Your small business plans on selling electronics. Before you order your products, you will want to consider how you’ll store them. You’ll want to find a designated storage space that will keep all of these products safe and damage-free.
Storage Spaces for Electronics
Your small business can’t afford to have its very own warehouse. So, how can you find a storage space that works with your budget?
One solution you can consider is a commercial storage facility. You can rent a large unit and keep all of your electronics inside it.
A disadvantage that comes with commercial storage facilities is that they can be far from your center of operations. If you’d rather not drive back and forth to access your electronic inventory, you should consider building your own storage unit out of a shipping container.
All you have to do is find a shipping container. An online seller can help with that. It will source shipping containers available near your location. For instance, if you live in Houston, Texas, you can find used shipping containers for sale in Houston with the click of a button. Pick the container size that you need, and soon enough, it will be delivered to your center of operations in Houston.
Control the Temperature
Most electronics will need to be stored in a “room temperature” area. If they are in a room that is too hot or too cold, they could take on damage and not function as well. If these electronics lose their quality, you could get a series of product returns or recalls. Your business could lose a lot of money on product sales and return costs. It could also lose some customers, who will be drawn toward competitors in the field.
What can you do to maintain a regular storage temperature?
- If you’re hoping to store your electronics in a commercial storage facility, check to see whether it has any temperature-controlled units available. These units come with heating and cooling appliances to keep the interiors at a safe temperature throughout the seasons.
- If you’re hoping to store your electronics in a converted shipping container, you should add layers of insulation to the interior walls. Insulation should reduce the influence of extreme cold, extreme heat and moisture inside the storage container.
- If you’re hoping to store your electronics in a converted shipping container, you can install a wall-mounted HVAC unit to improve the interior temperature control throughout the year.
- No matter where you’re storing your electronics, you should always keep them off the floor. The floor will be the coldest part of the building. Store your electronics on sturdy shelving units. Or, at the very least, raise them off the floor with the help of wooden pallets.
Prioritize Security
Electronics are popular targets for cargo theft. So, if you don’t want to lose your electronics, you should make sure that they are stored in a place that’s completely secure.
If you’re going to keep your electronics in a commercial storage facility, make sure that it has plenty of security features, like surveillance cameras and alarms. You should also consider signing up for storage unit insurance. In the case that your items are stolen, you can at least financially recover from the disaster.
If you’re going to keep your electronics in a converted shipping container, you should add your own security features. Install security cameras, motion-sensor lights and security alarms. Use a padlock to lock the container doors and then put a heavy-duty lockbox over that. A lockbox can stop thieves from using bolt-cutters on the lock and forcing their way indoors.
Storing electronics can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. By following these tips, your business can make sure that its electronics remain safe, damage-free and ready for purchase.