5 Steps to Prepare Your Store for the Holiday Season
The holiday season is fast approaching as the third quarter is coming to an end. For game and hobby store business owners, it’s one of the most exciting (and busiest) times of the year. With a bit of preparation and planning, you can make the most of the increased foot traffic and sales. The key is to start early, plan, and make sure your store is ready to deliver an excellent customer experience. In this blog post, we’ll cover five steps to prepare your store for the holiday season, helping you stay organized and (hopefully) stress-free as the year’s busiest shopping days unfold. All awhile building your brand and keeping the morale of your employees high.
Audit Your Inventory
One of the first steps to holiday preparation is taking a good, hard look at your inventory. Before we can do anything else, we need to assess what you have, what you need, and what needs to go. This is the perfect time to decide which items will be part of your year-end clearance sale. Products that didn’t move as expected throughout the year can be discounted, making room for new stock that you have pre-ordered for the holidays. Holiday shoppers love a good deal, and a well-timed clearance sale can help you move inventory while keeping your shelves fresh.
On the other hand, don’t forget to restock your best-selling products. Take a look at what sold well last holiday season and make sure you have plenty of it. Also take a look at what is currently slated to release for the fourth quarter and be prepared with your budget. By placing your orders early, you can avoid the dreaded out-of-stock situation and make sure you’re ready to meet the demand. If pre-orders are part of your business model, now’s the time to set those up and ensure you have a smooth process for fulfilling them. Having inventory pre-sold helps with cash flow and plan your sales.
Plan, Plan, Plan
Once you’ve audited your inventory, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of planning. The holiday season isn’t just about putting items on sale; it’s also about creating a plan that covers everything from promotions and events to staffing and store layout. With your inventory under control, you can decide which products will be front and center for the holidays. What items need a bit of extra promotion? Should any shelves be rearranged to better showcase your holiday offerings? Taking a look now and planning what you want to do will help you execute your sales and marketing strategy that you want to do.
It’s also important to think about upcoming holiday events, both in-store and within your community. If you’re hosting game nights, special sales, or any other events, get those on the calendar now. Be sure to check if your town is hosting festivals or events that you could participate in to drive more foot traffic to your store. Even if you don’t plan on being part of the town-wide event, knowing about it will help you plan to stay open that extra hour or print a flier for people to come back and find you when they are ready to make a gift purchase. Don’t forget the power of including a link or QR code to your event schedule. People walking up and down the street during a city wide event may not be a current customer of yours but they could be now that they have a flier from you. All of this takes planning.
Staffing is another element of your planning. The holiday season often means longer hours and busier days, so make sure you have enough staff to handle the extra workload. If any of your current employees are taking time off for the holidays, you’ll need to adjust schedules accordingly. If seasonal hiring is part of your game plan, it’s better to start sooner rather than later to ensure there’s enough time for training.
Clean Your Store
With more people coming through your doors, the last thing you want is for your store to look messy or neglected. A clean, well-organized sales floor can make all the difference in the customer experience, and preparing for the holidays is the perfect time to give your store a thorough cleaning when preparing a fresh look for the end of the year.
Start by focusing on the areas that often get overlooked during regular cleaning. The tops of shelves, inside display cases, and even those tricky corners in the back room could use a little extra attention. This is also the time to deep-clean your bathrooms, break rooms, and any other high-traffic areas. A fresh, clean store not only creates a welcoming atmosphere but also makes it easier to maintain during the busy times. A clean store is also easier to work with when planning where and how to decorate for the multiple holidays that are back to back in the fouth quarter.
If cleaning isn’t your strong suit (or if you simply don’t have the time), consider hiring a professional cleaning service to come in and handle the heavy lifting. This way, you can focus on what matters most—preparing your store for a successful holiday season.
Create a Festive Store Environment
Once your store is clean and organized, it’s time to bring in the holiday spirit. Shoppers love a festive atmosphere, and your store’s decorations can play a huge role in creating that experience. Whether it’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, make sure your store reflects the excitement of the season. Don’t forget you can decorate for the release of a new set of a collectible card game, especially if the set has a strong theme. Letting staff dress up or letting customers know that the store will be decorated and they can come dressed as their favorite character multiplies the marketing of the event because now you have your customers telling their friends about it because they are excited.
Think about how you can create themed displays that will catch the eye of your customers. From garlands and lights to Halloween displays and winter wonderlands, your decorations should make shoppers feel like they’ve stepped into a celebration or scene. Don’t forget about the smaller touches, like seasonal signage or even themed window displays that will draw people in from the street.
The overall ambiance of your store also matters. Simple changes, like playing holiday-themed music or adding warm lighting, can enhance the mood and make your store feel cozier. The longer customers stay in your store, the more likely they are to make a purchase, so creating an inviting space is important.
Prepare Your Staff
Your staff is the backbone of your store and their preparedness can make or break the end of year sales. With all the hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays, it’s important to make sure your team is ready for whatever comes their way.
Start by training your staff on any promotions, events, or holiday policies you’ve planned. Everyone should be on the same page when it comes to the details of special offers, extended hours, or upcoming in-store events. If you’re bringing in seasonal workers, give them enough time to get comfortable with your store’s layout, inventory, and customer service standards.
Maintaining staff morale during the holiday season can be hard, especially with the long hours and extra workload. A little appreciation goes a long way. If you’re planning to offer holiday bonuses or gifts, start organizing those early. A thoughtful gesture, like a handwritten thank-you note, can help keep your team motivated and engaged throughout the busy months ahead.
Conclusion
The end of year offers tremendous sales opportunities for you, but success doesn’t happen by accident. By taking a look at your inventory, planning ahead, ensuring your store is spotless, creating a festive environment, and preparing your staff, you’ll be setting yourself up for a smooth and profitable season. Start early, stay organized, and enjoy the holiday rush knowing that you’ve done everything you can to make this the best season yet.
