Halloween is just around the corner and if you’re like most brands, you’re already in the busiest time of year: holiday retail sales. But don’t let this year scare you. Even with persistent supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and rising inflation, a successful holiday sales season is possible with a little planning and the right partners by your side.
In years like this, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to every in-store detail.
Do you have in-store marketing in place? Are your planograms being executed correctly? Did your product make it from the backroom to the shelf? Are you standing out from the crowd? Are you auditing your store presence frequently enough?
All these questions and more are critical to answer. Read on to get the in-store holiday retail checklist and discover services retail merchandising partners can support you with to make sure this holiday season is nothing short of jolly.
The In-Store Holiday Retail Checklist
While managing retail store execution is complicated, the checklist doesn’t have to be. Follow these questions and make sure your in-store presentation is in tip-top shape.
- Is your in-store marketing strategy confirmed and being executed to plan?
- Did your products make it to the backroom of your retail partner’s stores?
- Is your product making it from the backroom to your sales floor locations to meet sales demand?
- Are your products set to planogram and priced correctly?
- Are you taking advantage of promotions like Instant Redeemable Coupons?
Of course, this is a simplified checklist. But the heart of a successful retail season is the same: in-store product management.
58% of consumers expect to spend less on non-food purchases this season so suppliers must focus on making sure there are no gaps in their process and no inventory slipping through the cracks. Land every opportunity for a sale by ensuring your in-store operations are in tip-top shape.
If you don’t have time to go into each retail partner, third-partner retail merchandisers like RMS can be the boots on the ground and the helping hand you need.
How Third-Party Merchandising Partners Can Make the Holidays Bright for Suppliers
Of course, we’re partial to merchandising partners because we are one. But we’re passionate about what we do because we know how much work goes into getting your products placed at a retail store to begin with. We want to make sure your product’s journey doesn’t end sitting in the backroom of a store. Here’s how we can help make sure that’s just the start of its adventure.
First, we’re Backroom Certified at Target. This means we are able to work independently in stores – locating product in the backroom, pulling inventory to the sales floor, printing shelf labels, and looking at store-specific planograms. No matter who you partner with, this is important. Without this certification, your retail merchandising partner is severely limited in what they’ll be able to do for you.
Must-Have Retail Merchandising In-Store Maintenance Services
Make sure your product is getting the attention it deserves, no matter what shelf it’s on.
We offer:
- Planogram maintenance to keep the shelves full, products merchandised to planogram, and tagged correctly on shelves.
- Perishables maintenance to make sure your food and beverages are in stock, not expired, and rotated to maintain the longest shelf lives.
Can’t Miss In-Store Marketing and Visual Merchandising Services
Make your inventory pop and catch customers’ eyes with these services.
- Endcap and display services to maximize brand exposure on those high-value locations.
- Instant Redeemable Coupons (IRCs) to capture eyeballs, stand out from your competition and move inventory faster.
- In-Store Marketing (ISM) and Execution to tell your story and ensure your items stand out from the competition.
- Reset and Revision audits to ensure inline sets are completed, merchandised to planogram, correctly signed, and in-store marketing materials are installed.
Third-Party Managed Programs
- Scan-Based Trading Management (SBT) completes program management from receiving door to transition send-backs. RMS takes care of setting planograms, pricing, inventory management, cut-ins, and overall store execution of each program.
See all of our services here.
Partnering with a Third-Party Merchandising Partner to Maximize Retail Success
But what happens if you don’t have a retail merchandising partner?
Did you know that poor store execution can result in up to a 25% loss of retail sales? That’s a hefty price to pay and too steep to risk. Partners like us can boost in-store execution rates by 40 or 50%, making the return on investment more than worth it.
Don’t let your products slip through your customers’ fingers this holiday season. Follow our checklist and partner with a trusted merchandiser to maximize your sales and streamline your in-store presence.
Interested in partnering with RMS for all of your retail merchandising needs? Call us today!
