The high street has seen a steady recovery since the health crisis that led to a number of lockdowns. Shoppers have since returned to brick-and-mortar retail and, this Christmas, are expected to continue supporting their favourite high street businesses ready for a festive season with their friends and family. Retailers, however, shouldn’t become complacent and it remains just as important for businesses to make due preparations for the festive season, or else see the opportunity for festive success lost.
As customers are faced with increasingly ubiquitous eCommerce options, it is important that retail businesses do not allow the festive season to make their operations complacent. Instead, preparations should be made to ensure that seasonal shoppers are not only brought to brick-and-mortar stores this Christmas but that the high street remains a positive part of their festive experience.
Hire Seasonal Staff
The number of customers that visit the high street is both promising and daunting to retailers. Just as increased footfall can lead to higher sales, it can also lead to staff and shops becoming overwhelmed. As such, retailers must ensure that they have all the support they need.
Seasonal and temporary staffing options allow shops to better deal with busy periods, ensuring that stock is replenished, customers receive a positive experience, and that long-term employees are able to receive the help they might need during Christmas shopping rushes.
Arrange Your Displays
As customers make purchases, shelves will become empty. As they browse in greater numbers, certain areas will become more crowded. As such, retailers should make efforts to arrange their shops and displays accordingly, responding to varying levels of demand with flexible and modular retail furniture.
Share Your Brand
With the festive season likely bringing a number of new customers into a retail venue, it becomes a great opportunity for brands to share their message and ensure that those visiting for the first time leave with a positive impression and the potential interest in returning.
High-quality sign fittings and visual displays, especially those that are strategically placed, are an effective way of sharing essential brand messages, as well as information about offers and promotions too.
Create Promotions
Seasonal promotions are a worthy pursuit for a number of reasons. Primarily, they allow businesses to outshine competitors, drawing in customers who are looking for the best possible deal. Additionally, they can be used to make certain products more appealing, which is useful for those that are soon to become outdated or replaced with newer alternatives.
Tune Schedules
The hours in which a shop opens during the Christmas period are an important consideration and businesses that give them due consideration, optimising and extending their open doors appropriately, are most likely to find success.
Alongside optimum opening hours, scheduling must also take into consideration employee support. While seasonal schedules require more staff, the festive season generally also sees a number of holiday requests and, as temperatures drop, sick days. As such, it is crucial that retailers who expect to be busy tune their schedules to account for all possible hiccups.
