Keeping up a charming store appearance can feel like rolling the proverbial boulder up the proverbial hill, only to see it roll back down again.

Still, as Sisyphean tasks go, none are more worthy. There’s a mountain of data to confirm that investing in the look of your store can have a profound benefit.

95% of consumers say their shopping decisions are influenced by a store’s exterior.

Every day, gamers have a blast inside your store. The more obvious you can make that from the outside, the more appealing you are to passersby.

Experiment with creative window displays. Get clever with a sandwich sign. Browse Pinterest for decoration ideas, or take inspiration from holidays or gaming lore.

But before any of that, handle the first, simplest, most important thing:

52% of consumers say they’ve avoided a store because it looked unkempt from the outside.

So long as you’re regularly maintaining the storefront—replacing faded posters, scrubbing blemished windows—you can be confident that you’re making a good impression.

A thoughtfully maintained exterior promises a good experience. And the interior delivers on the promise.

99% of consumers say poor maintenance leaves a poor impression.

Orderly endcaps, a well-organized singles case—these are low-effort, low-cost, and incredibly powerful ways to influence nearly every single one of your customers.

If you’ve got the budget but not the time, hire a cleaning service. If you’ve got the time but not the budget, just make sure tidying up is on your daily to-do list.

What’s the customer’s number one concern, as far as tidiness goes?

94% of consumers say they’d avoid a business with unwelcoming restrooms.

The data says keeping customers coming back means keeping the restrooms spotless.

Yes, it’s an endless task. So is the daily cleanup, rotating displays, sorting, decorating, arranging—these duties are never finished. But neither is great game store.

So go on improving!

By Matt Neubert