Most retailers tend to approach the snow season in four stages; pre-season, peak season, late season and off season, with the summer truly being “off.” Some retailers that focus exclusively on snow products close their doors completely over the summer months, while others who have complimentary product lines like bikes or surfboards focus on moving those products during the summer. It makes sense to concentrate your resources where they’ll have the most impact, or to take a much needed break when the weather dictates, but customers don’t stop buying just because the snow isn’t falling.
Solution54 Team at last year’s SIA Snow Show
The internet, shops that carry multiple seasonal product lines, and the global reach of the snow industry all translate to a year-round buying season. Sales may slow in the summer but they don’t stop, particularly among new/prior-year product. As early as July we received snow product requests from consumers wanting discounted product from last year, which indicates that consumers are researching and making buying decisions much earlier than the traditional “pre-season” dates on the calendar, at least when it comes to leftover items.
How can you take advantage of these summer sales opportunities? Have your leftover snow product priced and implemented into the sales plan for your store so you can not only capture some unexpected off season sales, but have a roadmap for what type of discounts you can offer based on how much product you have left over. Depending on that leftover volume and the prices set for those items you can manipulate the discount rate to drive higher margins on new product. Done correctly this will meet customer expectations for seasonal sales value while increasing brand value within your store.
By being organized and ready you can maximize these opportunities and send a great message to your in-store customers. Keep the stoke going all year long!
Solution54 is a peer-to-peer transaction service that gives member retailers access to a virtual warehouse where they can buy, sell and search for products between one another. This brand-approved system for moving product out-of-territory helps shops expand their reach without increasing overhead.