What is a small or medium retail business
Single‑site or small network retailers that rely on lighting, air conditioning, point‑of‑sale and back‑of‑house equipment, and, where relevant, refrigeration. These businesses seek competitive rates and simple plan structures.
Common examples
- Specialty stores and boutiques
- Convenience and grocery
- Pharmacies and health retail
- Homewares and gifts
Typical profile
Quarterly bills, time‑of‑use tariffs, and quick savings that do not disrupt trading or customer experience.
What is a commercial and multi‑site retail operator
Larger retailers that manage multiple stores or large formats with higher, sustained loads across lighting, HVAC, and, where relevant, refrigeration. These operators benefit from structured procurement and portfolio energy strategy.
Common examples
- National and state‑based retail groups
- Large‑format stores and showrooms
- Pharmacy and health networks
- Multi‑tenancy retail portfolios
Typical profile
Monthly billing, interval metering, demand charges across sites, and procurement via tender to secure competitive rates over 1 to 5‑year terms aligned to risk appetite and contract goals.
.png)
Challenges for small and medium retailers
- Lighting and air conditioning costs across long trading hours
- Refrigeration where applicable, adding constant load
- Limited time to compare plans and understand fees
- Bills that change with season and trading peaks
- Contract complexity at renewal
How Zembl helps
Energy bills, Energy insights, Energy solutions: we compare and secure competitive rates, surface usage insights, and help implement practical efficiency actions with minimal disruption.
Challenges for multi‑site retail operators
- Managing energy across multiple stores and formats
- Aligning contract end dates and network charges across the portfolio
- Balancing customer comfort with cost control
- Limited visibility of usage by site or department
- Limited internal resources to run tenders and manage rollovers
How Zembl helps
Procurement strategy and usage insights tailored to multi‑site portfolios. We coordinate onboarding and keep contracts on track.
Two recent success stories
Gibson Gifts reaped $3,900 in energy savings with Zembl
Giftware retailer lowering annual costs through expert comparison and a better‑fit plan.
Chempro Pharmacy Group cuts energy costs by $116,000 annually
Multi‑site pharmacy network improving portfolio costs with a tailored energy approach.
FAQs for retail businesses
How is energy used in retail businesses?
Retail stores use energy for lighting, refrigeration, point of sale systems and air conditioning. These areas operate for long hours and often during peak demand times, which increases overall usage and costs.
Why do energy bills fluctuate in retail?
Bills change due to seasonal temperature shifts, longer trading hours, refrigeration load and peak shopping periods. Air conditioning in summer and heating in winter can significantly increase energy usage.
How can small retailers reduce their energy costs?
Small retailers can reduce costs by comparing plans regularly, switching off unused equipment, upgrading to efficient lighting, reviewing contract terms before expiry and managing air conditioning settings more closely.
What drives the highest energy usage in larger retail operators?
Larger operators often experience higher usage due to extensive lighting, multiple refrigeration units, HVAC systems and longer operating hours. Running equipment at the same time can increase peak demand charges.
How can multi-site retail groups improve energy efficiency?
Multi-site operators can align contract end dates, benchmark usage across stores, review tariffs, upgrade older equipment and use energy data to understand where and when high consumption occurs.
Talk to a Zembl energy expert
We help retailers act with confidence. Share your latest bill or, for multi‑site portfolios, recent interval data and site lists. We will compare options, present clear recommendations, and coordinate the change once approved.
.png)
.png)
.svg)
.svg)
