How to Prepare for the Holidays as a Retail Business

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukah, it’s hard to not get swept up in the festivities. Lights, decorations and the splash of red and white can warm even the coldest of hearts and bring out your celebratory spirit.

For retail businesses, the winter holiday season has become a crucial time of year. People flock supermarkets and grocery stores for Christmas shopping in India, to buy gifts for their loved ones or to buy groceries as they are entertaining guests.

Christmas shopping in India is a relatively new concept, born out of a rapidly emerging global culture where people across the globe celebrate the holiday season. As a result, a lot of retailers are still trying to capitalise on this and learn the best ways to market their business to customers.

So, put on your Santa hats and take a seat, because we have the four best ways with which retailers can prepare their business for the holidays: –

• Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly (Decorate Your Store)

First and foremost, get your business in the holiday spirit by decorating your stores. Get a Christmas tree with ornaments, dress up your employees in Santa hats and elf costumes and decorate your store to reflect the holiday spirit.

This is important because a customer walking past your store will not only understand that you’re celebrating Christmas, but they’ll also assume that you probably have Christmas items and special sales going on.

Furthermore, such customers will refer your store to their friends and acquaintances, when the latter ask for retail store recommendations for Christmas shopping. And most importantly, your employees will get to dress up and celebrate the holiday at work.

• Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! (Rain Discounts and Special Offers for Your Customers)

No matter the holiday, discounts are a trademark of the retail business during such periods. With winter holidays just around the corner, you should consider having some special offers and discounts on products at your store.

For example, if your business sells groceries, consider putting a discount on chocolate & cake items or create combo packs of chocolates and cakes at discounted price. Not only will it help in boosting your sales, but your customer base will also increase, without affecting your bottom line.

As a pro tip, consider getting a retail POS software this season (if you don’t have one already), as it’ll help you in better financial management and convenient billing.

• O Come, All Ye Faithful (Remember to Reward Your Loyal Customers)

 As the year ends, remember to acknowledge your business’s loyal customers. These are the people who are the true brand ambassadors of your business, as it’s their goodwill and positive word-of-mouth that drive others to your store.

You can reward them by either giving them special discounts or gifting them a personalised present. If you are wondering what this has to do with the holiday season, acknowledging your loyal customers is a beacon to the rest that your business rewards loyalty. This can translate into new customers walking into your store later.

• Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (Customers are Coming so Stock Up Your Warehouse)

To keep your business holiday ready, you need to take a good hard look at your stored stocks. Assess your warehouse and stocks to see what products need to be ordered and what can be sold off during the holiday sale.

Keep detailed tabs on products moving in and out of both your store and warehouse, to ensure that you don’t go out of stock on critical & in-demand products. Invest in a sound inventory management software and/or a retail ERP solution, to keep your warehouse impeccable.

Your retail business will gain a lot, if you prepare yourself adequately for the winter holiday season. The list for New Year & Christmas shopping in India is getting pretty long and with the right tricks and techniques, you can capture their attention and capitalise on the festive fervour.