Area Manager Luxury Retail Visit Checklist

Use local date format (e.g. 10/02/2026).

Enter the store or location name.

Who is completing this visit?

Who is accountable for actions after the visit?

Choose the main reason for today’s visit.

Write three specific outcomes (e.g. ‘reduce queue time at peak’, ‘fix VM compliance’, ‘close stock accuracy gaps’).

Check open actions, owners, and due dates. Bring the top blockers into the visit plan.

Note where performance changed and what you want to validate in-store.

Look at appointment activity, outreach volume, and CRM hygiene indicators used by your business.

Check recent incidents, exceptions, and any loss prevention focus areas.

Review cycle count results, stock adjustments, and any repeated variances.

Check rota coverage, training gaps, probation milestones, absence trends, and key roles.

Share focus areas and what evidence you will want to see.

Confirm trading priorities, staffing, known risks, and time plan for the visit.

E.g. peak hours, appointments, events, deliveries, known outages, VIP visits.

Make sure the store team can tell you the targets without guessing.

How confident are you that the team knows what matters most today?

Check lighting, cleanliness, fingerprints, signage accuracy, and overall impact from outside-in.

Focus on mirrors, handles, counters, fitting rooms, and high-touch areas.

Assess against the current VM guide and any launch directives.

Spot-check hero lines and high-value items. Look for missing, incorrect, or inconsistent tickets.

Consider spacing, symmetry, replenishment, packaging, and ‘shopability’ without clutter.

Check storage discipline, housekeeping, and whether the team can find key stock quickly.

Observe multiple interactions. Check warmth, timing, and confidence without being scripted.

Are colleagues asking meaningful questions and connecting product to the customer’s needs?

Look for appointment management, follow-ups, and confident use of customer history where appropriate.

Assess whether peak moments are anticipated and managed (including fitting rooms and checkout).

Check accuracy, care, speed, and premium finishing touches.

Ask how the team handles complaints, returns exceptions, or damaged items — and who approves what.

Check peak coverage, key roles, and whether breaks are planned without risking service.

Do colleagues know who is owning greeting, fitting rooms, till, replenishment, and appointments?

Look for quick feedback loops: what good looks like, what to do next time, and follow-up.

Confirm how gaps are captured and how completion is checked (not just assigned).

Assess consistency and confidence, including name badges and presentation details.

Check storage, access, handling, and any required sign-off processes.

Spot-check cycle counts, adjustments, and whether discrepancies are investigated properly.

Verify checks on receipt, documentation, and secure handling of returns and transfers.

Include till discipline, refunds, voids, and approval limits.

E.g. CCTV status, EAS tags where used, secure cabinets, keyholding, and incident logging.

If yes, complete the next questions and ensure owners and timelines are agreed before leaving site.

Choose the highest-risk category that applies.

What happened, what is the impact, and what immediate controls are in place?

Name the owner and state the deadline (today, 24 hours, 72 hours, etc.).

Recap what you saw, what will change, and what support the store needs.

Call out specific behaviours or standards worth repeating.

Keep it focused. Prioritise the few actions that will change performance, not a long wish list.

When will you check progress (call, message, or next visit)?

Confirms the close-out discussion happened and actions are understood.