With Christmas in July wrapping up a few weeks ago and pumpkin flavored items hitting the shelves within the next month, you might be thinking why are we rushing to celebrate the fall and winter holidays? It is still summer! However for all you retailers out there, now is the time to start prepping for the holiday season. If you do not prepare early enough, you will run the risk of falling behind when people are ready to shop for the holidays. Here are a few things to keep in mind, especially for small businesses.
- Employment: Holidays can be a busy time, especially when it comes closer to the actual Christmas season. It would be wise to consider hiring a few extra employees for your business; this would help things run a little smoother when it is hectic. For example, the extra workers could help with stocking inventory, greeting customers, wrapping purchased items as presents, or potential extended business hours. Having some extra helping hands in these scenarios may benefit your small business and keep both employees and customers happy during a stressful season!
- Trends: Everyone is interested in buying the latest items on the market and there is usually that one “hot” item that is at the top of everyone’s Christmas list. As well, people are interested in serving up the latest food crazes during the holidays or finding the hippest Halloween costume. Now is the time for retailers to do their research so that they can find out what these trendy items are and how they can incorporate them into their business. It is important to look at the trends and see what your wholesalers are offering for the holiday season; usually they have the most popular items but also make sure that it matches your particular customers and target market is important. Another helpful trick may be to start asking your customers what they want to see in your stores as holiday presents; this way you know first-hand what they are looking for!
- Website: Online shopping is a major attraction to consumers due to its convenience. It is shown that throughout the past years, this is the most popular way to shop. If your small business does not have a website, this could be another tool to consider using. This way you will attract more customers to your store and provide another option to consumers’ shopping needs and desires. If you have a website already, it would be important to keep the site up to date with all of the items that are available during the holiday season. The use of a website can maximize your sales potential!
- Gift Cards: Many people like to purchase gift cards as presents for people since it provides the people with the option themselves to buy whatever they like. Selling gift cards to your store is a great idea because it offers the customer with another option. As well, there also the chance that people will not cash in their gift cards, which is an automatic source of profit for your business. By offering gift cards you can capture a larger percentage of consumers since you are providing something they may have not realized they wanted!
- Sales and Gift Packages: Most people tend to buy presents that are on sale or have a discount. These sales tend to drag customers into your store or online and they buy more than they normally would. Think about Black Friday… everyone loves getting the best deals! Setting up a Black Friday sale, a Cyber Monday sale, or a “Last Minute Christmas Shopping” sale could capture a few extra transactions you would not normally have had. Setting up gift packages and bundles is also a good idea for small businesses. For example, if you offer two services or two pieces of clothing for a set price, you can catch the eye of consumers. People enjoy packages or discounts, especially when they have to buy many gifts in one set period of time!
Hopefully these tips can help all of the retailers out this holiday season! Preparing early is key for a success!
Ms. Danielle Guari
Intern
Artwork adapted from vecteezy.com
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