Retailers can take a big hit if they don’t manage to move the vast majority of their seasonal products in time. Now that we’re approaching the end of the summer, it’s likely that shoppers are no longer in the market for shorts, tank tops, sunglasses or sun hats. If your display tables are still stocked with these items, it’s time to pull out all the stops to help unload them, so you can make room on your clothing racks and wall displays for autumnal goods. Here are some tips:
One last summer bash
The end of summer is a melancholic time, and many people look forward to having just a few final summer parties before the weather turns too chilly. You can capitalize on this by throwing a final seasonal bash at your store. Make sure you advertise it on social media and your website, letting your followers know that you will be hosting a barbecue right in the front of your store. When shoppers show up for the free food, they’ll see the big store signs you’ve hung up announcing the major markdowns on summer items.
Save it for vacationers
Though the season may be coming to a close, you can expect that come wintertime, many people will be planning warm-weather vacations. This means they’ll need those items that you are now trying to get rid of. Consider saving a few of your beach-appropriate goods and creating a vacation-themed window display in a few months. You can dress your adult and child mannequins in big, floppy hats, sunglasses and Hawaiian shirts, create a sandy shore with tissue paper and wholesale ribbon, and sit back while the vacationers flock to your shop.
Find ways to repurpose it
With a little bit of creativity, you may find that you can give a good marketing twist to some of your supposedly “summer-only” items. For example, you can create a window display featuring all of your sunglasses, with signs reminding passersby that UV radiation can be harmful to the eyes even when it’s cold outside. A simple sign saying “Protect your eyes from the autumn sun!” should do the trick. T-shirts can be quite stylish under cardigans and jackets, so consider putting a few on your mannequins to drive this point home to shoppers.
