Making the most of discount stores can aid in improving your company's bottom line without sacrificing quality or aesthetic appeal. All types of new start-up companies that don't expect to operate in the black until after the first few years should especially watch costs closely, comparison shop and look for the deals at discount department stores, discount furniture stores and other stores with discounted merchandise.

The big discount stores offer great deals because they receive advantages in purchasing, distribution and marketing. They then pass those advantages on to customers in the form of discounts for just about any product you can think of.

1. You'll always know when you're visiting a discount store since they incorporate a central checkout location, as opposed to locating checkout registers within individual departments.

2. Large discount chain stores dominate the discount store landscape by offering cost-conscious customers discount prices on a wide variety of products in a one-stop shopping environment.

3. The largest discount retail stores include Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart.

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Save time with online or brick-and-mortar discount store chains that sell just about everything

If you thrive on efficiency and always seem to be short on time, combine different shopping trips into one visit to one of many brand name discount stores. You'll even save time with your online shopping since you only have to go through the payment process once.

I recommend: You don't need to look through a directory of discount stores to find the largest, best-known stores around. For great deals, discount store giant Wal-Mart strives to lower the cost of living, and it offers plenty of opportunities when you need discounted merchandise like new business attire, office supplies or electronic equipment. If you maintain a fleet of vehicles, it provides all the products and service you'll need at discounted prices. Read more about the history of Target, another large discount department store, to see the focus on discount prices since its inception during the 1960s.

Shop discount furniture stores to create the best impression for your clients and customers

You can furnish your office with some great brand-name pieces of furniture without breaking the bank. You'll come across tons of deals for desks, tables, credenzas, book cases, chairs and sofas.

I recommend: Boyles Distinctive Furniture provides many opportunities for great deals on home office or business office furniture and offers nationwide delivery with white glove service. For an up-scale office look, it sells furniture at 40% to 50% off retail prices. If you want to spend a little less but still find the best office furniture for the price, check out the deals at FurnitureBuzz. The company lets you order online or purchase on site at its Georgia location. To complete your office, select from all types of furniture and accessories for offices, break rooms, conference rooms and reception/lobby areas.

Use discount chain stores as a source for resale items

These days, visiting huge discount membership warehouse equates to visiting a discount drug store and pharmacy, discount tire store, discount appliance store and more all rolled into one. While these stores target different audiences, they fully expect small businesses to purchase items from them for resale.

I recommend: Costco began its operations in 1976 and focused solely on catering to businesses. To offer even better prices, it later expanded its customer base to the general public but still offers business memberships that permit members to buy for the purpose of resale, business and personal use. Enter your zip code and find thousands of business products that Costco will ship to you – these are items they don’t carry in their discount store chains. Sam's Club business members receive the benefits of special shopping hours prior to general public club hours, additional savings when buying select single items by the truckload and savings on additional services like travel and check printing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're shopping discount furniture stores to outfit your office, don't forget to add the cost of shipping, which can get pricey. You may also incur additional costs for delivering furniture into your building and assembly.

If you're like many small businesses, discount stores can help you because you're always looking for ways to save money. From paperclips to paper cups, businesses often need a variety of items. In order to maximize the benefits you can receive when shopping at discount stores, ask yourself the following:

1. If there's a membership fee to shop at this discount chain, will my expenses be worth it?
2. Does this discount chain offer rewards or partner plans?
3. Will joining business organizations offer me member benefits at the discount store chains I use?
4. If needed, is it easy to return items to this discount retail store?

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Weigh membership benefits against what you might spend at discount stores

A business will often recoup the membership fee many times over at a store used regularly.

I recommend: Discount chain stores like Costco Wholesale Corporation offer products online that are not available in the stores. At the stores they may be able to pull up your record online with your ID card and give you a summary of what you have bought lately. BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. offers a variety of extra benefits to its business card members, from auto insurance discounts to phone discounts, and it offers exclusive members-only coupons on many discount retail items.

Find discount stores with rewards or partner plans

Rewards programs and partner plans give you money as you spend money. These amounts can add up, whether at discount furniture stores or at a discount tire store.

I recommend: Staples, Inc. offers a 10% back rewards program for individuals. If you have 20 or more employees, check out the more comprehensive businesses benefits. OfficeMax Inc. now has a MaxPerks, a rewards for business plan.

Find discount chain stores with friendly return policies

There's nothing worse than buying something and being hassled at customer service when it doesn't work. Shop where you know you can return items easily and expediently.

I recommend: Costco Wholesale Corporation guarantees all of its merchandise with a full refund, but you have only 90 days on electronic equipment, which includes such items as computers and cell phones. Check the Best Buy return policy if buying such items as computers and monitors, where a 14-day return policy applies. For most other store items, a 30-day policy applies. Opened software will be credited if damaged or defective.

Join organizations whose member benefits include discounted merchandise and services

The dues may be worth the benefits. Associations and organizations can gather their resources and offer their members discounted merchandise at brand-name discount stores, as well as other products and services.

