{"id":27753,"date":"2019-10-24T09:22:44","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T16:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paladinpointofsale.com\/retailscience\/?p=27753"},"modified":"2025-09-22T15:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T22:22:14","slug":"holiday-shopping-its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paladinpointofsale.com\/retailscience\/home\/holiday-shopping-its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Shopping: It\u2019s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title meta=”off” featured_placement=”background” text_color=”light” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” text_orientation=”center” text_shadow_style=”preset2″ use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Intro” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

In 1963, Andy Williams recorded the song \u201cIt\u2019s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,\u201d as an ode to the joyous Christmas holiday season. For retailers, though, the holiday shopping season can\u00a0<\/span>be\u00a0<\/span>wonderful or woeful\u00a0<\/span>depending on how well sales go<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>While\u00a0<\/span>solid\u00a0<\/span>planning starts during the summer, t<\/span>here are steps that stores can\u00a0<\/span>still\u00a0<\/span>take to make sure\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>h<\/span>e h<\/span>oliday shopping\u00a0<\/span>season\u00a0<\/span>goes as smoothly and successfully as possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The average retail business can expect to do close to 30% of its business during the holiday shopping season, which traditionally begins the day after Thanksgiving.\u00a0<\/span>And this year,\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>National Retail Federation<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>is forecasting sales to rise between\u00a0<\/span>3.8<\/span>% and\u00a0<\/span>4.2<\/span>% over last year. In 2018<\/span>, holiday shopping reached $<\/span>701 billion<\/span>, according to the\u00a0<\/span>NRF<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The hardware and home improvement sector experienced\u00a0<\/span>one of\u00a0<\/span>the healthiest surges with a boost of 9% over the previous holiday shopping season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some\u00a0<\/span>retail\u00a0<\/span>trends that are expected to\u00a0<\/span>continue this h<\/span>ol<\/span>iday\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>hopping\u00a0<\/span>season.<\/span>\u00a0B<\/span>usiness<\/span>es that are\u00a0<\/span>prepared for them<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>could\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>a wonderful time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Shoppers are Going Mobile ” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Shoppers are\u00a0Going\u00a0Mobile<\/h2>\n

