In-Store Holiday Preparation: How To Get Your Store Ready For The Season
It’s that time of year. End-of-year celebrations mean enormous potential for small business sales. So, how does your storefront stand out in the crowds and attract shoppers during the busiest shopping time of the year? Use this comprehensive guide to get your store ready for a successful season, from in-store experiences to creating a smoother holiday checkout.
What You'll Learn In This Blog
- How to optimize your inventory for smooth sales
- Prepare your ordering systems for holiday buying
- Empower your team for holiday readiness
- Best practices for prosperous holiday promotions
- Key factors for holiday marketing success
- Deck the halls of your storefront
- Ways to create an unforgettable in-store experience
- Refresh your online presence
- Celebrate the season with your small business network
How To Optimize Your Inventory For Smooth Sales
Plan ahead by looking at past sales data
Analyzing sales trends from years past is the first step to accurately preparing for the holiday rush. Retailers that look at their top selling items from previous seasons will know when demand spikes, which items sell fastest and when, and which items would benefit from bundling to help move those products along. Take advantage of your inventory management system’s analytics tools, so you have a clear view of how to strategize your holiday product assortment.
Avoid stockouts with early ordering
Look at what sold out quickly in prior years. Use that historical data to inform how much to order and when to order it so you don’t run out of your most popular products. Communicate with your vendors as early as possible, or even earlier if supply chain disruptions or long import lead times affect your business, so suppliers have what they need to deliver on time.
Prioritize up-to-date inventory management across all channels
Unless you’re selling from one single brick-and-mortar location, strong omnichannel management is essential for accurate inventory planning. Make sure your inventory system syncs up to all of your in-person and e-commerce channels in real time. This streamlines your back office operations so you’re not faced with any surprises.
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Organize storage space effectively
Optimizing your inventory isn’t just about having the right software platform. It’s also important to prep your physical storage space so it’s easy to keep business moving. Maximize your warehouse (or back room) with easy-to-see and easy-to-navigate shelving. Think vertically: Take advantage of floor-to-ceiling shelves to accommodate extra holiday inventory. Consider organizing your storage area by what sells most frequently as well to quickly pull items as the demand flows in.
Prepare Your Ordering Systems For Holiday Buying
Enable in-store pickup
Trim down the line at checkout and make it easy for customers to buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS). If you don’t already offer this service, most POS systems make it easy to set up in a few clicks. Just make sure to test it out long before the holiday rush begins and take care of any necessary backend tasks for a complete setup, so if any issues arise, you have plenty of time to make things right.
Get Your Free 2025 Holiday Readiness Kit
Don’t miss out on profits this holiday season! Curate a winning product assortment, create competitive promotions, and check out more customers with our comprehensive guide.
Initiate curbside pickup
Similar to in-store pickup, curbside collection reduces checkout traffic in your store while giving customers the convenient options they want. All you have to do is turn on this function within your POS system. This is a great choice for businesses with large items, like furniture, where customers might need help loading their purchases into their car anyway.
Make arrangements for efficient shipping
What happens when a local shopper finds the perfect gift in your store for a loved one who lives on the other side of the country? Allow your customers to purchase gifts in-store for out-of-state shipping. It takes a little extra effort to prepare, but the additional service goes a long way in fostering customer loyalty.
In addition to planning ahead on inventory levels, you’ll need to confirm you’re all set with packing materials, like boxes, bubble wrap, stickers, thank you cards to put in your shipments, and even the little details like tape. Your ordering system should also be able to print detailed shipping labels that contain the customer address, tracking number, and parcel weight.
Confirm shipping deadlines with the carrier you’ll be using, such as UPS or FedEx, as soon as possible. You’ll want to get prices, details on pricing arrangements, and other key information to get ready for the shipping orders to come. This information helps you make decisions about how much to charge for shipping and if you want to offer free shipping for larger orders.
Make sure your customers are well aware of your pre-holiday ordering deadline as well, so their gifts arrive on time. Be clear about the cutoff for timely holiday shipments and the costs associated with any rush orders.
Spin up local deliveries
Hand delivering in-store purchases adds a personal touch that customers remember. You’ll need to designate delivery staff, plan an efficient delivery route, and let customers know a rough estimate of when they’ll receive their item.
Delivery management software allows you to easily manage drop-offs. In some cases, it will integrate directly with your existing POS system. If you don’t want to manage deliveries all by yourself or if it’s too much to hire and train additional staff, third-party delivery services are also an option.
If you have the resources to go the extra mile, adding a little extra holiday cheer to the experience doesn’t hurt either. Have delivery personnel dress up as Santa’s elves and put a smile on every customer’s face when they answer the door.