I recommend: The National Federation of Independent Business offers its members discounts on merchandise through Dell as well as services such as FedEx. The National Association for the Self-Employed offers its members discounts on everything from office supplies to health insurance.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep a list of what you need handy, so you can consolidate your out-of-the-office shopping trips to save yourself time while saving money on discounted merchandise.

Discount chain stores are an important part of the commercial sector. Because it is a competitive field, discount retailers need sharp minds and effective management to succeed over their competitors. Training for management positions at brand name discount stores should include customer service skills, and how to work with employees to run an effective workplace.

Training will also extend to skills needed to properly train new employees on safety and company policies. Discount stores management education and training can come from a variety of resources. Often, stores will train their own management. But for those looking to gain additional experience, there also training opportunities with:

1. Videos and books that outline different techniques for store management.

2. Seminars and workshops that provide skills and sales training.

3. Training courses that teach management topics such as hiring and training employees.

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Find retail training opportunities to learn how to run discount retail stores

Management training, whether for high-end retail stores or general discount stores, is relatively similar. Management positions at any type of store require skills like knowing how to implement safety procedures, security, and specific topics to improve customer service. Training in sales is also recommended for management personnel.

I recommend: The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an outline of the education and training needed to work in management positions at retail and discount stores. The American Management Association provides seminars to teach management and supervisory skills necessary for many types of retail jobs. The International Academy of Design & Technology also provides training suitable for those interested in managing discount stores.

Train with programs offered by discount store chains

If you are already working for a store that sells discounted merchandise, you may have the opportunity to advance in your workplace. Most stores offer management training to their existing employees, as well as new hires that may already have management experience. If you are looking more towards owning a franchise, some chains such as Dollar Store provides management/owner training.

I recommend: Wal-Mart Stores provides its employees with training that goes through the skills needed to be a successful manager. The store's Associate Investment Model Toolkit provides a chance for employees to get certified in topics like leadership management and studies in proactive leadership. Discount Tire store provides thorough sales and management training to its employees in an effort to build careers. Sears Holdings Corporation, which owns discount chain K-Mart, offers many store management training opportunities.

Use resource training materials to learn how to manage discount chain stores

Besides taking training courses, many people who a management position will also refer to management resources such as books, videos and self-guided training courses. These are often the same types of materials used in various management training programs as well.

I recommend: Training Store provides many management study materials, including those you can access online. Everything DiSC Management is a DVD program that companies can utilize to train employees on a variety of management topics.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Because many discount retail stores have their own management training, you may still have to go through training offered by your employer whether you have previous experience or not.

From loss leaders to calculating profit margins and shifting customer cost of living, discount stores are an inescapable part of the capitalist economy. While many discount stores market themselves as working for the consumer, their chief concern is still turning a nice profit. This list of basic vocabulary will help you understand the inner workings of discount stores and chains.

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Cost of living

Cost of living refers to the baseline cost of living necessities, such as food, water, clothing and shelter. Discount stores often make reducing the cost of living, or increasing customer quality of life through lower cost of living, a part of their mission statement.

I recommend: Wal-Mart Stores defines how their business and pricing approach helps to enhance customer quality of life through lower cost of living.

Volume discount

Volume discounts are to discount stores what buying in bulk is for the consumer. Large store chains, especially warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club, purchase goods in large quantities and leverage those buying quantities to pay a smaller price for the goods, then pass those discounts on to their customers.

I recommend: WiseGEEK explains the concept of a volume discount and how small stores unable to achieve large volume discounts compete with larger stores.

Up-front membership fees

Some discount chains, especially warehouse stores or buyer's clubs, charge up-front membership fees for access to their goods and services. The fees guarantee them a certain level of income, while their sales pitch to you is that access to their discount prices will more than make up the cost of the membership.

I recommend: BJ’s Wholesale Club details the benefits of how paying their up-front membership fees actually benefit you in the end.

Profit margin

A profit margin is how much of a company's income is actually contributing to its bottom line. A profit margin is calculated not in dollar amounts, but as a percentage, with net income being divided by revenue. Discount stores often rely on volume of sales, as opposed to high prices, to maintain their profit margin.

I recommend: KJE Computer Solutions offers a free online profit margin calculator that allows users to compute what sort of discount they can afford to offer while still meeting their bottom line.

Markup and margin

The retail markup is what percentage of the wholesale price you add to an item to arrive at its resale price. The retail margin is how much of the retail price works out to profit. Note that retail markup and margin are often not the same, the margin usually works out to be a smaller percentage than the markup.

I recommend: The CSGNetwork.com gives an explanation of how to compute retail markup and margin, along with a handy chart for quick reference of markups and margins.

Loss leader

A loss leader is an item or items offered at a steep discount, often at less than wholesale price, which means the company actually loses money on each item sold. This is a useful tactic for discount stores because they get the publicity for steep discounts on in-demand products, while selling other products at their usual margin and greater volume because of customers drawn by the loss leaders.

I recommend: Investopedia explains how loss leaders are actually of help to stores and companies by getting customers in the door so that they'll purchase other products, which allows the store or company turn a profit.