It’s vital to choose the correct location for your business, because the right location will attract customers and employees. Remember: Different rules apply in different areas as each municipality has its own by-laws. Make sure you know the zoning of your business premises and the regulations that control the development and usage of land for reasons such as noise levels and impact on the surrounding environment, etc. The nature of your business means that a business licence or Certificate of Acceptability (COA) is not required. However, using dangerous machinery or equipment requires a safe working environment and staff with the right skills and training. It is crucial to invest in precautionary measures like fire extinguishers, first aid kits and fast response procedures in the case of emergencies such as fire or injuries

Know the rules 


 If you familiarise yourself with the following Acts you can ensure your business adheres to the regulations and avoids any potential penalties:

As a new business you are required to register with SARS (South African Revenue Service), file a tax return and make payments timeously. The most common types of business taxes are VAT (Value Added Tax), PAYE (Pay As You Earn), UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) and SDL (Skills Development Levy). There are tax incentives (benefits) available that were designed to reduce the tax burden and liability for small businesses that qualify, such as Turnover Tax (TOT), Small Business Corporation Taxes (SBC) and Employment Tax Incentive (ETI).

Provisional tax for companies 
Companies are required to submit and pay a Provisional Tax every six (6) months from the start of their financial year, and to submit a Company Income Tax return every twelve (12) months after the end of their financial year.
 
Compulsory company returns

Companies need to submit a return even if they were not trading, and/or immediately apply for deregistration if they are not planning to trade in the future.

As a business owner, you should be thinking about any potential risks of damage or destruction to your business or harm to your customers. Any such incidents will cost time and money to resolve, and will disrupt business operations.

If you are going to employ one or more employees, be they part-time, temporary or permanent, then as an employer you are required to register, declare and pay UIF contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) which was established under section 4 of the Unemployment Insurance Act (Act no. 63 of 2001). The purpose of this fund is to provide short-term relief to workers (subject to certain conditions) when they become unemployed, or are unable to work because of illness, maternity or adoption leave.

Your store needs to draw attention and encourage customers to enter and buy. Great first impressions are key to attract customers, secure repeat sales and encourage customers to refer people they know. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. Once you have decided on the best location for your store, there are a few key things to consider to support a memorable customer experience, such as the floor plan, visual merchandising, great customer service and others. This all depends on the size and design of the space, your staff and your target market. Delivering on your business brand is the ‘promise’ you make to your customer, and you want to keep it. Try and create a personalised, unique and quality in-store experience. If you have a business website and/or social media presence, ensure there is consistency in this regard - your customer should see and feel the connection.