Otaku Haven

# Intent — Operations SOPs

Owner: James Whitfield
Last Updated: 2026-04-21

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## Purpose

Produce the complete set of standard operating procedures for Otaku Haven's daily retail operations. These SOPs operationalize the policies established in the Employee Handbook (Intent 3) and must be consistent with the staffing model, technology stack, store hours, and financial assumptions across all prior intents. This is the largest intent by document count (11 SOPs) and tests Trail's ability to maintain coherence across a high volume of related but distinct artifacts.

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## Constraints

- All SOPs must reference Square for Retail as the POS system and Gusto for timekeeping/scheduling.
- Store hours (Mon–Sat 10am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm) and staffing levels (8 total employees) must be reflected accurately in any SOP that references scheduling, coverage, or staffing.
- SOPs must be operationally realistic for a single-location, 1,800 sq ft retail store with a small team. Do not design procedures that require dedicated loss prevention staff, warehouse teams, or other resources the store doesn't have.
- Output format: Word (.docx) only for this intent.
- Output location: `Business Plan/04-Operations-SOPs/`

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## Dependencies & Files

**Input files:**
- `trail/meta/files/Otaku_Haven_Reference_Data.md` — canonical fact set (store hours, staffing, technology, product categories, location)
- `trail/meta/files/Otaku_Haven_Document_Checklist.md` — master checklist

**Cross-document dependencies (prior intent deliverables):**
- `Business Plan/03-HR/Employee-Handbook.docx` — policies that SOPs operationalize (discipline, confidentiality, scheduling, safety, technology use)
- `Business Plan/02-Strategic/Business-Plan.docx` — operations section for consistency
- `Business Plan/02-Strategic/Financial-Model.xlsx` — cash handling thresholds, inventory valuation method

**External dependencies:**
- None.

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## Scope (In Scope)

1. Store Opening Procedures SOP
2. Store Closing Procedures SOP
3. Daily Cash Handling and Reconciliation SOP
4. POS Usage and Transaction Handling SOP
5. Returns, Exchanges, and Refunds Policy & SOP
6. Customer Service and Sales Floor Standards SOP
7. Inventory Receiving, Stocking, and Cycle Counts SOP
8. Visual Merchandising and Seasonal Reset SOP
9. Loss Prevention and Incident Reporting SOP
10. Safety and Emergency Procedures SOP
11. Vendor Consignment or Special Product Agreements SOP

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## Out of Scope (Non-Goals)

- Online order fulfillment / click-and-collect SOP — cut from scope; Square Online handles natively.
- Cleaning and store presentation SOP — cut from scope.
- Standalone forms (incident report form, complaint form, inventory adjustment form) — these may be referenced by SOPs as "use Form X" but the forms themselves are not deliverables in this intent.
- Employee handbook policies — already produced in Intent 3.
- Training materials — already produced in Intent 3.

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## Assumptions

- Each SOP is a standalone document that can be used independently for training and reference.
- SOPs follow a consistent format: purpose, scope, responsibilities, procedure (step-by-step), related documents, revision history placeholder.
- The store has a single POS terminal area with one or two registers (Square for Retail terminals).
- Cash handling involves a single cash drawer per register, daily reconciliation, and bank deposits.
- Inventory receiving happens at the store — there is no separate warehouse or back-of-house receiving dock. Product arrives via delivery to the storefront.
- The consignment section is a small portion of the store (local creator items). The SOP for this covers intake, pricing, tracking, and creator payment — not a full consignment management system.
- Loss prevention is handled through staff awareness, camera systems, and procedural controls — not dedicated LP personnel or electronic article surveillance (EAS) tagging systems.

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## Specifics

### SOP Format (all 11 documents)

Each SOP must follow this structure:
1. **Header:** SOP title, document number (SOP-001 through SOP-011), effective date (June 1, 2026), last revised date, approved by
2. **Purpose:** Why this procedure exists (1–2 sentences)
3. **Scope:** Who this applies to and when
4. **Responsibilities:** Which role(s) are responsible for each aspect
5. **Procedure:** Numbered step-by-step instructions
6. **Related Documents:** Cross-references to other SOPs, handbook sections, or forms
7. **Revision History:** Empty table (Date, Description, Approved By)

### SOP-Specific Details

**Store Opening (SOP-001):** Alarm deactivation, lights/HVAC, cash drawer setup, POS system startup, merchandise walkthrough, signage/displays check, unlock doors at opening time.

