9 Ways To Prepare Your Shop For Christmas

The festive season is nearly upon us. Shops have began to fill aisles with Christmas gifts, chocolates, decorations and all sorts. So, being a small business, how do we compete with what’s on offer on the High Street/Supermarkets etc? Well, we don’t, we already offer unique gifts for all. We just need to prepare to deal with seasonal orders, and start promoting!

 

ADD A FESTIVE TOUCH

Make your social media headers and website feel festive to attract Christmas shoppers. This will get customers in the mood for Christmas shopping but don’t over do it. Things like animated snow or mouse will distract from shopping.

 

PROMOTE

Plan and promote your products via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to show people what you’re offering. Create newsletters for customers and let them know what products you have, why they make the ideal gift and why they should buy them. Outline offers you may have for example free shipping, discounts etc. 

 

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY

For Christmas items, ensure your product photos fit in with the season. Use Christmas decorations/props or festive colours to add a Chrismassy feel. Take a look at THIS link for seasonal merchandising tips.

 

UPDATE

Review your shop stock levels, shipping terms, processing and delivery times. Update as necessary and take into consideration how many orders you feel you are likely to get. Give plenty of time to make your products if they’re handmade goods and how long it will take for shipping. Have clear postal dates on your website, blog, and social media. This will make customers aware when they have to order by for items arrive on time. 

For more information on updating your online shop, read THIS POST which is full of info to generate more of those Christmas sales.

 

GIFT SECTIONING

Consider sectioning your shop to make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. For example, you could split it into any of the following:
– Gifts for him/her
– Gifts under X amount
– Secret Santa gifts
– Gift under £10, £20, £50 etc

 

OFFER WRAPPING

Some people hate wrapping gifts so offering a gift wrap option is ideal for those who want to save time. If you want to offer this option but aren’t sure how to wrap, check out my Pinterest board for gift wrap ideas.

 

DISCOUNTS/OFFERS

Did you know it’s free shipping day on the 14th of December? I missed out on this last year as I had no idea it was a thing. The option of free delivery can really seal the deal for some shoppers and they may even buy more! You could offer free shipping on all products whatever the spend or on anythings over X amount.

 

CUSTOMER SERVICE

You want your customers to feel special during Christmas when they open packages from you, even if it’s a gift for someone else. It’s nice to include a little surprise for them and make them feel special. Anything like a little hand written thank you note, sweets sticker or Christmas card; whatever you think would make them smile. With lots of packages being delivered around this time, you want yours to stand out so customers will remember you. Don’t forget to include a business card or something with a link to your social media sites!

 

 

GET HELP!

Small businesses can be super busy around Christmas with shoppers looking for unique or handmade gifts. Don’t hesitate asking family and friends for help processing and packing orders. You could reward them with yummy Christmas treats and unlimited spiced lattes or some of your products.

 

Do you have any other tips you can share on preparing your shop for Christmas? Share them below.

Dina

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