There is no one set time or date that all stores swear by is the best day of the year to discount holiday merchandise. Some choose to go as early as late November, others the beginning of the month, some the week before Christmas and still others on December 26 or even in January.
Moving Merchandise
As to the ways in which they move their discounted merchandise, store owners share their successful strategies.
“Starting the first of December, each week or group of days leading up to Christmas is a kind of count down to Christmas where we will offer a special on holiday decor, candles, clothing etc.,” says an Indiana retailer.
Another Indiana retailer writes, “After the holiday rush, focus on clearing out seasonal merchandise with well-organized sale displays. Create a ‘Clearance Corner’ or ‘Winter Blowout’ section with clear signage, highlighting deals on leftover holiday items or winter-specific products. Make it visually appealing by using bold colors and easy-to-read signs that communicate urgency, such as ‘Last Chance’ or ‘Final Markdown.’”
In Texas a store owner writes, “We plan to offer 50 percent off any one holiday item of their choice starting the Saturday before Christmas. Then all holiday items go on sale after Christmas.”
“In most years, we will offer 20 percent off one or two days prior to Christmas (like during our open house and/or on Black Friday), but that’s it until after Christmas is over!” says an Arizona store owner. “I think stores who discount their holiday merchandise beforehand are shooting themselves in the foot! That being said, in ‘bad years’ I may offer ornaments or things like that at a discount prior to December 25, but only if I’m having a slow selling season.”
In Tennessee a retailer writes, “December 27th starts our ‘after Christmas’ sale. We never put it on sale before Christmas. We don’t want to condition our customers that before Christmas it will be on sale. They know if they wait for December 27th their favorite item might be gone so they need to go ahead and purchase it at full price.”
“We usually put Christmas on sale the day after Christmas!,” says a Montana retailer. “We run one sale annually starting December 26 and start at 50 percent for about four weeks which includes the entire year of slow sellers and odds and ends. Then it goes to 75 percent. We believe in the ‘Sell or get it out of my store philosophy’, and like to harvest our cash and move on to better inventory.”
In Ohio a store owner writes, “I do a 20 percent off coupon which I email to customers and put on Facebook too for one item the day of the open house. If someone doesn’t have a coupon, we will give them 20 percent off one item if they fill out one of our info cards with their email on it. I do another 20 percent off one item that starts a few days later for a 10-day period.”
Reprinted with permission from Giftbeat Magazine. November 2024