**Store Closing (SOP-002):** Last customer sweep, register closing/reconciliation, cash deposit prep, merchandise security check, cleaning tasks, alarm activation, lock up. References the cash handling SOP.

**Cash Handling (SOP-003):** Starting cash amount, making change, handling large bills, register reconciliation procedure, variance thresholds and reporting, deposit preparation, safe procedures. Must be consistent with the Cash Management policy in Intent 5.

**POS Usage (SOP-004):** Square for Retail operations: ringing sales, applying discounts (who can authorize and at what thresholds), processing gift cards, handling voids, running end-of-day reports. References Square-specific workflows.

**Returns and Exchanges (SOP-005):** Return window, receipt requirements, condition requirements, refund methods (original payment, store credit), exchange procedures, defective product handling, manager override scenarios. This is the internal SOP — the customer-facing return policy (Intent 7) must match.

**Customer Service (SOP-006):** Greeting standards, engagement approach (knowledgeable enthusiasm, not aggressive sales), product recommendation techniques, handling difficult customers, escalation to manager, phone/email inquiry handling.

**Inventory Receiving and Stocking (SOP-007):** Delivery acceptance, checking against PO, documenting discrepancies, entering inventory into Square, labeling/pricing, shelving by category, cycle count procedures (frequency, method, variance handling).

**Visual Merchandising (SOP-008):** Display standards by product category, end cap rotation schedule, seasonal/thematic reset triggers (anime release calendar, conventions, holidays), signage standards, new arrival highlighting.

**Loss Prevention (SOP-009):** Staff awareness training, camera system usage, high-value item handling (figures over $X in locked cases), shoplifting response procedure, internal theft prevention, incident documentation requirements. References the Safety SOP and Incident Report Form.

**Safety and Emergency (SOP-010):** Fire evacuation procedure, severe weather sheltering, medical emergency response, active threat protocol, emergency contact list, first aid kit location and maintenance. Must reference the store's floor plan and exit locations. Must align with the Workplace Violence and Safety Policy in the Employee Handbook.

**Vendor Consignment (SOP-011):** Creator application/intake process, pricing guidelines, product acceptance criteria, inventory tracking in Square, sales reporting to creators, payment schedule and method, product return/removal process, quality and appropriateness standards.

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## Deliverables

1. `SOP-001-Store-Opening.docx`
2. `SOP-002-Store-Closing.docx`
3. `SOP-003-Cash-Handling.docx`
4. `SOP-004-POS-Usage.docx`
5. `SOP-005-Returns-Exchanges.docx`
6. `SOP-006-Customer-Service.docx`
7. `SOP-007-Inventory-Receiving.docx`
8. `SOP-008-Visual-Merchandising.docx`
9. `SOP-009-Loss-Prevention.docx`
10. `SOP-010-Safety-Emergency.docx`
11. `SOP-011-Vendor-Consignment.docx`

All deliverables written to `Business Plan/04-Operations-SOPs/`

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## Acceptance Criteria

1. All 11 SOPs follow the standard format (header, purpose, scope, responsibilities, procedure, related documents, revision history).
2. All SOPs reference Square for Retail as the POS system where applicable.
3. All SOPs reference Gusto for scheduling/timekeeping where applicable.
4. SOPs that reference staffing reflect the correct roles and headcount from the reference data.
5. SOP-003 (Cash Handling) is consistent with the Cash Management policy to be produced in Intent 5. Assumptions about thresholds and controls must be documented in results.md for Intent 5 to reference.
6. SOP-005 (Returns) establishes the internal policy that the customer-facing return policy (Intent 7) must match.
7. SOP-010 (Safety) aligns with the Workplace Violence and Safety Policy in the Employee Handbook.
8. Cross-references between SOPs are accurate (e.g., Store Closing references Cash Handling).
9. No SOP assumes resources, staff, or systems that don't exist in the reference data.
10. Document numbering (SOP-001 through SOP-011) is consistent and sequential.

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## Notes

This is 11 documents following a consistent structure. The Manager should consider whether to produce all 11 in a single run or split into logical groups. Possible groupings: daily operations (001–004), customer/sales (005–006), inventory/merchandise (007–008), security/safety (009–010), and specialty (011).

SOP-003 (Cash Handling) establishes thresholds and controls that Intent 5's Cash Management and Internal Controls Policy will formalize. The Developer should document the specific dollar thresholds chosen in results.md so they can be carried forward.

SOP-005 (Returns) establishes the internal return policy. Intent 7 will produce the customer-facing version. The Architect will ensure consistency during Intent 7 review.