14th Dec Pixelk.e$S:Layout 1 09/12/2009 17:41 Page 3
D I G I TA L : P H O T O : V I D E O : N E W S
VOLUME 21NUMBER 37 14TH DECEMBER 2009
STRATEGY
S N I P P E T S
INCREASE CHRISTMAS SALES LAST MINUTE!
BUMPER CHRISTMAS
WITH CONSUMERS SEEKING CHRISTMAS BARGAINS, RETAILERS ARE FACING TOUGH CONDITIONS.
SALES
TO HELP BUSINESSES MAKE THE MOST OF THE FESTIVE PERIOD, WHICH CAN ACCOUNT FOR 40-60% OF Dec 7th, often hailed as the busiest
A RETAILER’S ANNUAL TURNOVER, BUSINESS LINK HAS SOME SIMPLE AND COST EFFECTIVE TIPS: day of the year for online shopping,
is thought to have been ten percent
1. Create a festive and with new products and best busier than previous years, and
relaxing environment sellers clearly visible. generated approximately £350
Make things easy and fun for 4. Monitor budgets million for online retailers.
customers: highlight seasonal gift carefully Overall, online spending for
offers and stocking fillers to encourage Monitor budgets daily and Christmas is expected to top £5
additional sales. weekly to ensure profits are billion according to the Interactive
2. Be aware of the in line with projections. Media in Retail Group (IMRG),
competition, but not With increased sales you during December.
preoccupied with them should have a healthy cash
The buying power of large retailers flow but make sure you
allows them to offer goods at prices keep money aside to pay RETRA HELP WITH
you cannot achieve without serious invoices that may be ELECTRICITY BILLS
damage to your margins. Instead, delayed during the festive season. may want the extra money) The Radio, Electrical &
focus on what makes your shop 5. Get your staffing levels right • Outsourcing some business Television Retailers’
different and aim to provide a quality There are a range of employment activities. Association (Retra) has
product and service. options for businesses affected by the 6. Plan for after the holiday appointed Make It Cheaper to
3. Merchandising Christmas rush. These include: period assist its membership in
Contact key customers with an • Recruiting temporary workers through Make sure you are prepared for the cutting their business
incentive to visit your store or website an agency January sales and order enough electricity bills. Price
before the Christmas rush. Show off • Engaging employees on fixed-term stock. Plan marketing activity well in comparison and switching
your most popular products with clear contracts advance and consider collaborating service Make It Cheaper
prices – 60% of stock sold is at eye • Getting family and friends to help out with other independent high street makes an average £1,500
level. Group related products so at weekends and during school or retailers nearby to share advertising saving per customer per year.
customers can find what they want. college breaks costs. As soon as the festive season is Barry Pattison, Chairman,
Ensure your window has a festive • Extending the hours of part-time over, analyse successes and failures Retra Insurance Services
theme and displays the very best of workers who may be able to ease the and use them to improve year-on- commented: “Keeping energy
your stock at various pricing levels pressure at particularly busy times (and year. costs down is critical for Retra
members as electricity
RETAIL NEWS
consumption is among the
AMAZON TO TAKE ON HIGH STREET?
as the Kindle e-book reader and highest per square foot of
Amazon's recently launched line of retail space.
The Sunday Times has printed the The article suggested that Amazon is electrical products. Physical stores may “The feedback from our
suggestion that Amazon may be currently looking for premises for its also reassure and win-over those who members which have taken
looking to open actual stores on the UK physical stores and may be looking to are wary of internet shopping by the Make It Cheaper service
high street, possibly looking to fill the tread on Argos' toes with an order giving them somewhere they can up is very positive especially
space in the market provided by the online, collect in store model. return faulty or unwanted goods to, from those whose savings
recent administration of the Borders The advantage of such stores may be a and eliminating the fear that their have been counted in the
chain of book shops. place to demonstrate equipment such order simply will not turn up. thousands of pounds.”
INSIDE: SOAPBOX AND COMMENTPG 3 BEHIND THE COUNTERPG 7 REVIEW ROUND UPPG 7
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