The holiday season is the busiest time of year for retailers. According to a report by the National Retail Federation (NRF), U.S. consumers spent nearly $692 billion last November and December. With the country’s economy booming, analysts predict higher holiday sales this year. As a retailer, you should use this opportunity to prepare your store for the holidays in the following ways.
Hire Seasonal Workers
More than a half-million people in the United States work temporary jobs during the holidays. Hiring some of these workers will allow your store to run smoothly and efficiently during even the busiest shopping days. They can manage cash registers, stock shelves, handle returns, clean and more. When the holiday rush is over, your business’s payroll will return to normal as these workers depart and go their own way.
Stock Up Inventory
Don’t underestimate the consumer demand for your store’s products during the holidays. If the demand for a product outweighs its supply, you’ll sell out of it. When this occurs, you’ll have to turn shoppers away when they visit your store in search of the product. You can prevent this from happening to your retail business by purchasing a surplus of your store’s hottest-selling products. Even if you don’t sell them all during the holidays, you’ll eventually turn them.
Update and Optimize Website
Your store’s website will likely experience additional traffic during the holidays. If it’s not optimized handle this traffic, it may go offline, thereby preventing shoppers from finding your store’s contact information and buying your products online. Prepare your website by testing all links and checkout forms to ensure they function. A broken link may prevent a shopper from finishing his or her order. Also, contact your web host to see if it offers a faster and more reliable hosting package. Investing in a new hosting package may keep your store’s website online during holiday traffic surges, allowing it to generate sales for your business.
Decorate With Christmas Accessories
The holiday season is the perfect time of year to decorate your retail store. Because most shoppers are out buying Christmas gifts, you should decorate it with Christmas accessories. A pre lit Christmas tree, for example, invokes the spirit of this festive holiday. You can place one or more trees in your store’s front windows to attract passing shoppers. Another idea is to hang garland across the ceiling. You can even make a themed area with a snowman, reindeer, Santa Clause or other Christmas characters.
Offer Gift Cards
In addition to inventory, you should also stock up on gift cards. According to surveys cited by Forbes, gift cards have been the most requested holiday gift for nearly decade. When a shopper can’t think of a gift for a friend or family member, he or she may opt for a gift card. And everyone loves gift cards because it allows them to buy whatever they want. Make sure your retail store has a surplus of gift cards in a variety of values.
Offer Complimentary Gift Wrapping
A little kindness goes a long way during the holidays. To show customers that your retail business is kind, consider offering a complimentary gift wrapping service. It only takes some paper, tape and a few minutes of your time, but wrapping customers’ gifts encourages them to return to your store. They’ll remember this kind gesture, and some customers may spread the good word to their friends or family members.
The holidays are fast approaching, so act fast to prepare your retail store. By taking the necessary precautions, you’ll sell more products and experience greater success during the retail industry’s busiest time of year.
