How to Prepare a Store for Summer Shoppers

Create a summery atmosphere, so shoppers want to enter your store and stay out of the heat. Display common summer items in easy to find locations for tourists passing through on vacation. If you're in a college town, expect a drop in sales, and hold events to encourage locals to shop. Mark all sale items clearly with distinctive summer themes that put all your shoppers in a festive mood and ready to open their wallets.

Instructions

1. Market your products so they are in the right places when people enter the store. Place new products and summer merchandise at eye level near the entrance so people see them immediately. Create neat, clean simple displays that catch your customer's attention as they move around the store.

2. Create a beach theme in your store by decorating with water items. Create a cool breezy feel with soft summer blues and whites. Add merchandise that makes people think of relaxing on the beach.

3. Make the beach theme more fun by creating a summery atmosphere with bright colors like sunny yellow, fluorescent orange and lime green. Add beach pails, shovels, towels and flip flops to your display.

4. Build displays with your regular merchandise in mind but use summer themes and summer colors to accent the holiday times. You can create shelves of books, clothing, food or shoes with a summer backdrop accenting your merchandise.

5. Add summer music to your store. Play older tunes like the Beach Boys or set the music station to the latest modern dance music. Create a CD with a mix of summer music that will suit all ages and musical tastes.

6. Dress your mannequins in summer dresses, short and tees, bathing suits or cotton business wear. Appeal to all ages but make sure your mannequins look like they are enjoying the summer.

7. Create summer categories throughout the store. Put items in groups that people would use at home. You want your customers to imagine using your merchandise in their own homes.

8. Hire extra customer service staff to help the influx of summer shoppers. Locals and tourists will be on holiday during summer months so you can expect more business.

Tips & Warnings

• Use cross selling techniques by combining summer merchandise with regular stock, so you get an edge on selling both types of merchandise.