Is Your Business Maximizing the Festive Shopping Season?
November 28, 2017 by Susan Brooks
Is Your Business Maximizing the Festive Shopping Season?
The holiday shopping season can be critically important to retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers. For many these seasonal sales can account for a large percentage of sales and profits for the entire year. In 2015, Christmas retail sales in the UK were £2 billon. It is also a chance to build relationships with customers and raise awareness of your company and offerings. Unfortunately, many companies fail to make the most of the holiday season, thus putting them behind their competition for the coming year. Read these tips to make sure your company doesn’t miss out this year.
Delivery Times vs Sales
One key challenge facing retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers is keeping up with demand in order. The large number of sales in the short period over the winter shopping season can make it impossible for retailers to store enough stock onsite. Manufacturers and wholesalers can struggle to keep up with demand without overwhelming retailers with excessively large deliveries of products.
There are several ways to eliminate this problem. One option is to use a pallet delivery service or part loads of freight. This allows greater flexibility than sending whole containers of freight and it is more efficient, cost-effective, and less labour-intensive than sending cartons of goods. With pallet pick-ups and deliveries that can be completed fast as the same-day, it is easy to expedite deliveries when needed to keep up with your customers.
Another option is storing your products near your customers. Shipping a container or pallets and then storing them in close proximity to their final destination, would allow your company to further expedite shipments to your customers. This could avoid concerns about encountering delays due to weather.
Festive Focus
With the hustle and bustle of preparing for the busy season, keep in mind the festive season, itself. We tend to think in terms of retail sales with regards to the season. It is important for retail locations, whether online or brick and mortar, to embrace the season and highlight appropriate items. Decorations and seasonal greetings can go a long way in providing an atmosphere than encourages Christmas shoppers and other winter sales.
Wholesale, distributing, and manufacturing businesses may lose sight of the festive part of the season. Keep in mind that your customers will also need to see how your products fit into their Christmas sales. Items you see as an obvious fit for the season might not be as obvious to your customers. Make your outreach and promotional materials aimed at your customers clear and present your products as a great fit for their seasonal sales.
More Than a Single Season
The festive season may make up a large portion of annual sales but it can also assist your sales for the rest of the year. In addition to promoting holiday-related sales, take advantage of the contact with customers to position your company for year-round sales. You’ll want retail customers to think of you when they next need times for birthday gifts or routine purchases.
If you are a wholesaler, manufacturer, or distributor, be sure to let your customers know more about the non-seasonal products you offer. Regardless of what customers you serve, your excellent customer service now will help to build relationships that can lead to better business opportunities.