If you (property owner) own a retail strip center and you have a retail tenant that occupies a storefront or a space in the center that is ill-suited for marketing its goods, that business could eventually become a liability to the owner because of low sales volume, poor “fit” into the tenant mix, or inability to meet its rent obligations.
When leasing to a retail tenant, be sure that you understand the tenant's method of operation, expense structure, who their target market is and potential sales performance. In addition, please be sure to qualify the tenant to make sure that they know retail business in general. You do not want someone with no experience who just assumes that selling any product will generate revenue. The retailer should have the basic knowledge of what merchandise to carry in stock, how, many of each item to buy and carry in stock, how much space to alot for each items, what price to charge and how to display, advertise and promote each items. If the retailer does not seem to be able to achieve a profit and is not competitive in the marketplace, do not bring into your retail center or you will soon have to deal with a defaulting tenant. For expert advice on managing your shopping center, please contact a Certified Property Manager.