Christmas is a time of great cheer, carols and spending. Like it or not, people always end up spending more than they plan around this time of year. Whether that’s presents for friends and family, festive nibbles for yourself or Christmas blended coffee to share – there always seems to be something that makes its way into your shopping basket.
What can you do to make the most of this boom period? Here are a couple of suggestions:
Get Decorative
Around this time of year, everything begins to sparkle, gleam and sing. If you haven’t already started to decorate your shop then this is something that you should definitely start doing. The more festive your store looks, the more likely it is to bring in customers and the more sales you’re going to make as a result.
You don’t have to go completely over the top with this though, a Christmas tree and some snowflakes in the window will definitely do the job. If you have got a slightly bigger budget for this type of thing then why not splash out on a Santa’s grotto?
Create Gifts
Never underestimate the buying-value of pre-packaged gifts. If you have products that can be grouped together to make a gift pack then do it – you can then sell this for the combined value of all the products or even at a slight discount to give more incentive. Here’s some paper bag inspiration that’s a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution.
People love gift type presents, so make sure that these are plentiful and on display in prime locations around the store. If you haven’t got products that can be easily packaged together as a gift, then why not offer a gift wrap service at the till instead? While this may not have the same visual appeal, it’s something that lots of customers appreciate at this time of year. If you really want to splash out then why not get custom printed paper sheets to wrap presents and create more brand awareness?
Something for Everyone
The truth is that nobody really knows what to buy for others at this time of year. This means that you as a seller can give yourself an edge by having a “for him”, “for her” and “for little ones” selections. You automatically focus customer’s attention on specific products that would be great gift ideas for the person they have in mind – narrowing down their options like this means that you’re far more likely to make a sale.
Can’t narrow your products down like this? Why not group them in different ways, like “perfect for a party” or “for people who love the outdoors” etc. just find a way to categorise products to target people. You’d be surprised by how effective this simple tactic can be!
Give Your Customers a Present
They may be shopping for gifts, but if you give them a little something as well then chances are they’ll come back to your store again after the Christmas rush. You can do this in lots of different ways, from giving them a physical present when they spend ‘X’ amount in store to providing them with a discount on their return visit.
Not only is this a great way to reward loyalty and thank your customers for shopping with you, but it encourages more visits and can even be a great way to increase social outreach. If you’re giving things away for free with each purchase then people will start talking about it on social media, which could drastically increase the amount of foot traffic through your door.
You can learn more about the importance of seasonal packaging here.
At Charlotte Packaging we can provide you with custom gift wrap, Christmas packaging and much, much more! Get in touch with us today or give us a call on 01495 741 589 for the best packaging solutions for this time of year.