There was a time when you could walk down the main street and know exactly what was inside each shop. A chemist sold medicine, a jeweller sold rings, and a bookshop sold books.
Back in the day, they all did what you’d expect of the business name, and not much else.
Those days are gone. Today, the borders between retail channels are not just blurred—they’ve been completely erased.
The New Reality: Blurred Lines Mean New Opportunities
Think about your own shopping habits. The most successful modern retailers have already adapted:
- Chemists can also be high-end gift shops, lottery outlets, or jewellers.
- Garden centres might have the best coffee in town and an awesome range of homewares.
- Pet shops can be your go-to for calendars and greeting cards.
- Newsagents are thriving by selling homewares, books, coffee, and more.
Sell What You Can, Not Just What You “Should”
Retailers today need to see their businesses through a flexible lens, not one bound by the history of their “business type.”
I’ve seen this work time and again:
- A fishing bait and tackle business that successfully sells fiction books.
- A toy shop that brings in new shoppers with a curated line of adult fashion.
- A music instrument store that built a local following by selling locally-made soaps.
The lesson is simple: Sell what you can sell.
How to Test New Products in Your Retail Store: A 3-Step Guide to Smart Experimentation
This doesn’t mean you should abandon your core business. It means you should dedicate a small, managed part of your budget to finding new opportunities.
My advice is to become a smart experimenter.
- Experiment: Always have a small pot of cash you can afford to invest in one new product category. This is your “test fund.”
- Measure: Bring in the product. Track the results. Did it sell? Who bought it? Did it bring new shoppers into the store?
- Adjust: Let the data—not your assumptions—guide your next decision. If it works, expand. If it fails, learn the lesson, clear the stock, and try a different experiment.
Your Final Takeaway: Find Your Own Boundaries
Your customers know more about what they might buy from you than you do. Give them the opportunity by offering products outside of what they (and you) might expect.
How far can you stray from your “type” of business? As far as what works.
Keep stepping further away while not ignoring the all-vital core of your business. My advice is to not be restricted by what you think your business is.
The key is to expand your product range in retail in a way that works for you.. You’ll likely find they are much wider than you ever imagined.
