For retailers, it’s already time to begin thinking about the end of the semester and the holidays. To ready your store for a successful holiday season, follow these merchandising best practices and marketing tips.

Prepare now. Order products as soon as possible for your store, as availability is sometimes limited and lead times are longer than usual due to the pandemic.

Create a gift table. Start with your in-store display. Once that has been set up, you can work on virtual gift tables. Create a page to group items just as you did in store.

Theme ideas:

• gifts for $25 or less
• stocking stuffers
• gifts for family members
• spirit gear for fans

Focus on your web presence. Ensure the online shopping process is easy and intuitive. Go through the process, from searching and adding items to the cart to your checkout process and ensure it flows smoothly.

Continue to connect with your customers virtually. Continue utilizing social media and email campaigns to highlight gift ideas and drive traffic to your website.

Create a cause component. Shoppers are drawn to spend money when it also supports a cause. Consider supporting a specific group or department with a percentage of overall sales, or a percentage when the customer mentions the cause at checkout.

Monitor sales data. Check in regularly to detect fast and slow sellers. If there’s time, reorder merchandise selling quickly and ensure all stock is online or on the sales floor.