Although it feels like we have only just had the end of summer, in retail terms it’s already time to start thinking about Christmas. The seasonal market can be a huge opportunity for retailers, especially given the challenges that have been posed this year by pandemic lockdowns. So, it makes sense to start planning how to fit out your store for Christmas now so that you’re ready to make the most of all the opportunities that this bumper part of the year has to offer.

Why fit out your store for Christmas – the benefits

If your store looks the same, inside and out, in December as it did in the autumn then you’re losing out on an opportunity to tap into the magic of this time of year to help boost revenue and attract new customers to your brand. The more intriguing your decorations, the more likely you are to attract passing trade and the more customers will want to explore your store. Decorations create store experience and help retailers tap into consumer emotions and this can be truly magical around this time of year. Not only is this a great way to upgrade your customer experience but it can also make you more competitive with online brands in your space that simply aren’t able to offer the kind of sensory experience that being in a well fitted out store at Christmas can bring to consumers.

Creating a different shopping environment

Fitting out a store for Christmas involves a number of different key elements:

• Getting the lighting right. Bad lighting can ruin a shopping experience at any time of the year and make customers feel grumpy and over stimulated. The right lighting can make a space feel calm and somewhere that consumers want to stay and browse or it can bring energy and excitement, especially when there is festivity in the air.
• Focusing on colours. There is a very specific colour palette that most of us associate with Christmas – red, green, gold and white – and integrating this can really enhance the experience that your customers have. These are colours that instantly feel festive and if you’re not using them at any other time of year they bring a real sense of occasion too.
• Consider extra props. You might go all out and have an abstract sculpture of a reindeer or a huge Christmas tree or you might do something as simple as adding Santa hats to your mannequins. The use of props can be cheerful and cheeky and make people feel more festive across the board.
• Tap into technology. Many big stores are now integrating mobile into the shopping experience, for example with window displays and custom elements that can be activated by customer’s phones. There are lots of ways to tie this in to your fit out at Christmas to make the shopping experience more enjoyable.
• Change your signs for Christmas. Whether you add some festive images or tongue in cheek signs (e.g. “last minute shoppers this way”) you can bring distinctive brand personality to the shopping experience and make it more memorable.

These are just some of the reasons to plan to fit out your store for Christmas this year – and some of the key components you’ll need to consider to do it. If you need help with your store fit-out in time for Christmas, find out how our team can help you…