The Holiday Season NO ONE Expected!
Written By: Marissa Chupp
If you walk into any department store, you’re bound to see holiday décor and gifts much earlier this year. How about the recent ads for pumpkin spice lattes? Are you already seeing Halloween costumes? At this rate, Christmas décor will be hitting stores in late August. It’s still summer, but the holidays are speeding toward us like a freight train!
When it comes to marketing your business, it’s always important to keep seasonal trends in mind. However, this year, we’re seeing everything happening a bit earlier! Here are some reasons you should start advertising and displaying your seasonal products now.
1. Lighter foot traffic
In-store traffic is lighter than ever amid the pandemic. With the uptick in online shopping and increased hesitation to venture out, it makes sense that fewer people are making the trip to browse their local shops. Start seasonal items early to meet your expected sales goals this year. Don’t forget to advertise in store and online with various ad placements!
2. We’re all looking for things to be happy about
Get consumers excited! Advertise nostalgic seasonal treats, fun color palettes, and more. Yes, it may seem early, but there are many out there ready for cooler weather and the holidays. Who doesn’t love an apple spice candle, cup of hot cider, and all things buffalo plaid? Additionally, remote work is booming, and people are “stuck at home” shopping. Holiday décor might add that special touch to their living space, which is now also the workspace, and get them in the holiday spirit!
3. Unexpected shipping delays
You’ve probably already experienced shortages due to the pandemic. Found something you loved, only to learn it’s on backorder? Imagine ordering a new couch, just to find out you won’t receive it until six months later! Plan early and stock up! No one likes to wait for a product, especially when they are planning the Thanksgiving get-together. The silver lining is that stores may see even more sales due to outrageous shipping rates and the unknown shipping delays.
4. Consumers are shopping early
Yep. Consumers are shopping earlier this year. Remember 2020? Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas were practically cancelled. Give consumers time to purchase gifts and seasonal product so they can celebrate big. Try running digital marketing campaigns to target various audiences shopping around for holiday items.
5. More cash, more sales!
With the recent stimulus packages and child tax credit, there is more money floating around allowing families to have more discretionary income. Professionals estimate that 4 trillion dollars are still left unspent! Since consumers have more money, they just might make impulsive purchases on that holiday décor. Gear your marketing messaging to target this audience!
6. The Mystery
There is still so much uncertainty. When it comes to planning get togethers or going out in public, no one has the answers. It is better to have things on hand than to miss out on specific products that could go out of stock easily. In fact, many stores have old supply left over from low sales in 2020. With shortages in 2021, stores are purchasing early to accommodate for the holiday season.
We hope these reasons for early-bird seasonal marketing will help when it comes to planning your displays and product lines. After all, the early bird gets the worm! So get ready for the unexpectedly long and unthinkable holiday shopping season.