How Retailers Can Prepare for the Holiday Season

2 min read

by Ross Jensen

Holiday shopping season this year will be like no other for obvious reasons. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect how retailers do business and how consumers shop, with in-store shopping reduced across the world. Businesses big and small are having to be proactive to address this by staying on top of online sales and having contingency plans for any potential issues that may arise.

To help you tackle the stressful holiday shopping season, here are some tips that can make it go without a hitch:

Find ways to fulfil orders

With the surge of orders and in-store purchases you're going to have this season, you have to have plans to fulfil them all in a timely manner. But given the pandemic, it may be extra challenging to do that, so you have to come up with other innovative ways to deliver customer orders without any hassle. Aside from the usual delivery options, you can implement curbside pickups and zero-contact drop-offs.

In Japan, companies have introduced a drop-off system where customers receive a package without coming into contact with drivers. A customer has the option to ask the driver to leave their parcel outside their home. In the US, curb-side pickups have become very popular. It's basically means that you stop quickly to grab your purchase without stepping out of your car. By offering these types of options, you're also showing that you care for your customers' safety, not just sales.

Go all out with visual merchandising

Even if the majority of consumers opt to shop online this year, there will still be some who prefer doing their shopping in-store. And since many stores will be competing, you should pull out all the stops to make sure that your store stands out. One of the best ways to do that is, of course, visual merchandising.

As previously mentioned by Madeline Ana Vidak, it all boils down to creativity. For instance, Les Galeries Lafayette in Paris created an impressive homage to the beehive by transforming the shopping hub's alcoves into honeycombs while bees dance around the shops. You have to make sure that you're creating an engaging and unforgettable customer experience, so consumers are more inclined to enter your store.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is crucial in the retail industry. Not only does it help you fulfil customer demand, but it also enables you to update your products as the seasons, trends and customer demands change.

In fleet management – which is a vital part of the supply chain ¬– Verizon Connect highlights how beyond ensuring that you have enough resources to meet the high demand, you have to prepare for any pitfalls that come up during such busy periods. This can include delays like inclement weather or experiencing customer service nightmares.

Inventory management mishaps and failing to adhere to delivery timelines are also common during this time of the year, so you have to plan for those, too. Ensure that you have contingency plans in place just in case your initial plans don't materialise.

Stay on top of customer service

During these stressful times, it's of the utmost importance that businesses deliver excellent customer experience. Pre-pandemic, it may have been as simple as extending your hours for the holiday rush, but with the uptick in online shopping this year, your online customer support team should be ready to address any customer complaints at a moment's notice.

Business News Daily highlights how you should use your deep understanding of your customers to create an enjoyable and hassle-free customer journey, from browsing to checking out, to even dealing with returns. Do your best to be transparent and understanding, and ensure that customers are aware of any potential delays that could affect when they receive their purchases.

About the author

Ross Jensen is London-based business consultant with a passion for new technology and the many ways it is changing every industry across the globe. She pays particular care to ensuring excellent service is provided to customers. These days, she runs an eCommerce business and writes as a freelancer on the side.

Exclusively for visualretailing.com