Business cards are easy to treat as an afterthought when a retail opening involves storefront branding, labels and stock all at once, but they are still one of the most-used pieces of print for a retail business, handed to suppliers, wholesale customers, and shoppers who want to be contacted about custom or repeat orders. This guide covers the practical decisions specific to a retail store rather than a general office business card order.
What Goes On a Retail Business Card
Beyond the standard name and contact details, retail store cards often benefit from including the store's physical location clearly, since walk-in customers are the core of the business, and any social media handle the store actively uses for product updates or promotions. If the store operates any kind of loyalty or repeat-customer arrangement, the card is also a natural place to note it, though the specific terms should be confirmed with the store owner rather than assumed.
Paper Stock and Finish
Retail businesses tend to hand out cards more frequently and in more varied settings than an office-based business, from the till counter to a market stall or pop-up event, so a slightly heavier card stock generally holds up better over time than a thin, standard-weight option. Matte and gloss finishes are both common; matte tends to photograph better for social sharing, while gloss can suit stores with brighter, more colourful branding.
Matching the Card to Your Storefront Branding
Because a retail card is often the only piece of print a customer takes away with them, it is worth designing it from the same finalised logo and colour files used on your storefront branding and product labels, rather than treating it as a separate design exercise. A mismatch between the shop sign and the card handed out at the till is one of the more common small inconsistencies in a new retail launch.
Ordering Alongside Other Opening Materials
Business cards are usually one of the quickest items to finalise once your branding files are locked in, which makes them a good candidate to order after storefront branding and product labels rather than before, so the design is consistent with everything else already decided. Our business card range covers standard and premium options.
Common Questions
Should I order business cards before or after my storefront signage?
After, if possible. Finalising your storefront branding first means the business card can be designed to match it exactly, rather than the other way around.
Do retail stores need business cards if most sales happen in person?
Many retail owners find them useful anyway, particularly for wholesale contacts, suppliers, and customers who want to reach the store about a custom or repeat order after they leave.
Next Steps
For the full list of what a new retail store typically needs printed before opening, see our Retail Store Opening Printing Package page.