Whether a store does most of its business online or in-store, it needs to focus on being mobile<\/span>–<\/span>friendly. Adobe\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>CMO.com<\/span><\/a>\u00a0report<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0that in 2018 smartphones accounted for half of all online visits to store websites during the peak holiday shopping season<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>31% of revenue during the\u00a0<\/span>week<\/span>en<\/span>d of\u00a0<\/span>Black Friday to Cyber Monday.\u00a0<\/span>That means web<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>stores must be mobile<\/span>–<\/span>friendly\u00a0<\/span>and ready to handle high traffic\u00a0<\/span>to capitalize on the visits they\u2019ll be getting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being mobile<\/span>–<\/span>friendly means much more than making sure products can be viewed and purchased online. It means linking online and in-store sales to\u00a0<\/span>your in-stock\u00a0<\/span>inventory. Sophisticated retail platforms offer features or integrations that link online and in-store sales assuring that items purchased from either site are confirmed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and in\u00a0<\/span>stock<\/span>. Nothing turns a valued\u00a0<\/span>shopper\u00a0<\/span>into a former customer quicker than buying something that is<\/span>n\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>available to be picked up<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stores can leverage applications such as\u00a0<\/span>Ez<\/span>-Ad<\/span>\u00a0that enhance\u00a0<\/span>in-store shopping with dynamic digital signs<\/span>\u00a0and a mobile app t<\/span>o improve customer service and close sales. Arming\u00a0<\/span>sales associates\u00a0<\/span>with technology allows them\u00a0<\/span>to compare\u00a0<\/span>prices with competitors and offer product information and demonstration videos<\/span>\u00a0to customers right in the aisles<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0These\u00a0<\/span>applications also provide real-time information through a store\u2019s retail platform and allow managers and owners to easily create\u00a0<\/span>promotional materials such as signs and banners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pointy is a<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>application <\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>evens the online playing field for\u00a0<\/span>independent stores<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It\u00a0<\/span>lets small businesses push their products into\u00a0<\/span>Google\u00a0<\/span>product\u00a0<\/span>searches<\/span>\u00a0alongside\u00a0<\/span>e-commerce<\/span>\u00a0and big-box retailers whose products normally dominate search engine results<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShopper-First Retailing,\u201d a report from Salesforce, says 71% of shoppers\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>re now using their smartphones to bridge the online to offline gap\u00a0<\/span>allowing them\u00a0<\/span>to research products while they\u2019re in<\/span>side<\/span>\u00a0brick-and-mortar retail stores.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>No<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>matter what systems and applications are used, stores need to make sure the<\/span>ir websites\u00a0<\/span>can handle the additional traffic holiday shopping<\/span>\u00a0brings<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Consider Offering Click-and-Collect ” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Consider Offering<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Click-and-Collect<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Independent retail businesses have\u00a0<\/span>a built-in advantage over Amazon and other online retailers when it comes to last-minute shopping<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s location, location, location.\u00a0<\/span>Shoppers know i<\/span>t\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>just easier to make sure you have gifts in hand if you can pick them up at the store.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The five<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>day<\/span>s\u00a0<\/span>before Christmas\u00a0<\/span>is a slow time for many e-<\/span>tailers<\/span>\u00a0because consumers aren\u2019t willing to risk late\u00a0<\/span>delivery of gift purchases. Online shopping traffi<\/span>c drops approximately 9% and sales dip 18% during this time.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A survey from\u00a0<\/span><\/span>RetailMeNot<\/span><\/span> shows that 60% of retailers plan to offer click-and-collect, or BOPIS, this holiday shopping season compared to just 52% last year.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Brick-and-mortar stores” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Brick-and-mortar stores can capitalize on their proximity and availability\u00a0<\/span>by selling online and offering in-store pickup<\/span>, also known as click-and-collect or buy online, pick<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>up in<\/span>–<\/span>store (BOPIS)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0In 2018,\u00a0<\/span>81.4% of online shoppers reported ordering products for in-store pick<\/span>up and\u00a0<\/span>businesses offering this service saw an average increase of 52% of online traffic and sales conversions<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A survey from\u00a0<\/span>RetailMeNot<\/span><\/i>\u00a0shows that 60% of retailers plan to offer BOPIS this holiday shopping season compared to just 52% last year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Home Depot and Lowe\u2019s are the hardware leaders in click-and-collect.\u00a0<\/span>Ace Hardware has developed\u00a0<\/span>and refined\u00a0<\/span>its\u00a0<\/span>Order Online, Pickup In-Store process for the past few years\u00a0<\/span>and this year added Buy Online, Deliver from Store as part of its e-commerce site. Independent stores can\u00a0<\/span>implement similar programs through sophisticated retail platforms\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0features or integrations that<\/span>\u00a0link online and in-store sales.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Gathering, Not Hunting is Most Important ” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Gathering, Not Hunting\u00a0is\u00a0Most Important<\/h2>\n

Stores considering click-and-collect services should study\u00a0<\/span>Bell and Howell<\/span>\u2019s latest report \u2013 \u201c<\/span>BOPIS State of the Industry<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Studying\u00a0<\/span>some of the top retail companies including Home Depot, Lowe\u2019s, Target, Walmart<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0Best Buy\u00a0<\/span>between October and December 2018<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0the report rates the best services and looks at what makes them successful.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>While Best Buy and Home Depot ranked the highest in customer satisfaction, the study b<\/span>roke down the click-and-collect process into three categories \u2013 online purchase<\/span>, notification time and pick<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_blurb title=”Online Purchase Process ” use_icon=”on” font_icon=”||divi||400″ icon_color=”#cc6633″ icon_placement=”left” admin_label=”Blurb – Online Purchase Process ” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_text_color=”#3e5062″ animation_style=”fade” border_color_all_image=”#cc6633″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n