Creating an effective system for selling display products
Let’s say a customer comes into your home goods store and has their heart set on a large area rug that you don’t keep in stock because it takes up too much storage space. Because the item isn’t ready to take home right away, you’ll have to place a special order. This typically takes just a few extra steps, depending on your POS system’s unique requirements for special orders.
Be sure to set expectations with shoppers when ordering display items. Communicate how long it will take for their item to arrive, convey shipping, delivery, and pickup information, and let them know about any extra fees.
Simplify in-store returns
Make it just as easy to return products as it was to buy them. Designating in-store return stations keeps checkout flowing for new purchases and won’t tie up your team members working to make new sales.
Once you process the return and confirm it’s good for resale, place it back into rotation as soon as possible. Your inventory management software should update in real time, so stock counts include returned items that are still fit for sale.
Empower Your Team For Holiday Readiness
Start with hiring seasonal staff
If you need extra personnel to handle peak traffic during the holiday rush, don’t wait to start interviewing seasonal workers. In general, posting holiday positions two to three months before the season starts helps you hit the ground running.
Plan scheduling as early as possible
Finalize your holiday staff scheduling system before the chaos begins. In addition to communicating needs and availability with your staff, put tools in place that make it easy to adjust if last minute surprises come up. It’s also worth investing in scheduling software that allows you to automate shift assignments, find substitutes, and for employees to swap shifts if needed.
Train your staff for all scenarios
Prepare your staff to tackle anything that comes their way. Schedule time to train all employees on your software systems and empower them to answer any customer questions. Dedicate time to reviewing your new holiday products, so they’re ready to make gift recommendations and upsell when appropriate. Establish a system for communicating important information, such as holiday promotions, details on the most popular products, and any updates to shipping or delivery information.
Best Practices For Prosperous Holiday Promotions
Crafting promotions that drive holiday sales
The promise of a good deal goes a long way in attracting new seasonal shoppers. An Adobe survey found that more than 20% of customers made purchases after being enticed by holiday discounts.
The best holiday sales strategies for small businesses blend value with timely brand messaging. For business owners seeking inspiration, these holiday promotions have proven potential for success:
- Capitalize on national shopping days: Annual shopping events like Black Friday and Small Business Saturday mean customers are on the hunt for savings, so take advantage. For small businesses in high foot traffic shopping districts, use eye-catching signs to share the discounts that await inside your store. No matter where you’re located, keep your email subscribers and social media followers in the loop, so they include your store in their shopping plans.
- Partner with neighboring business owners: Tap into your local network and collaborate on special offers. Aim to work with similar businesses that sell complementary products. When customers ask for gift ideas or recommendations, you’ll be able to bring up the cross promotion naturally. For instance, do customers at your artisan cheese shop ask about pairings for their holiday party charcuterie board? Tell them to take their receipt to the jam shop next door for a 20% discount on the fig spread that goes perfectly with the blue cheese in their cart.
- Bundle seasonal bestsellers: Give holiday shoppers extra value with a thoughtfully curated gift set. Bundling complementary products is a prime opportunity to increase revenue while clearing out unsold inventory. If your beauty brand’s facial scrubbing cloths are sitting on the shelves, let customers purchasing your new cleansing toner add in a face towel for just a few dollars more.
Power Up
Give this blog a read for quick, actionable strategy on using product bundling to drive holiday sales and keep your inventory strategy stress-free.
Key Factors For Holiday Marketing Success
Know the elements of a strong holiday marketing strategy
A robust marketing strategy is key to driving holiday traffic to your small business. For your holiday marketing efforts to pay off in rising sales, prioritize the following as you plan ahead:
- Data-driven content: Just like with your sales data, last year’s performance should inform your holiday content across social platforms and owned media channels. Look at which social media posts generated the most engagement and which emails had the highest open rate to predict what will draw attention this season.
- Personalized messages: When automating your email campaigns, personalize your email copy and subject lines with your customers’ names. This little detail goes a long way in nurturing customer relationships and making consumers feel valued.
- Strategic social media: Generate buzz with social content that stands out. Encourage your most loyal customers to share testimonials or tips on how to use your products for powerful user generated content. If your POS allows, connect your social channels to your online store so followers buy from you without leaving their favorite apps.
How to promote your holiday products
Holiday sales begin long before customers venture into your shop. Your pre-holiday marketing content is your first opportunity to inspire purchases, so highlighting your products effectively is essential.
Use sales data from seasons past to curate digital gift guides and promote them via your brand’s various media channels. This is the time to use email segmentation to your advantage.
Email segmentation allows you to hyper-target specific customers so they’re receiving the most relevant emails. Customers who bought a trending toy from your kids’ boutique last year are likely to buy this year’s hottest must-have, so tailor an email campaign just to them. Similarly, if you operate a skincare store and you have customers who only buy anti-aging products, target them with a campaign that’s all about the holiday season’s must-have serums and masks.
