RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2021
6
Moe Lastfogel
moe@retailobserver.com
Moe's Musings Views
Have a safe and Happy Halloween!
O
ctober is here and preparations for my annual Charity Haunted
House are well underway. As I start to take the decorations out of
storage and get ready to shop the local Halloween haunts for
some new ideas; I know exactly where to go for the most unique and
ghoulish decorations in town. Ironically, my favorite spot is not a big box
store, but a local independent furniture retailer who year-round does some
amazing front window displays to draw customers in.
And that's no coincidence. Halloween is the second largest holiday in
retail topped only by Christmas. Being a Halloween fan and doing haunts
since I was 7, I've noticed seasonal retail grow immensely over the past
few years. Catalogs are getting more sophisticated and carrying a larger
selection of items for the avid collector (addicted may well be the case),
as well as the fun-loving families who just want some Halloween fun for
the neighborhood kids.
As home entertainment continues to be the most viable option for
families in a stressed economy, many independents are profiting from
adding on seasonal items year round. Getting started is as easy as
placing small items near the cash registers for impulse sales or making a
space for a display in the back of the store. This will not only draw in more
traffic but will force customers to walk by general merchandise. The key
is not to replicate what can be found in the big box stores. Instead, find a
line of unique or novelty items that customers won't be able to find
anywhere else. You will have loyal customers like me coming back year
after year to add to their collection, and not just waiting until they need a
new refrigerator or a sofa to come in. As your customers' haunted houses
grow, so will your bottom line.
While you're thinking out of the box this Halloween, start thinking also
about other holidays that can drive extra business into your store.
"CASH AND SCARY"
& OTHER SEASONAL
ADD-ON ITEMS
The advantage of carrying holiday
items year-round to boost sales
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