Brighten Holiday Sales With Festive Promotional Signage

Celebrating winter holidays in the US is big business. These holidays rank only second in consumer spending to the back-to-school season. It is also a big deal for retailers as holiday buying can generate up to 30% of their annual revenue during this time. How big is the holiday shopping season? eMarketer reported that retail spending grew over 16% in 2021 to a total of 1.2 trillion dollars in the US. Last year’s impressive results were due in part to the retailer’s ability to limit price reductions to a 5-year low. Other factors like supply chain constraints kept inventory levels low while demand spiked as vaccinated shoppers returned to in-person shopping. 

Consumer shopping trends in 2022 have been a fickle thing to predict. Just ask Target and Walmart, which lowered revenue guidance in the recent quarter, citing increasing inventory levels and lower consumer demand. Perhaps there was also some over-ordering by retailers dealing with long lead times and supply chain shortages. No doubt the pandemic-fueled supply chain swings are also impacted as consumers pivoted from purchasing hard goods in previous years to soft goods in 2022. Let’s not forget the inflationary battle redirecting consumers to spend more money on the basics, too.  Whatever the root causes, the effect is an inventory glut at many retailers and an attempt to reset prior to the holiday season. Stores, big and small, will need signage to help to get customers into stores and to move excess inventory through the rest of this year.   

The 2022 winter holiday season will be challenging for retailers of all sizes.  According to the National Retail Federation, over 60% of shoppers start their holiday shopping by the beginning of November, so retailers have little time to spare. Getting people into the stores is top of mind, but so is focusing shopper’s attention once they are there. Signage plays a critical role for both. Large format signs and banners on the storefront and teardrop flags positioned out front are just a few ways to draw in shoppers. Window clings and A-frame sidewalk signs also work well in any retail shopping center or other walkable retail areas to entice passersby shopping at other businesses. 

Source: 4over.com

Once inside, indoor signage can direct the shopper’s attention where it’s best for the retailer. Indoor signs can be more targeted based on the retailer’s most pressing need or to coincide with a larger campaign. For example, retailers can use a poster one week to direct shoppers to markdowns that must be sold. The following week rack cards or counter cards could point shoppers to a loyalty program or credit card signup. Once inside the store, adhesive floor or wall graphics can act as way finders pointing shoppers to different areas of the store or special promotions. Hanging fabric banners also work well to highlight target products or services and appear more upscale than posters or mounted foamcore signs.

Source: 4over.com

As you work with your clients, keep a few items in mind:

• Start promoting and engaging early since the shopping season begins when back-to-school ends
• Use multiple sign formats to attract shoppers
• Work with the goals of the retailer to create signage for multiple uses and campaigns

Contact the team at 4over to explore all the signage options that work well during the winter holiday season and to ensure orders are placed based on customer timing requirements.