The holidays are just around the corner, and it is back to business as usual! 2020 may have thrown us all for a loop, but consumers are excited to get out there and do their gift shopping in person. Flea markets and swap meet vendors have a great advantage with their unlimited bargains and low prices, so get ready for a busy season.
According to Astound Commerce’s latest study, ‘Preparing for an Ever-Evolving Holiday Season,’ nearly a quarter of consumers across the globe predict they will spend more on gifts in 2021, in contrast to their holiday spending in 2020. When asked about the rationale behind this projected increase in spending, the top two reasons were to make up for missed holidays in 2020 (52%), followed by an improved financial situation (34%). Three out of four global shoppers also indicated they missed the ability to shop in store during the stay-at-home restrictions. In the U.S., in-store shopping has been steadily rising since the beginning of 2021, with 65 percent of Americans saying they have made a purchase in a physical store in the last six months.
In order to make the most of the holidays, American Merchandiser has put together a list of our top tips to help make the maximum sales and convert window shoppers into purchasers:
1. Put Up Eye-Catching & Diverse Decorations
The most obvious color schemes for the holidays are red and green, but vendors should also consider colors for the other events taking place during December, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. You can also just incorporate a winter theme, with light blue, white, and gold accents. While this does not grab the attention of a specific demographic, it is a more generalized way to decorate while including every customer that walks through your door. Utilize colorful and flashing lights, hanging snowflakes, snowmen sculptures, and any other fun displays that might catch the eyes of passers-by.
2. Get Consumers Excited with Social Media Posts
Give your followers a taste of some of the awesome holiday gifts you are planning to offer with some exciting social media posts. If you are planning a new product release, then give some teasers on what the item will be and let shoppers know they can see it in person at your booth. You can also include some photos of merchandise you are planning on selling that make for great gifts, such as gift baskets, holiday-themed products, winter clothes, and more.
3. Keep Track of Customer Data
Keeping track of customer data can help you to make future sales once the holidays are over. For example, if you send out promotional emails or text messages, make sure shoppers sign up for them during checkout so you can send them delicious deals in 2022 to keep them coming back for more. Loyalty programs are an easy way of gathering data and using it to send exclusive discounts or sales as well as new product releases.
4. Keep it Simple
Whether it is your offers or even the gift ideas you have pre-planned, the less your customers have to think about their purchases, the more you will be able to move. For example, instead of having a bunch of different sale items all over your booth, keep it down to one sale per weekend and put all of the discounted merchandise in one area. If you are giving away coupons or a free gift with a purchase, keep it to just one gift or coupon, and give away the freebies on separate days from when you are having a sale table. This also allows you to extend your offerings and get shoppers excited to keep coming back.
5. It’s All About the Experience
Customers may not remember the products they buy, but they definitely remember the experiences that they had. Shoppers can come to you or they can easily shop online. Give them that personalized experience that rivals online purchases and let them remember your friendly face when they think of something they need in the future. This can help to turn new customers into returning customers.