Email is also the perfect setting to preview new products. Let’s say your sweet treat shop is introducing new festive popcorn flavors like cinnamon and candy cane peppermint. Spotlight these seasonal confections with high-quality images and a mouth-watering product description. Visual content goes a long way when promoting your gift guide on social media, so take the time to invest in pictures and videos that show your products in their best light.
Power Up
Get ahead this holiday season with fresh BFCM marketing tips and proven strategies to drive sales and delight customers.
Deck The Halls Of Your Storefront
Invest in dazzling visual displays
Spruce up your holiday products with extra flair. Visual displays catch customers’ attention while they browse, and hopefully entice them to buy. Adding a little tinsel, surrounding product displays with ornaments, or adding a little faux snow is a great way to tie your product selection to the holiday spirit.
Go big with decorations
It’s not just product displays that do well with a little more sparkle. Go all out with your holiday storefront design. If you’ve got room for a window display, you might even choose a holiday-themed exhibit that showcases your products. Customers will love it if your bakery features a Santa’s workshop presentation, with elves baking your most popular cookie flavors.
Ways To Create An Unforgettable In-Store Experience
Holiday shopping should be more than just a transaction. The better you enhance the in-store experience for customers, the more memorable your brand will be. To make your store feel merry and bright, try any of these in-store embellishments:
- Host interactive product demonstrations: What better way to promote your holiday products than to let customers see them in action? First-timers at a smoke shop will be thrilled when you host a demo on how to properly adjust temperatures on the newest vapes.
- Gift wrap with care: There’s a reason gift wrapping is such a popular retail service. Busy customers have one less step to worry about, with the benefit of gifting professional-quality packaging. Designate a gift wrapping station and add a personal touch that shoppers will remember, whether a shimmering bow or a handwritten card.
- Host a holiday soiree: Give your customers something to celebrate with exciting holiday events. Invite local performers to put on a show or host a holiday market with local creators.
- Ask a professional gift buyer: Designate an expert member of your staff as the go-to gift guide and offer shoppers one-on-one consultations. They’ll get exclusive recommendations and value that will encourage loyalty all year-round.
- Set up a social media activation: Create an experience that inspires shoppers to post about your brand. A holiday-themed Instagram photo station means they get a fun souvenir while keeping your business at the top of the algorithm.
- Give a free sample at entry: Everyone loves a holiday treat. Offering complementary seasonal goodies such as cookies or hot chocolate is a great way to bring customers in.
Power Up
Make this holiday season unforgettable by creating memorable in-store experiences that let your customers try, touch, and connect with your products.
Refresh Your Online Presence
Prepping your digital storefront for the holidays is just as important as your physical one. And remember, your online presence extends beyond your website. When making your digital to-do list (and checking it twice), don’t forget to connect your inventory and sales channels. Sync up your e-commerce channels and inventory management system well in advance, so your online store shows accurate product availability.
It’s also crucial to update your store information everywhere your business appears online. Are your hours changing for the holidays? Don’t forget to let your audience know with a notice on your website and wherever else your business is listed, such as on your Google Business Profile. (And while you’re there, double-check that your address and contact info are still accurate, so you don’t miss any potential business.)
Multi-Channel Inventory Management With Thrive Inventory
The easiest way to do this is to centralize your product catalog and stock counts across multiple sales channels with an inventory management system like Thrive Inventory.
Celebrate The Season With Your Small Business Network
Partner with other local businesses to spread holiday cheer. This is the place to get creative. Here are three ways to start.
- Work with a local business association: Whether it’s a small neighborhood network or your local Chamber of Commerce, business organizations offer tons of resources for the holidays, including for major shopping events like Small Business Saturday.
- Host a small business crawl: Throw an event that incentivizes customers to visit multiple local businesses. A small business block party has major potential to be the event of the season. Or host a week-long crawl at the height of holiday shopping, where customers get a stamp on their “passport” from every participating business they shop at.
- Collaborate on a gift guide: Your holiday gift guide doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor. Let other local businesses get in on the action. With the extra distribution support, your guide will reach an even wider audience.
Get Your Free 2025 Holiday Readiness Kit
Don’t miss out on profits this holiday season! Curate a winning product assortment, create competitive promotions, and check out more customers with our comprehensive guide.
Plan Early, And Reap Your Holiday Rewards
Getting ready for the holidays is all-encompassing. Attention to detail goes a long way with holiday customers. The sooner you start making arrangements, the better experience your shoppers will get, and the more likely they are to spend in your store. Follow these tips for a smooth season and a customer experience that keeps them coming back long after the holidays are over.
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