Give your customers what they want for Christmas

The season for beach cricket, backyard barbecues and Pavlova by the plateful is right around the corner. In fact, it’s just just nine weeks away. For retailers, the festive season means big business. Close to 20% of annual retail revenue is made during the Christmas holiday period. According to The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan Research, Australian shoppers spent $47 billion in 2015 for the period.

As we’ve talked about  before, brands have long been capitalising on seasons and holidays, with Christmas being the most obvious example. Seasonal merchandising strategies can spark sales by helping brands to stand out on the shelf, getting customers excited about the season, and creating a buzz around the brand. Here are some simple things you can do to your product to boost sales in the lead up to Christmas this year:

1. Incorporate Christmas into your labelling

A fresh, festive label (or logo) will catch the attention of new customers and excite your existing ones. The best label designs connect the value of a product to the holiday season.

Festive labels will excite your customers and create a buzz around your brand.

A simple way to do this is to incorporate Christmas- themed iconography and imagery.

Many global brands use the Northern Hemisphere’s wintery weather as inspiration: think snowflakes and snowmen. Instead, why not consider what it means to celebrate Christmas in Australia? Use font colours such as red and green or, if your product is high-end, add a touch of luxury by using metallic gold or silver. We can help you achieve a premium metallic look without the pricetag. Ask us for a quote.

Want something unique but keeping getting stuck on colours? Learn more about what label colours say about your brand.

2. Introduce special Christmas packaging

Seasonal packaging can help increase product visibility on the shelf and stand out from the crowd in social media feeds.

Get creative and redesign your packaging to suit the silly season. Here are three ways you may do this:

a) Change the look of your product

Apply a fun holiday-themed pattern onto the blank space in your label or packaging. We love The Pattern Library for free patterns.

Spring sniffles? Keep calm with Kleenex Christmas tissues.

b) Change the packaging material

Don’t be afraid to change the packaging completely, especially if you’re in the food manufacturing industry. If your food product is designed to be shared, consider resealable packaging options such as flexible pouches. They make for a perfect stocking-stuffer and have the added advantage of keeping the food fresher for longer.

Tastes like Christmas. Photo: Starbucks.

c) Use fun shapes

Surprise and delight your customers by shaping your product packaging into something that’s gift-ready. Shapes including Christmas trees, stars, wreaths and candy canes work well.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree…Ferrero Rocher releases its chocolates in a Christmas tree shaped box.

3. Create a Christmas gift pack

Another way to increase shelf presence or upsell online is to bundle your best-sellers into a gift pack and sell at a premium. Cosmetics brand Too Faced created a special Christmas gift pack that resembles a dollhouse when opened up. How can we resist?

Cosmetic company Too Faced takes its customer experience to the next level.

4. Run a limited edition product

There’s no secret that scarcity makes a product more desirable. If you have product-line that performs well, consider making a limited edition variation of the product that’s only available during the holiday season. Lush Cosmetics has a popular bath bomb scent, Rose Jam, that it releases during Christmas season only. And guess what? It always sells out.

Chocolate company, Cadbury, releases a variety chocolate pack in resealable tub for Christmas.

5. Offer free Christmas gift wrapping and shipping

On a normal day, 28% of customers abandon cart due to unexpected costs during checkout. Free shipping strategies have been shown to help convert sales at the checkout.

A free gift wrapping service is another great way to add value to your customers. It’s also very appealing for those last minute shoppers—you know who you are.

Avoid the Christmas rush; start early

Want help to create a stand out packaging and label for your Christmas season products? Don’t wait until November to start planning. Luminar’s Label and Packaging consultants are here to help.