6 THINGS TO DO WHEN THE TINSEL COMES DOWN

It takes months of preparation and in what feels like mere hours, the holiday season comes to an end and a New Year comes into focus.

January is not just about putting your feet up, Netflix and chilling, clearing stock or taking stock of what’s worked and what hasn’t. It’s also about planning for the months ahead.

So here are a few things to be thinking about so you hit the ground running.

Category revision is an essential January job for any retailer.

Identifying and removing under-performing products and strengthening high margin lines is key to maximising a healthy business for the year ahead.

If you’re a business that offers gifts and hampers, a fantastic top tip is to put slow-moving products into hampers and sell them as a set. A well-dressed, well-curated wicker hamper or gift box has greater perceived value and together may even avoid you having to discount altogether.

Don’t forget to tap into food and drink awareness days as well as birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. These are events that never end, and they offer you a year-round diary of hamper themes to capitalise on.

When it comes to category revision, you want a good mix of entry, mid-tier and luxury options available.

Having a decent roster of products at a variety of price points is step one for building sales, not just at key moments in the retail calendar, but more importantly, at the quieter times too. Price pointing allows you to appeal to the broadest range of customers available to you, and in 2021’s competitive market, that’s vital.

Store layout makes all the difference, not just to loyal customers but to potential new ones too.

Like online websites that routinely get 50% bounce rates, high street shops are not excluded from that problem. How many people do you see walking into the store, glancing around and walking straight back out? If you did a taste test for a day, it might surprise or horrify you.

This year, vow to keep your store seasonal and laid out for maximum exposure, pulling in and sustaining attention at every opportunity.

Grouping categories of products or ‘cross polarisation’ can help to influence a fresh clientele. A good example of this might be a “detox” display in January that includes smoothies, granola and hot-spot of superfoods, all positioned together near the entrance of your business. Or a powerful and eye-catching window display to ensure any high street footfall is directed straight through your door.

WBC has a variety of display tables to help you build these and this fresh space you create will build loyalty and trust, and show customers your business is in tune with their shopping habits.

A gift box, a gift bag or the outer you ship it in; what you pack your products in is increasingly important to the overall customer experience. Consumers are looking for a personalised experience from purchase to delivery. Are you considering sustainability, functionality and price? If you do, it will pay dividends in the future.

WBC’s new online function allows you to filter on the most sustainable options available to you. And our big MUST this season is to always check that the gift packaging you choose has transit shipping outers sold separately because you never know when mail-order may become a necessity if it’s not already!

Keep an eye out for our list of UK Food & Drink Awareness Days 2021 released at the start of the year. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of key retail dates like Christmas and Halloween, but also lesser-known events that help you put the spotlight on the food and drink industry.

Awareness dates can be a fun way to plan marketing and sales promotions, menus and special offers throughout the year. Plus, they’re a great way to celebrate and support British producers at the same time.

Every shopper needs a bag to carry their shopping in. So it’s a total no-brainer that they carry their groceries in a bag emblazoned with your company name or logo. Bags are like a walking billboard on the high street, advertising your brand without you having to do anything.

Our custom printed bag service allows you to choose your favourite from a range of about 30 bestsellers. In 7 days you’ll have printed bags ready for the shop floor.

Here’s how to get started.

1. Choose a bag

Our 7-day custom print service has a stock range of over 30 plain bag styles to choose from. We can even send samples to you first allowing you to get the size right and for us to show you the superb quality of our bags.

2. Choose you quantity

Prices start from just 100 units but choose a minimum of 200 bags for the most cost-effective pricing.

3. Send us your design

Bags can be overprinted in up to six colours either side within just 7 working days. Make sure your design is HOT and you’ll get all the love.

Have you been trying to get to us in the flesh but it’s never worked out? We’ve finally taken our showroom virtual so we can come to you.

Book in for a live chat, product demo or virtual walk around our showroom to see the latest in our furniture, fixtures & fittings collections. With gift packaging on hand and an expert bag team that would love to discuss plans to get your own branded bags around town, this is a great chance to meet one on one and all consultations are absolutely free!

Places are limited and slots book up fast, visit wbc.co.uk/showroom to book your place today.