Christmas 2022 - 10 Ways to prepare your store for Christmas

10 Ways to prepare your store for Christmas www.creative-download.co.uk

With less than six months to Christmas, as a retailer, you know this can only mean one thing: it’s time to gear up for the biggest shopping event of the year.

For many retailers this accounts for up to 30% of their annual revenue.

Here are 10 Ways to prepare your store for Christmas

it is important to ensure that you are ahead with the Visual Merchandising and the presentation of your store, particularly if you are an independent retailer.

What did you learn from last year?

One of the most important ways to ensure that you are ready for this season is by analysing what happened last year.

Sales Data  Which were the biggest sellers from last season?  What are good sellers all year round?  Any special gift items from suppliers?  What’s on-trend this year?

Marketing  What campaigns worked well last year?  Was there an increase in traffic to your website?  What Social Media Campaigns did you run?

Visual Merchandising & Store Presentation

Very much like the phrase “You Don’t Get A Second Chan

Your windows and store front are the face of your store. Th important elements of your store.

Make a statement that customers will remember.

nce To Make A First Impression”.

hey are the cheapest form of advertising and one of the most

Visual Merchandising & Store Presentation

They want to be range of mercha Customers want to feel that shopping in your store is a pleasurable experience.

It is a matter of presenting products in a way which will persuade people to purchase

e excited by the andise on offer.

Visual Merchandising is the art of presenting your products to look good to the customer.

The merchandise needs to represent a “Must Have Purchase”

Newsletters As Christmas approaches, it’s safe to say that we are inundated with marketing from retailers reaching out trying to maximize sales.

A few retailers send out EVERY day in December. This is quite aggressive.

Customers a to hear mor at Christma typically rea – so give the offer and be

are prepared re from retailers as, and are ady to spend em your best e useful.

Remember to keep in mind your current send frequency and your business goals before ramping up your frequency. If you typically send on a weekly basis, your customer can probably stand to hear from you a few times a week with the run up to Christmas. Just remember to keep in mind why you are sending newsletters.

Do you have something good to share?

As we know Social Media This is a great way to post daily that have arrived into your store o to welcome potential cu

Happy customers tell their fr

a is a very powerful tool. y updates about new products or just a photograph of your store ustomers to your business.

riends, who tell their friends.

There are plenty of tools on t the security in your store: Mirrors, deterrent. While large stores will em theft will take place even in the Sadly this is the sign of th

the market that will improve Cameras, and Signage will be a mploy their own security personnel, e smallest of independent shops. he times in which we live.

The Cash/Till Point

This area will be buzzing with customers queuing up and wishing to pay. Ensure that the counter is always clean and tidy. There is nothing worse than the wrong goods going in the wrong customer’s bag.

Don’t forget watchful ey supplies suc Bags, Sellota Tissue for wra items, Till roll

t to keep an ye on those ch as: ape, Gift Cards, apping fragile ls, Pens

Ensure that your countertop is clean and tidy.

While there is a need for that “add-on” sale, it gets visually confusing for the customers eyes if merchandise is on every inch of the counter.

Stock levels Given the quantity of stock that is bought for the Christmas period, do ensure that your fixtures and tables are always looking full of merchandise without cramming stock into a space.

Give your spaceto brow

Let them inte mercha

customers wse the store.

eract with the andise.

Use the method “Product Adjacencies” to link-sell associated items. That extra addon sale will be much need revenue.

Given the ease of on-line shopping, make sure your shop is welcoming and a pleasure to shop in.

Stock levels Cramming merchandise looks unprofessional and it makes the customer think you are desperate to sell this stock.

The “Stack It High” policy does not work on shelving fixtures.

No custo subjected during you

omer should be d to seeing this ur trading hours

Should you have little space in your store, ensure that you do not use the shop floor as a stock room.

From a customer’s point of view this looks as if the store is closing down, rather than trying to prepare for Christmas.

Christmas Gift Bundles & Add On Purchases With the run up to Christmas, it is vital to get every sale possible. Why not create gift sections or categories within your store?

These could “Gifts For Him Her”, or a “3

It keeps the interested in merchandise them feel as getting a ba

d include m”, “Gifts For 3 for 2” offer.

customer n your e and makes s if they are argain.

Signage & Ticketing Ensure that your ticketing and signage is clear, concise and not confusing for the customer to read.

Good Custom Use positive body language to engage with the customer and spark interest and create excitement about your store and the products you have to offer.

The customer is the most important person in your store.

Acknowledge the customer. Manner’s cost nothing.

mer Service Given that retail is a tough market, make your customer feel valued and make your customer feel good about their choice of product.

Understand their buying criteria and make recommendations that match their expectations.

The Creative Download VM team create exciting shops/stores driving retail sales through Visual Merchandising, Store Layout, Fixtures, Product Categories/Product Adjacencies, Signage & Ticketing and Retail Theatre.

Check out our website and see how Creative Download can help you drive your business forward. www.creative-download.co.uk

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