Get Set Go for Seasonal Sales
Advanced preparation can fetch retailers desired revenue collection even during sale seasons
Sale season is very difficult and important time period to make optimum sales for the retailers. Sale in India usually happens on 15 Aug, sale, 26 January, Christmas/New year, Diwali, and seasonal in winter/summer etc. For instance-- February is the best month to liquidate EOL(end of Line) A/C, LCDs & laptops. By March all new line product will hit the market.
So in order to announce sales, retailers have to make certain preparations to collect every extra rupee.
When to announce ‘seasonal sale’?
A retailer is never interested in selling the merchandise on sale. But there are certain strategies behind to collect maximum from the opportunity.There are certain slow moving inventory in the stock. Lets identify them and accordingly put them on sale in order to give way to the fresh stock and renew the stores.
- Over purchase of consignment on low margins.
- Over stocked during festive, marriage season & no RGM(rupees gross margin) earned due to low sale.
- In CDIT business, Dhanteras & Diwali is considered 35% turn-over of the entire business plan of one financial year. Retailer failed to achieve as per the plan.
- Carrying high inventory of EOL (end of line), average holding cost is 1% of total inventory.
- Having more than one display product in every segment & family & display units not selling from display IDU.
- Taking more sale return/exchange from customer directly and unable to sell in next go.
- Goods packaging not in good condition & customer refuse to accept the deliveries.
- Purchasing new line product, holding over EOL.
Temporary arrangements
Every retailer has to plan properly for seasonal sales as it is time when there is sudden spurt in the sales and time period to supply is less.
Back-End preparations
A retailer should ensure that he has got proper space to display all the variety of products. He should arrange for temporary staff to handle the additional traffic during this period depending on his past experience. Since, during seasonal sales, there is increase in demand and he has to keep large variety of products, he should have proper tie up with the suppliers, so that supply gaps can be minimised. Besides this, he should also arrange for additional godown space, in the vicinity of his showroom, so that deliveries to the customers can be made quickly.
Apart from this some more suggestion are given:
- Need to have internal standees saying- Is & was- price to customers.
- Need to have proper signages indicating at parking area & façade of store stating about the sale.
- Have enough incentive plan to liquidate stock through in store sales staff(preferably -incentive per unit sold).
- Sms flash & data base telecalling is must.
- Temporary staff need to be hired for handling rush
- Arrange for a temporary godown on rent if the ware-house is far from the outlets.
Front-end preparations
In terms of front end preparations, the retailer should plan advertisement, depending of his budget and expected sales, in order to pull the customers to his showroom. In case he is dealing in products which requires after sales service, he should try to tie up with some agency/specialist, who can support him to do after sales service as this shall result in high customer satisfaction. The most important is that he has to arrange for additional funds to stock the goods, and also avail quantity discounts offered by various vendors.
- Catchy lines, POP materials, stickers, window signages, schemes/discounts to attract high footfalls.
- Uniform has to be changed for the period -SPEAKING ABOUT THE SEASON SALE.
- Dangler speaking about limited period sale is must.
- Incentives & competition add boosts to the sales volume.
Live demonstrations may also be arranged, through proper demonstrators. This will not only increase the footfall of the customers but also increase the conversion of customers from mere window shopping to actual buying. Besides this, if the products are properly displayed, it becomes easier for the customer to make the choice and less time of the sales staff is consumed to mature the deal.
Cash & Staff Management
In terms of cash flow, the retailer has to arrange for short term funds either from the banks or his relatives/friends.
In order to prevent pilferages, he can either hire security staff or he can deploy CCTV cameras in his showrooms.
Many youngsters are available on daily basis, who can be deployed after giving them initial training, for temporary period. It is a Win-Win position as the retailer gets manpower on a temporary basis and youngsters get additional source of income.
Ideas on cash management:
- No holding of cash more than one night ,exceptional for bank holidays
- Buy 10ers ,5ers from market to avoid customer Q hustles
- Arrange for Q managers
- Have extra parking space
- Arrange for night shift to prepare stacking & racking on floors.
- Arrange for staff refreshment time to time to avoid staff going out of stores.
- Need to have break management for staff.
