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In The Sims 2, you can shake things up by running your own business. Whether you purchase a Community Lot or start from scratch at home, you can make a household name out of a few Simoleons and an entrepreneur’s dream.
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The possibilities are near endless when it comes to things you can sell. We’ll help you figure out how to start a business and get it running smoothly. After that, it’s up to you to maintain a positive environment and stay the course to become a top rank business! Here’s everything you need to know to get your sim’s business off the ground.
How To Start A Business
Starting a business in The Sims 2 is easy! All you need to do is ensure your sim has access to a phone or computer in their home. There are two types of businesses you can run: a home business and a community lot business.
How To Start A Home Business
To start a home business, pick up the phone or log onto the computer and select the Business option. Choose to start a home business, then confirm. The Business menu will now appear in the top right corner of the screen. This is free, making it a great startup option.
To ensure you operate smoothly, add shelves to your home and a cash register. You’ll also want to add an open and closed sign so you can control when customers arrive on the lot. To select what items are for sale, use the price tag tool to select the desired items.
It’s a good idea to place a door and lock it for the household only so customers can’t enter every room in the house.
Starting a business outside the house costs a lot more. Use the phone or computer to open the Real Estate dialogue option, then select the option to purchase a Community Lot. You’ll get to browse a list of available lots and their prices. Once you’ve confirmed your choice, you’ll receive a deed to the property.
You can then go to the location whenever you’d like to start working. Feel free to bring additional members of the household with you to get things set up! There are several types of businesses you can run, including but not limited to:
- A restaurant.
- A clothing store.
- A car dealership.
- A toy store.
- A nightclub.
- A flower shop.
If you can’t find a way to start the business venture you’d like, you can always place the ticket machine on the lot and charge for entry to the property!
Home businesses are more difficult to run restaurants, clothing stores, and car dealerships.
How To Hire Employees
No matter what kind of business you run, you’ll have your hands full doing things on your own. Hiring employees ensures that the work gets done and you can manage other aspects of the job.
You can hire sims by using the phone or computer to look over applications, or you can directly interview and hire sims on the spot. Either option will show you the sim’s skills, badges, and hourly wage so you can make an informed decision before hiring them.
Once they’re hired, you can look over your staff in the employee menu on the business wheel. You can speak to the sim and use the management option to:
- Assign a uniform.
- Assign a role.
- Send home for the day.
- Lay off.
- Fire.
- Get back to work.
- Change salary.
How To Increase Your Business Level
As you work, you’ll make connections and schmooze customers into buying your goods. Doing so will grant loyalty stars, which endear the customer to you. With every star, you’ll get one step closer to ranking up your business!
When you rank up, you’ll unlock a point for a business perk.
Customers can have anywhere from five red stars to five gold stars. If your customers are in the red, they need to be calmed and dealt with swiftly before they tear down your reputation.
Be kind to customers and help them find what they’re looking for. Keep products stocked on the shelves and the cash register manned so no one gets frustrated waiting in a stagnant line with their purchase. When it doubt, talk it out!
Your business can either tank or become a bustling hub of commerce. Below are the available business ranks and how many stars you need to reach them:
All businesses start out at rank zero.
|
Business Rank |
Title |
Loyalty Stars |
|---|---|---|
|
-5 |
Bankrupt Bargain Basement |
-50 |
|
-4 |
Derelict Discounter |
-30 |
|
-3 |
Paltry Peddler |
-20 |
|
-2 |
Shoddy Shop |
-12 |
|
-1 |
Mediocre Market |
-5 |
|
0 |
Middling Merchant |
0 |
|
1 |
Tenderfoot Trader |
3 |
|
2 |
Budding Brokerage |
7 |
|
3 |
Fledgling Firm |
12 |
|
4 |
Burgeoning Bazaar |
20 |
|
5 |
Proficient Purveyor |
30 |
|
6 |
Empowered Emporium |
45 |
|
7 |
Unique Boutique |
60 |
|
8 |
Esteemed Establishment |
75 |
|
9 |
Outstanding Outlet |
100 |
|
10 |
Visionary Vending Venture |
125 |
All Business Perks
With each rank up, you’ll get a point to use towards a perk. below are all the available perks for your business:
|
Connections |
Perception |
Cash |
Wholesale |
Motivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Power Network A sim can meet anyone through another target, with a Sterling Reputation boost. |
Manipulation A sim can control another to purchase items at the cost of loyalty. |
Will Wright Grant One-time reward of $50,000. |
Shark of Sharks 30 percent discount on catalog items. |
Rally Forth! A sim sacrifices their own needs to boost the needs of all present sims. |
|
Head For Numbers A sim can call any sim in the phonebook, outside NPCs, even if they never met. |
Convincing Personality Increases the effectiveness of sales interactions. |
Owners Association Award One-time reward of $20,000. |
Serious Negotiator 24 percent discount on catalog items. |
Boundless Influence Influence points are doubled when fulfilling wants. |
|
Network A sim can use the Network interaction to know all sims another knows, with a Notable Reputation boost. |
Look For Mark A sim will look around and identify the most susceptible sim to sales. |
Chamber of Commerce Prize One-time reward of $10,000. |
Bargain Hunter 19 percent discount on catalog items. |
Motivational Speech A sim can motivate another to do well, temporarily increases a sim’s talent badges. |
|
Sterling Reputation New relationships start with a +10 boost. |
Assess Desire A sim can look an another and determine what item they really want. |
Valued Client Rebate One-time reward of $2,500. |
Supplier Partnership 15 percent discount on catalog items. |
Perk Up Improve another sim’s mood at the cost of the initiating sim’s needs. |
|
Notable Reputation New relationships start with a +5 boost. |
Assess Mood A sim can read another sim’s mood. |
LeTourneau Prize One-time reward of $1,000. |
Wholesale Discount 12 percent discount on catalog items. |
Simply Influential Increases the capacity for influence. |
To avoid losing points when customer loyalty dips, spend your points immediately.
