusion kitchen appliances, like the Herbal Chef Electric Infuser
• Miscellaneous items such as dab tools, pollen presses, scales, etc

Regular metal or wooden shelving is excellent for displaying any of these products. If you don't have room to put everything right next to each other, try to put them nearby to create a flow lane that will lead customers through this section, so they don't miss anything.

Consume

This section houses all the fun ways you can "consume" during a smoke session. It can be further broken down into sub-categories, which will help you set up display cases that are easy to navigate. The core products are:

• Portable and desktop vaporizers and accessories
• Glass hand pipes, water pipes, and dab rigs
• Metal and wooden pipes
• Rolling papers, cones, and wraps

This category also includes e-liquids and CBD products. Depending on how much e-liquid you sell, you may need a dedicated case for just the bottles. CBD products can be stored on any counter top or blister pack display.

For vape pens and other smaller items such as hand pipes, try to display them somewhere your customers can get a closer look. A waste-height glass display with shelving is perfect for crouching down to check out the selection. For water pipes and other more extensive, more expensive items, taller displays will be your best bet. Try to space the pieces out so they don't look cluttered, and each one can stand out. Also, make sure you have dedicated spaces for all vaporizers and accessories. It's much easier for customers to compare the different units if they are all in one place.

Preserve

This category covers everything you need to clean your gear as well as the different storage types for your material.

• Glass cleaners, metal cleaners, wipes, and cotton swab sticks
• Glass jars, silicone containers, and other storage containers
• Miscellaneous items such as smell-proof bags, cone tubes, dab mats, etc

Most of these items will fit just about anywhere in your store. You can dedicate a section of a shelf for the cleaning solutions, jars, and containers. If you have a display rack, you can hang the smaller bags from there. You may need extra space for some items, like the larger duffle bags or the extra-large storage containers.

Live

The "Live" category features lifestyle products. If your customers are looking for a pair of cool socks, want to stock up on new incense flavors, or look for a good detox cleanse, direct them to this section of your store.

• Apparel - socks, hats, knit beanies, t-shirts, pins, etc
• Detox and cleansing products
• Incense, candles and wax melts
• Odor removing sprays

This is a wide-range category and can encompass all sorts of lifestyle items that you may sell. So, you can really get creative with how you set this up! If you have apparel, a small clothing rack with wheels can help you save space and make it easier for customers to look for their size. If you carry any posters or books, include them in this section as well.

Get organized and make more sales.

If your current setup is not working out for you, try to organize your shop using "Prepare, Consume, Preserve, Live." You can also educate your employees on how these sections work so they can better upsell products in and across categories. It's beneficial for you, your employees, and your customers to offer a selection that is easy to navigate and fun to look at, too.

Windship Trading can supply you with everything you need to get started with organizing your store. For more information, fill out a wholesale application here. Happy decluttering!