The charcoal from the Memorial Day barbecue is still glowing, but visions of sugarplums are dancing in your head. That’s because June and July are the peak months for the Christmas buying season. Summer may have just begun, but it’s time to start planning for the holidays if you’re in the retail business.
It seems a bit crazy to those who aren’t in a retail business, but retailers are preparing in July for what they’ll need for the rest of the year. They have to think that far out. After all, by early October, their stores have to be stocked for the holidays. We don’t think you’re crazy at all. In fact, we’re gearing up for Christmas in July. We’ve even got some candy canes to share.
Not Just The Merchandise
What’s going to fly off the shelves this holiday season? You’re making those predictions right now. And while everybody thinks it’s all about eCommerce, the National Retail Federation is quick to remind us that shoppers still make 43% of their purchase decisions while they’re at the store.
It’s not just the merchandise. Customers are looking for a complete shopping experience. That includes the retail merchandising material associated with those holiday gifts.
Decision-Makers
As a retailer, you’ve got multiple roles to fill with merchandising. Of course, you want to promote your own brand. However, you also want to deepen the relationship you have with your vendors by helping them profile—and sell—their products.
All of this is in service to the customer. Your merchandising must contribute to their shopping experience and deepen their satisfaction.
Big And Small
Everything speaks to your customer. Merchandising is your brand ambassador. It can be a 20-foot-tall display that greets them as they enter, or it might be something as unobtrusive as your price tag holder on the shelf.
It all has to be appropriate for the season. And because it’s the holidays, the presentation has to be extra creative. Your shelf talkers aren’t just promoting the product and price—you’re also drawing upon the sights of the season.
And it’s not all about what’s on sale. Research shows that non-sale merchandise can outperform sale or clearance-priced merchandise by as much as 18% when any kind of point-of-purchase material draws attention to it.
Be The Connection
It’s a challenge. How do you help your customers with holiday shopping, and yet still subtly remind them that you are responsible for making that connection?
We’ve been gearing up for Christmas in June for over 35 years now. It’s why retailers come to us for their holiday merchandising material. They know we understand the importance of durability and quality at the best prices to be found. Even more important, we know you can’t postpone Christmas—and customers aren’t interested in a raincheck. Over 5,000 in-house dies and on-site manufacturing with state of the art machinery means your order doesn’t run the risk of being stuck in some foreign port.
Tis the season…to be thinking about creative solutions for the holiday season. We’re ready to help. Except for fruitcake. Even after all this time we haven’t figured out what to do about fruitcake. Sorry.
Want to Learn More?
Contact the Vinyl Art Team at 800-569-1304
Rob Slattery | Executive Sales Director | robs@vinylart.wpengine.com
Tim Hitchings | Vice President | timhitchings@vinylart.wpengine.com
