How to start a successful business in The Sims 2 Open for Business

The Sims 2 Open for Business is the third expansion pack for The Sims 2, released in winter 2006. With this add-on, your Sims can start their own business! It is very interesting to manage a store, but not everyone knows how to make the business develop successfully. Read on if you are unsure of your strategy!

Steps

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 1

Step 1. Select the type of business

There are many options! Flower or grocery store, toy store, shopping mall, pet store, nightclub, restaurant, hairdresser, pastry shop, furniture store, bowling club, etc. Use your imagination and other installed add-ons (if you have them). Also, be guided by your Sim's skills. Is he a cooking master? The confectionery is your choice. Good at mechanics? Consider a toy store.

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 2

Step 2. Equip your business

A business can be opened on either a public lot or a home lot. For a flower or toy store, a home site is more suitable, while a restaurant and bowling club are better opened in a public area. If you are going to sell something, place the product on the shelves. And more - visitors do not hesitate to shop! Most businesses require a cash register. A restroom would also be helpful. Hang a green "Open / Closed" badge outside the front door so that visitors know when the store is open. You need the Sims 2 Nightlife DLC to open the restaurant.

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 3

Step 3. Register your business

If you decide to open a business on a home lot, select the "Business" and "Open a new business" option on your phone. If you have made a choice in favor of a public plot, click "Buy Property". Keep in mind that you will need a certain amount of money for this.

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 4

Step 4. Buyers

After opening a business, potential buyers will come to your lot. Pay attention to confused visitors and advise them. It is better to have the appropriate skill for working with a cash register, as too slow service can anger customers and they will leave. But don't worry - things will go faster over time.

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 5

Step 5. Employees

If you start to lose control and need help, hire employees. This can be done via the phone. The staff have both good and bad sides. The good side of the matter is that you no longer have to be in two places at the same time. While you are helping customers or restocking supplies, another sim will be working at the checkout. The bad side is that employees need to be paid their salaries … and sometimes they prefer to shirk. If you started a home lot business, involve the rest of the family - they don't need to pay!

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 6

Step 6. How is the case progressing?

This can be found in the large table in the upper right corner. It displays all visitors, staff, the ratio of earned / spent money, etc. Look there to be aware of.

Have a Successful Business on the Sims 2 Open for Business Step 7

Step 7. Replenish your stocks

Items sold won’t miraculously appear on the shelves again. An X sign appears at the place of the sold item - click on it to replenish stocks. An easier way can be found in the "Tips" section.

Advice

Do not open a business on a site that is too small or, on the contrary, too grandiose. Big business slows down the game, causing Sims to spend hours moving around. A lot that is too small may not fit all the goods and it will quickly become overfilled. A 3x3 patch works best.
Better to set a low price for the product. So buyers are more likely to decide on a deal.
Don't be discouraged if the staff doesn't want to do their job. You can work alone. It's not as difficult as it sounds.
Don't forget to close the store. You can't work around the clock - it's pretty exhausting! Plus, you need time to restock.
Place the most expensive goods near the walls - this way they will sell better. Cheap items can be placed in the center of the lot.
Be sure to raise employees' salaries when they receive new insignia. Otherwise, they will quit and you will have to look for new ones!
To purchase an expensive business lot, enter the code motherlode. It will add 50,000 Simoleons to your budget!
When shopping, be sure to select the "Bulk Purchase" function to get a discount.
Want to spend less time and money restocking? Exit to city mode and press Ctrl, Shift and C at the same time. A window will appear at the top of the screen. Enter boolprop tesingcheatsenabled true. Now go back to the lot, press Shift and click on the item sold to update it for free.
Do not buy a lot of things after opening a store, otherwise the cash flow counter will drop a lot. Buy whatever you need before starting a business.
A beauty salon is another business option. Fix the mess on the head of your visitors and get paid for it.
To open a restaurant, you need the Sims 2 Nightlife or Sims 2 Double Deluxe expansion.
A different tactic is needed to grow a restaurant, so look for a dedicated article on this topic.
To open a pet store, you need the Sims 2 Pets expansion.
Birds and rodents cannot be sold in the pet store.
Enjoy the game!
To prevent employees from needing breaks, open the codes window (Ctrl + Shift + C) and type 'maxmotives'. This will maximize all their needs.

Warnings

Do not use code maxmotives when there are buyers on your site. Their purchase counter will reset to zero and you are unlikely to be able to close a deal. To avoid this, call the staff to work before opening the store, enter the code maxmotives and then 'motivedecay off'. This will increase all Sims' needs to the maximum and they will no longer decrease.
Do not save the game with boolprop testingcheatsenabled enabled - this may cause problems with the site. If you are using this code, be sure to turn it off with the "boolprop testingcheatsenabled false" code before saving.