Small Business System
The Small Business System was introduced in inZOI v0.5.0 (December 2025). Zois can open and manage businesses including bakeries, cafes, restaurants, gyms, florist shops, and more. Features employee hiring, customer satisfaction tracking, inventory management, and business inheritance.
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Overview
The Small Business System was introduced in the v0.5.0 update (December 23, 2025), allowing Zois to open and actively manage their own businesses. Players handle employee management, inventory, customer service, business hours, and accounting. Multiple business types are available, each with distinct gameplay loops. The system is accessed through the Business App on the Smartphone (press P to open phone, then select the Business App icon).
Available Business Types
Business Type | Key Skill | Products/Services |
|---|---|---|
Bakery | Bread, pastries, cakes, and baked goods | |
Cafe | Coffee drinks, beverages, and light snacks | |
Restaurant | Full meals from the recipe system | |
Florist Shop | Flower arrangements, bouquets, and potted plants | |
Confectionery | Baking / Cooking | Sweets, candies, and desserts |
Bar | Cocktails, juices, and beverages | |
Gym | Fitness | Fitness services, entrance fees, and lectures |
School | Various | Educational services and lectures |
Open Lot Business | Various | Customizable business on any compatible lot |
More business presets are planned for future updates. Each business type includes a default preset that auto-configures the management environment, but all settings can be customized.
Starting a Business
To open a business, follow these steps:
Purchase a lot designated for commercial use. View available business properties in the Edit City window.
Open the Business App on the Smartphone (press P, select Business App).
Name your business in the Business Settings tab.
Set operating days and hours in the Business Hours tab.
Select a business type or preset in the Business Type tab. This auto-configures customer activities.
Configure which recipes or services to sell in the Recipe tab.
Set customer targeting (age groups, activities) in the Player Settings tab. "Order" is the key activity that makes customers buy items.
Stock inventory: go to the fridge and select "Stock Market Items" for cooking and baking ingredients. Use coffee machines or blenders to restock beverages.
Place a market stand or kiosk on the property where customers can order items.
No employees are required initially. A Zoi can operate the business alone until they are ready to expand.
Business App
The Business App on the Smartphone is the central management hub. It has the following tabs:
Tab | Function |
|---|---|
Business Settings | Business name and basic information |
Business Hours | Operating schedule (days and hours) |
Business Type | Apply or customize business presets |
Recipe | Select which recipes or items to sell |
Player Settings | Customer targeting (age groups, activities like "Order") |
Hiring Employees
As a business grows, the owner can hire employees to handle tasks:
Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
Who can be hired | Acquaintances or household members |
Hiring capacity | Increases as business level rises |
Task assignment | Assign roles based on employee skills (e.g., kitchen duties for high Cooking skill, service roles for high Rhetoric) |
Salaries | Calculated based on business level, salary rank, and working hours. Paid after business hours. |
Job switching | If a hired employee already has a job, they automatically resign from it. |
Long working hours may negatively affect relationships with employees. Employees can negotiate salaries through conversation.
Customer Satisfaction
Customers automatically visit the establishment during business hours. Satisfaction is tracked through several indicators:
Thought bubbles above customers show real-time satisfaction.
End-of-day customer reviews provide detailed feedback on the business.
Search for "Tips to Improve Customer Satisfaction" on a computer for improvement suggestions.
Ask customers directly for feedback through conversation.
Customer satisfaction is affected by product quality, furniture quality on the property, pricing, employee skill matching, and how often the owner visits the business.
Revenue and Profitability
Business revenue depends on product quality, customer volume, pricing, and how actively the business is managed.
Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
Active management | Visiting the business in person significantly increases daily earnings. A gym earning 6,000 Meow passively can earn 18,000-20,000+ Meow with active management. |
Product quality | Higher skill levels produce better products that sell for more Meow. |
Business value | Higher business value attracts more customers and allows hiring more employees. |
Daily costs | A daily opening fee plus employee salaries create ongoing expenses. Costs increase over time. |
Gyms with entrance fees and lecture boards are particularly profitable, as each lecture teaches 5 to 6 Zois at approximately 560 Meow per Zoi. Early-stage businesses may lose money until the owner levels the relevant skill and upgrades equipment.
Inventory Management
Businesses need regular restocking to keep selling products:
Stock Type | How to Restock |
|---|---|
Cooking/Baking items | Go to fridge, select "Stock Market Items" |
Beverages | Use coffee machines or blenders to restock |
Crafted items | Craft items at a workstation; they auto-stock to the stand |
Items are placed for sale at the market stand or kiosk on the property. Customers browse and purchase from these stands.
Business Inheritance
Family businesses can be inherited by other household members. When a Zoi who owns a business dies or becomes a Senior, business ownership can transfer to another adult family member. This allows multi-generational business dynasties without losing progress when the founding Zoi ages out.
Related Systems
System | Relationship |
|---|---|
Separate system for selling personal items through a smartphone app. Independent of the business system. | |
Secondhand Sales Counter | A placeable stall for informal yard sales. Not a formal business. |
Added alongside the business system in v0.5.0. Essential for bakery and confectionery businesses. |
Tips
Level the relevant skill before opening a business. Low-skill products sell poorly and reduce customer satisfaction.
Start small and expand as revenue grows. Employee wages add up quickly in the early stages.
Visit your business regularly. Active management can triple daily earnings compared to leaving it unattended.
Gyms with lectures are the most profitable business type early on.
Florist shops pair well with Gardening to reduce ingredient costs by growing your own flowers.
Send a household member to the business if the owner is busy. Any adult Zoi present counts as "managed."
Check customer satisfaction feedback at the end of each business day and adjust accordingly.
Don't neglect the business for multiple days. Reputation drops quickly without visits, reducing customer count.