1. Welcome your first shoppers
Campaign starts with $4,500, produce and bakery departments, a cashier, a stocker and inventory. Press 1×. Shoppers select products, carry baskets to checkout and pay when served.
Opening hours run from 08:00 to 20:00. New shoppers stop entering at 19:00 so the checkouts can clear. Customers still waiting at closing leave and return their items to stock.
2. Keep the shelf and backroom connected
Each stocker transfers up to 24 units per hour from the backroom to the emptiest shelves. You can refill a selected shelf manually, but it still needs backroom stock. A $300 upgrade doubles a shelf from 40 to 80 units.
Automatic ordering is on for each open department. When store stock plus incoming deliveries falls below 60, the game orders 80 units if cash is available. Orders take two game hours and add an $8 delivery fee. Disable automation to order manually.
3. Price goods and protect freshness
Each product has a reference price. Charging more reduces shoppers’ willingness to buy. Items already in baskets keep their quoted prices, so a price change applies to future selections.
Produce, bread, milk, pantry goods, frozen goods and household products have different shelf lives. Expired stock is removed from shelves, the backroom and unpurchased baskets. Returned items keep their original expiry date. Watch the oldest batch before ordering more.
4. Give shoppers a fast checkout
Each cashier serves six baskets per hour. Shoppers waiting three hours abandon the queue, return their goods and reduce your reputation. Served shoppers improve it.
Build up to three registers and hire a cashier for each. Registers cost $10 daily, cashiers $50 and stockers $40. Promotions add two shoppers per hour for 36 game hours; run them only when shelves and checkouts can handle the demand.
5. Expand a healthy store
Open dairy, pantry, frozen and household departments. Each opening includes 80 units of starter stock and adds $10 to daily costs. Unlock six milestones as your range, service and sales grow.
Accounts separates operating profit from cash flow. Stock costs enter profit when goods sell or spoil; cash leaves when orders are paid. Delivery fees and promotions are operating expenses, while opening departments, upgrades, hiring and rewards are separate cash changes. Campaign closes after three consecutive closings below $0. Sandbox starts with $15,000 and optional funding. Save backups through More → Save & settings.
Check the foundations.
- Backroom stock can cover the next shelf refill.
- Incoming deliveries will arrive before shelves run empty.
- Prices support both margins and sales.
- Cashiers can serve the current flow of baskets.
- Cash covers the next orders and closing costs.
Your next move is in the game.
Put the guide to work in Supermarket Tycoon.