The festive season is, for retailers, generally considered to be the most important time of the year. The assurance of increased custom and sales, all as the high street gets busier, sets forth a number of operational considerations, from redesigning shop spaces to the hiring of temporary sales representatives. It can feel overwhelming at the time but, when considering the potential for profits and audience reach, the festive season is highly rewarding.
An assured increase in custom and sales means that certain adjustments can be made to help improve operations and efficiency. So, with a little foresight and preparation, retailers can make things easier for their shop space and team members.
Shop Layout
A shop’s layout will have benefits and drawbacks, all of which are characteristics that potentially lend themselves to varying types of customers and crowds. During the festive season, when a shop space is likely to see significantly increased traffic, it is worthwhile choosing a shop layout that lends itself to space and bustle.
By adapting a shop layout in such a way, retailers can prevent overcrowding and the feeling of stress that can otherwise lead customers to leave quicker than they’d like to. For such a temporary redesign, retailers can choose shop shelving installation services that will help to create a fresh and seasonal space with ease.
New Signage
With a host of new customers coming through the door, it is worthwhile for retailers to consider adding extra signage to support those browsing. New customers tend to be unfamiliar with shop layouts, especially if they change, and can need extra guidance. By adding a few seasonal signs, retailers can assist customers before they become confused or require the support of an otherwise busy sales representative.
Mobile Transactions
With the availability of contactless transactions and mobile devices, retailers can sell items with nothing but a mobile terminal. As such, sales representatives can serve customers and perform transactions away from the counter. This can work particularly well during the festive period to help minimise queues and assist customers who only want to make a quick purchase.
Split Checkouts
As checkout counters become more versatile, it can also be worthwhile for retailers to consider their customer’s needs. With an increasing number of shoppers wanting click and collect options for their items, it can be advantageous for a dedicated area to be created, splitting the structure of a checkout to meet various needs.
Should one side become too overwhelmed with demand, various checkout counter services can then be adapted to support a variety of customers.
Shuffle Stock
Reconsidering products and their placement during the festive season is a fundamental part of retail design. Small adjustments, such as placing stocking fillers by the checkout counter, as well as the shifting of popular items to prominent positions, can make a huge difference to customers, helping them to shop with greater efficiency.
While traditionally it may be beneficial to encourage customers to spend a greater amount of time within a shop space, during a busier period, when customers have also spent a great deal of time in other shop spaces too, it is actually more beneficial to embrace such measures of efficiency instead.
