The holiday shopping rush is upon retailers and careful planning could be the key to a successful season. Economists are predicting that the 2009 retail season will parallel 2008 numbers.
St. Louis, MO, September 30, 2009 — The holiday shopping rush is upon retailers and careful planning could be the key to a successful season. Economists are predicting that the 2009 retail season will parallel 2008 numbers. However, early numbers on back-to-school sales, which are often a barometer on how well retail stores will perform during the holiday season, show promising growth. Experts agree that planning ahead of the holiday season will not only help retailers capture sales, but will also make for a more organized holiday rush.
In regards to store supplies, retail supply experts tend to see a spike in certain items during the holiday season. At Store Supply Warehouse, an economical provider of retail supplies and store fixtures, the holiday preparation season typically experiences an escalation in orders of items such as bags, gift boxes and wrapping accoutrements due to the increase in sales and gift wrap requests.
“People end up wrapping most purchases during the pre-Christmas season more than any other time of the year,” said Matt Wohlstadter, President of Store Supply Warehouse. “As a result, retailers see an elevation in requests for gift boxes, tissue paper and gift wrap services. We recommend that retailers stock up on these essentials early in the season so they don’t run the risk of running out of these items. There is nothing worse than going to a store a day or so before Christmas when it is crunch time and they are out of gift boxes and tissue paper. People are already in a rush, and having to make an extra stop is not only a waste of time, but it can be pricy. Customers across the board appreciate it when stores offer these wrapping materials, so think of offering boxes, tissue paper and even gift wrap services as a way to win over customers and make them lifelong customers.”
Store Supply also sees stores purchasing higher quality bags during the holiday season, as customers can often repurpose these bags as gift bags. Festive red and gold paper bags are appropriate for any December holiday and will fit easily under the tree with some colorful tissue paper. Glossy euro totes are perfect for higher end stores, and can be reused as gift bags for years to come.
Store Supply Warehouse recommends that retailers review their supply use from last year and make sure that they order at least 20% more than last year, just to make sure that these essential supplies last until the end of the shopping season. Many of these items can be used year round, and even overages of holiday specific items can be stored for the following year.
Shipping supply orders also rise during the fall months. Online retailers are often facing tight shipping restrictions in order to have things arrive by Christmas. As a result, e-commerce stores pre-order boxes, bubble wrap, kraft-colored shipping paper and other shipping supplies. Because many people ship gifts directly to the recipients, these retailers often order more gift wrap during the fall as well.
“During the holiday rush, pre-ordering retail supplies will not only make for a more organized season, but will take some of the stress out of the ordering process. However, if anyone runs low on products, Store Supply Warehouse can ship items to 96% of the United States within two days. So we recommend that store owners take stock of their supplies every day or so during this busy season. If you start running low on something like bags or price tags, go ahead and reorder early in order to avoid a headache later,” said Matt Wohlstadter.
About Store Supply Warehouse:
Store Supply Warehouse was founded in 1994 as a wholesaler of store fixtures and supplies to small, independent retailers. The company stocks and sells more than 1,600 retail fixtures and store supplies, including display cases, racks and shelving, shopping bags, hangers, pricing and tagging guns and mannequins. All products are in-stock in all three warehouses, located in Reno, Nevada, St. Louis, Missouri and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Store Supply’s products are available for purchase through the 80-page catalog, which is updated and distributed three times a year, or online at www.storesupply.com and all orders placed before 3 p.m. receive guaranteed same day shipping. The company’s main office is located at 9801 Page Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132. Contact Store Supply directly at 800-823-8887 or by email at [email protected].
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Press Contact
Meg Fullenkamp
Store Supply Warehouse
9801 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132
1-800-823-8887
[email protected]
http://www.storesupply.com
