Retail in 2020 has already been unconventional, to say the least. The holiday season will be no different. Brands that plan ahead and adapt to retailers\u2019 own holiday strategies will come out ahead on sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is reason to be optimistic about consumer spending this quarter, as retail sales have increased by an average of 2.9%<\/a> since February. However, the bounce-back has been uneven so strategic-minded brands will employ creative methods to finish the year strong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One way to win holiday sales this year is to adapt brand retail strategies to what big-box retailers, like Target, are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The early bird not only gets the first worm, it gets most of\nthem. Brands that can get on people\u2019s gift lists early will be \u201cstickier\u201d in\npeople\u2019s memories and will be better positioned for a strong sales quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be afraid to advertise, generate publicity, and\nheavily market your holiday promotions early this year. This includes\npromotional displays and in-store signage that retail merchandisers like RMS\ncan help ensure are set correctly and timely to attract shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re all for in-store shopping, most years. We love the magic of walking down decorated aisles, filled with potential gifts. But this year isn\u2019t like most. The National Retail Federation announced their official slogan this year is \u201cShop Safe, Shop Early<\/a>.\u201d People will be doing more online shopping, out of health concerns, and time constraints. Reach them where they\u2019re at with \u201cdigital-only\u201d offers to entice them to do a little more online shopping this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These offers may take place completely online or may be\ngeared at helping shoppers make pre-purchase decisions that shorten their time\nin-store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those of us who are grateful for a drive to the grocery\nstore, even if we stay in the car, don\u2019t forget about curbside pickup. Remember\nthat retailers will be pushing drive-thru service. Consider how that impacts\nyour packaging, marketing, and promotional materials. Incentivize people to\nchoose curbside over in-store with \u201ccurbside-only\u201d coupons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider surprise \u201cgoodies\u201d too that can delight customers\nand build brand loyalty. Partner with retailers to add a little extra holiday\ncheer into someone\u2019s pickup bag and add a coupon or small item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And speaking of coupons, don\u2019t forget about Instant\nRedeemable Coupons<\/a> (IRCs). These eye-catching tags and stickers will help\ndraw the eyes of in-store shoppers to your products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget that people will be at least 6 feet apart. There\nwill be less time spent shopping and standing in front of products\ndeciding. Your shelf presentation must\nbe impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers will be more informed, having done their research\nahead of time. You must give them a demonstrable reason to not purchase what\u2019s\njust on their list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019ll be looking for a deal. Consumer behavior is a fickle\nthing in the best of times. In the midst of the uncertainty of 2020, even\nfinancially secure consumers will be looking to save a few percentages off where\nthey can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any successful sales season takes a whole team of partners\nto pull together. One of the most efficient ways to do that is by having a\nretail merchandiser you can rely on for crucial in-store execution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Retail merchandisers help drive sales by ensuring promotions\nand displays are set timely, in-store marketing is engaging, and shelves are\nfully stocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you partner with a retail merchandiser, you want a\npartner you can trust. We deliver for our clients with a 97% completion rate,\nkeeping items fully stocked and engaging while providing sound ROI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Online deals are the name of the game this year. Many\nretailers, like Target, are launching their own special deal days like Target Deal Days<\/a> in\nOctober.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This trend might be here to stay. Black Friday has been losing\ninterest over recent years and 2020 might just tip it over the edge. Brands\nthat adapt to this year\u2019s change can set themselves up for further success in\nfuture years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Change is always tricky,\nespecially when dealing with consumer behavior. But people will always need\nhome necessities and they\u2019ll always want to give gifts. Brands that can adapt\nto retailer\u2019s strategies and meet shifting consumer behavior will not only come\nout on top in 2020, they\u2019ll be the leaders of 2021 and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\nStrategy 1: Be Early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategy 2: Digital-Only Offers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategy 3: Curbside Pickup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategy 4: Plan for Social Distancing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategy 5: Build a Great Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
BONUS: Retailers’ #1 Plan for Black Friday<\/h3>\n\n\n\n