OPINION: Get involved at Christmas – Susan Connolly, Spar Tidworth, Wiltshire

Being prepared for Christmas is all about making sure we’ve got all the right products for our customers: all those last-minute things like foil, gravy and the various sauces that people might forget and only remember on Christmas Eve when the big multiples are shut.

Since lockdown, we’ve always installed a non-food gifting range in the store. We sell things like children’s games, chess sets and a range of children’s books I introduced using an online wholesaler. They’re easy wins, offer high margins and because they’re all priced under £5, they can play a huge role in growing impulse sales and basket spend. People see it and say ‘wow!’.

But it’s also so important to get other things in place. At Christmas, you want to make sure all your high-value goods are locked away, all your alarms are working and your staff are fully trained to look out for shoplifters, and to lock up correctly. Unfortunately, break-ins increase at this time of year.

We also try to get into the spirit of things in our store at this time of year. We always put a Christmas tree up. It’s all about the theatre and we’ll dangle some items from the branches in the lead up to the big day. It doesn’t have to be a big, grand thing, but it’s important to make it relevant. Last year, with the World Cup, we had baubles with each country’s flag on them and took them off as they got knocked out.

If you can tie in the community at Christmas, that’s even better. We do an advent calendar in December and put up a post on Facebook, and the people who comment on it can win the prize each day, whether it’s a bottle of wine or a toy. We’ll then have a grand prize on Christmas Eve. If you buy enough from your supplier, you can often get these prizes for free. And it all ties in the community and keeps your store – and its opening hours – embedded in their minds right up to Christmas. Last year, our grand prize was an air fryer and we didn’t have to pay for it ourselves.

Also, don’t forget to wish your customers a Merry Christmas on your Facebook pages. You could even send Christmas cards thanking them for their support. Tiny, subliminal things like that help to make you part of the community and increase footfall and spend.

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