Crush The Holiday Rush: 5 Tips For Holiday Readiness
'Tis The Season
The holiday season is here, bringing big opportunities—and plenty of competition—to Specialty Retailers. With retail growth predictions swinging from 2.3% to 4.8%*, it’s clear that this year’s landscape is a mixed bag: inflation worries are still in play, interest rate cuts might be on the horizon, and consumer sentiment is cautious yet hopeful. But here’s the good news: 92% of U.S. consumers say they’ll spend at least as much as last year, and 36% are ready to splurge even more.
*Based on forecasts by major analysts, including Deloitte and the NRF
A Look Back And A Look Forward
As we prepare for 2024, let’s recap Holiday 2023. Last year brought an interesting mix of resilience and caution. Forbes called it a “mixed bag of positives and negatives,” while Reuters said that Americans were willing to dig into their pockets despite tight budgets. The National Retail Federation was right on the mark with its growth prediction of 3-4%. Even though inflation hovered at 3.5%, sales still grew by 3.8%, proving that the holiday spirit is resilient.
In 2023 early shopping became the norm, with 50% starting in October and 24% in September. Despite financial concerns, consumers kept spending, fueled partly by “Buy Now, Pay Later,” which rose by 14.3% over 2022 and hit $16.6 billion. And, most shoppers—over 70%—still chose in-store purchases.
For 2024, a few “holiday elephants” are in the room. Lingering inflation means customers will look to stretch their dollar, so expect Buy Now, Pay Later to remain a top influence, with nearly 30% of consumers already using it. The calendar also adds urgency: there are only 26 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, the shortest window since 2019. This shorter season makes every day critical, with a likely boost on Super Saturday, one of the year’s highest-tra c shopping days.
To help you make the most of this season, StoreForce has pulled together five tips to keep your stores on top of their game and ready to crush the holiday rush.
Tip #1: Holiday Sta ng - Right Coverage At The Right Time
The holiday season isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation—especially this year. Growth forecasts vary widely by retail vertical, with sectors like eCommerce expecting high single-digit growth, while others, like furniture and home furnishings, may see declines. This variability means Specialty Retailers need to be more strategic than ever, tailoring stang to match expected demand.
Many Retailers hire seasonal sta for the holiday rush but struggle to align sta ng with actual customer flow. The result? Stores either end up oversta ed during slower hours or short-sta ed when tra c peaks. That’s wasted labor budget on one end and lost sales on the other.
Hot Tip: When setting schedules, prioritize loyalty events to ensure top coverage. Events like Black Friday or Family & Friends Day, along with bonus points opportunities require well-timed sta ng to maximize customer engagement. Consider increasing Average Transaction Value (ATV) targets during these loyalty events to match your customers’ spending patterns.
In the holiday rush, timing is everything. Customer traffic doesn’t follow a neat, predictable pattern, and neither should your schedules. StoreForce’s advanced scheduling solutions are built to leverage historical traffic data by looking at specific high-impact days like Black Friday or Super Saturday, and then recommend optimal coverage precisely when your customers are most likely to show up. This means high-demand stores stay ready to maximize revenue, while stores in lower foot-tra c can manage labor costs without overcommitting. With flexible, demand-driven schedules, your team is where they need to be when it matters most, improving e ciency and making sure shoppers always have the help they need—no long waits, no missed opportunities.
Tip #2: Use Real-Time Data To Make Decisions
The economic outlook may be cautiously optimistic, but holiday sales can be a moving target. Even the best-laid plans need on-the-fly adjustments. With StoreForce’s real-time mobile dashboards, store leaders have instant access to the critical metrics that keep holiday performance on track. From sales to labor utilization, our dashboards deliver updates every half hour so store managers can stay in the know and respond fast.
Quick insights mean quick action—no waiting around, no guessing. Store and field leaders can easily spot trends, address issues, and jump on new opportunities as they happen. This real-time visibility is your secret weapon for meeting daily targets, ensuring that every shift, every hour, and every decision counts.
Tip #3: Handle Holiday Tasks With Care
While e-commerce is expected to grow at a steady 9.5%, physical stores remain the foundation of holiday shopping, accounting for a projected 83%* of total retail sales during the holidays. This underscores the importance of a well-coordinated in-store experience. Managing tasks across multiple stores is complex, and consistency is key to delivering a polished, cohesive shopping experience.
StoreForce’s centralized task management allows for seamless assignment and tracking of holiday tasks across all locations. By ensuring consistent execution in every store, Retailers can meet customer expectations, delivering a cohesive and high-quality shopping experience that supports the continued strength of brick-and-mortar sales. With StoreForce, field leaders get real-time feedback and visual confirmation of task completion, ensuring every store is ready for the holiday rush. This streamlined approach lets your team stay focused on what matters most: serving customers and driving sales with precision and style.
*Based on forecasts by EMARKETER
Tip #4: Holiday Staffing Starts Now
According to a recent StoreForce survey, only 15% of Retailers plan to hire more seasonal staff than last year, while 62% expect to keep staffing steady and 18% plan to hire less. If you’re planning on hiring fewer seasonal hires, early planning is more important than ever.
StoreForce’s Employee Self Service (ESS) feature allows employees to submit their availability in advance, helping managers confirm staffing needs well before peak holiday traffic hits. By solidifying availability early, Retailers can reduce scheduling stress and be prepared to meet customer demand with the right staffing levels, even if seasonal hires are limited.
Tip #5: Capture Insights Now For Next Year
The wide range in sales predictions for this year highlights the need to adapt and refine strategies each season. The holiday season brings valuable lessons, but without a way to capture them, teams end up starting from scratch each year. That’s where StoreForce’s Event Post Mortem feature comes in. It simplifies post-season analysis, helping you gather essential data on KPIs, staffing efficiency, and store feedback to understand what worked and what didn’t.
This feature creates a data-driven feedback loop, enabling Retailers to refine their strategies based on actual performance and insights. By building on past successes and making informed improvements, you can ensure that every holiday season is stronger than the last—no matter the economic climate. With insights in hand, your team will be ready to drive even greater success next year.
Ready, Set, Holiday Season Prep
This season, holiday readiness means more than just being prepared—it’s about smart strategies, quick adaptability, and delivering a seamless shopping experience across the board. With these five tips, Specialty Retailers can strike the perfect balance between efficiency and customer satisfaction. StoreForce isn’t just for the holidays; it’s for every day. StoreForce ensures that each of your stores is performing at its best and driving positive results to win the day, every day. Let’s chat today to create success all year long.