With the approaching new year, the cycle of festive dates that drive the monthly flow of consumers in retail also begins. From January, marked by the return to school, to December, with its typical holiday celebrations, businesses find ways to stay in tune with the current trends to offer their customers.
However, not every celebratory date can be leveraged by every type of business, which is where good planning comes in. This is what Roberto James, a master in psychology and retail expert, asserts: “This is where creativity and the commercial manager’s understanding come into play, not just of the clientele, but also of the business in which they operate.”
For the expert, the ideal approach is to create an annual plan, considering the main events each month. This way, he explains, retailers can have a comprehensive view of periods with higher and lower sales volumes, preparing for them.
Detailed and realistic planning brings various benefits not only to the retailer, as purchasing in advance from suppliers can offer cheaper prices to the end consumer, thereby expanding negotiation margins. “The retailer also has a trick up their sleeve, being able to offer clearance promotions in case of lower-than-expected sales. Those who understand their own market well can find appeals for customers in every month of the year. The wheel keeps turning even with sales below projections,” he concludes.
Even in times of high customer traffic, such as Christmas or Mother’s Day, the retailer needs to be organized so that the expectation for high profits does not turn into losses. ‘It is good to avoid stocking up on a very high quantity of thematic and dated items because, after that period, they will become clutter. The ideal is to never run out of a product and, if there is an excess, it should be a minimal amount to be sold in post-holiday promotions,’ advises Roberto.
Another tip the expert gives is that, whenever possible, the point of sale should be decorated according to the festive date in question. Environments like these attract more customers, but it is important to be careful. ‘For example, carnival music at very high volumes will have the opposite effect to what is expected, as it can convey an idea of tumult and confusion. Businesses geared towards children can make use of actors dressed up as current characters. The important thing is to have common sense and moderation,’ he concludes.
Regarding e-commerce sales, Roberto emphasizes the importance of preparing for crisis management. ‘Sites that crash due to the amount of traffic and customer service failures break trust and increase the feeling of abandonment by those buying online. Look at your website as if it were a store and treat the customer in a way that they do not regret doing business with you,’ he concludes.
