How to prepare your Shopify store for the last quarter of the year

The last quarter of the year is a busy, bustling time for Shopify stores. Ahead of Christmas and New Year's, there is a significant rise in the number of customers and in sales. To make the most of this busy period, you need to prepare in advance with marketing strategies and promotions, inventory planning and attractive displays, staff training and more.

Products and promotions 

Inventory and promotions are the two most important factors for a successful last quarter. The store manager should check which products sell at a faster pace during this period, mainly gift items such as jeans, shirts, perfumes and more. It's also important to prepare promotions and discounts on these products in advance and advertise them widely starting at the end of November. Cosmetics such as perfumes and body care sets also sell in large quantities as gifts for women. Shopify store owners can offer promotions on these products, with an emphasis on gift bundles that include several items at a lower price than buying them separately. For example, a bundle with jeans and a decorated shirt at 20% off. A "buy 2 for the price of 1" deal on perfumes and other cosmetics is also very common.

Ahead of the holidays, these products are placed prominently at the entrance to the online store, just as in a physical one, and along the main aisles - to encourage spontaneous gift purchases. An attractive display includes distinctive graphics that set the holiday season and its promotions apart from the rest of the year.

Inventory planning 

Avoid a situation where popular products sell out in the middle of the holiday season. Starting in October, make sure stock levels of your best-selling products are high and updated weekly. It's a good idea to order a surplus of 20%-30% before and during the season so you are ready for the increased demand.
In addition, the store manager should analyze sales data from previous years to identify which categories and specific items sell in larger quantities in November and December. Based on that analysis, increase orders of those products and make sure a base stock of them is in the warehouse from the beginning of October. An inventory management system lets you track stock levels continuously and warns you about items that are about to run out, so you can reorder them before they sell out. Keeping stock levels high enough reduces the chance of running out of popular products at the height of the season.

Design and display 

The Shopify online store is specially designed for the holidays to draw customers in to buy gifts and seasonal fashion items. The home page can combine photos of models wearing seasonal items such as button-up sweaters and padded coats with a prominent mention of the various promotions currently available on the site. The home page links directly to a dedicated landing page that brings together all the holiday products and promotions. That page clearly presents the deals on various gift items alongside product categories sorted and arranged by type, such as warm winter clothing, perfumes and cosmetics, fashion accessories and more. 

Within the different categories, too, seasonal products and gift items are shown at the top, while the rest of the products appear further down. A clear, easy-to-navigate display lets customers quickly and easily find the right items to buy for the holidays.

Marketing and advertising

In November and December, Shopify stores significantly step up their marketing and advertising to attract many customers to buy gifts and fashion items. The advertising focuses both on specific products and on promoting special deals for this period. Social media marketing ramps up this season. The app and the newsletter can feature a weekly customer perk with a coupon code for an extra discount on selected winter items. In addition to the stores' own marketing, Shopify itself may take part in marketing efforts through brand videos. As part of the effort to retain customers and entice others to buy, you can hold special online events such as a talk, a gift giveaway, a holiday music performance and more. 

Staff training

So that the team can give the best possible service to the many customers during the holiday season, the store manager will hold several training sessions and team-building days for employees. The training emphasizes in-depth familiarity with current inventory, including where products are located and their prices. Employees also get a refresher on customer service and useful tips on handling the pressure of many inquiries at once. Better service contributes to a more pleasant shopping experience for customers during the busy season. 

In addition, the team takes a virtual tour of the online store and learns where the various promotions and displays are so they can direct customers to them efficiently. The training materials also include a presentation on the promotions and perks for this period. Ahead of the peak period, you can throw a holiday party for employees with a prize raffle in recognition of the effort expected of them over the next two months. A positive atmosphere and team bonding boost the team's motivation ahead of the challenge.

Warehouse logistics

It may be an online store, but most of the merchandise consists of physical products stored in a warehouse. Some prefer to keep their merchandise in a third-party fulfillment partner's warehouse, while others keep it in their own. In that case, pay attention to the cleanliness, organization and layout of the store. The warehouse also needs to be kept in order - products that sell in large volumes should be placed somewhere accessible. In addition, make sure you have enough staff to handle issues such as security and cleaning, so you can keep up with the growing number of customers.  

That's how you prepare your Shopify store for the last quarter.