Going into the holiday season, we all have sales on our minds. Price markdowns are great, but they can quickly make a sales floor go stagnant.
The key to keeping holiday sales booming is keeping customers engaged without relying on a traditional price reduction.
Here are some fun ways to encourage holiday shopping in your stores:
Stocking stuffer surprises
Go to Walmart or Target, pick up some holiday stockings and create a fun display with mystery stockings at prime price points around $25 to $50, filled with items you were trying to clear out.
Most stores are already making fun displays for the holidays by utilizing additional themed display items.
Work with your manufacturers to have them contribute small freebies to add to the stockings, which will increase their perceived value. Make sure to add in the cost of the stocking and other supplies you use for the display to get your cost back!
Product bundling
This can be another great way to partner with your distributor and manufacturers that you work with. Think wand attachments, C-rings, lubes, toy cleaners and other items that make sense to bundle together. Make a full display dedicated to bundling items you are trying to move through your inventory.
When offering product bundling, make sure your signage is clear about what items can be packaged together. A great way to make signage is by using a program called Canva. You don’t have to be a professional designer to use Canva! It’s user-friendly, provides a wide array of templates and can be used to design everything from social media posts to poster-type signage.
Gift with purchase, aka GWP
Look at items you’re focusing your sale on and think of fun “mix and match” options. Try to stay away from pairing cheap or inexpensive items with other cheaper items so it doesn’t feel like a clearance purchase.
GWP is a great opportunity to move higher-priced items by pairing them with an item valued at a lesser price point. For example, pair an expensive stroker with a high-end yet still affordable lubricant, or pair a high-end vibe with a smaller vibe to make it feel like an all-inclusive set.
If you can score swag items from your manufacturers, it’s the perfect time to pair something you can’t purchase in-store with a big-ticket item. This creates a feeling of “VIP treatment” when customers know they are getting something special and unique, that is limited in availability.
Christmas Tree Ornament Blitz
Decorate one or more trees with ornaments that have prizes inside. Customers can purchase bulbs at different price points to find out what they win. For example, $1, $5 and $10 Christmas ornaments. Find items that you really want to clear out and list them as prizes inside of the ornaments.
It will be a fun surprise for customers to see what they win, but also an easy way to move through merchandise you don’t want to stock anymore.
Ask your distributor or manufacturers for closeout specials, as they can be a great option for finding inexpensive items.
Social media countdown
Think “Advent calendar” but on social media! Plan different giveaways and discounts throughout a monthlong or weeklong stretch. Again, Canva is a great option to design all your social media posts for the giveaways. Each day can be special and different; you get out what you put in. Remember to be active on both Instagram and Facebook to hit all your audiences!
Plan a sexy “Christmas Night” display
Create a display that will help move inventory with items to create a sexy holiday experience for customers at home. Utilize traditional red and green, but think along the same lines as you would for Valentine’s Day.
Utilize this display option to push sales of your holiday lingerie, and other holiday accessories you don’t want to sit on throughout the year.
Whatever your inventory goals or sales goals may be, hopefully one of the options above will spark ideas for your store. It’s not about how much you spend or how fancy you make it. These are easy ideas that are meant to be implemented in stores of any size and don’t require a ton of management to be successful. Happy holiday selling!