Halloween & Christmas Candy Pre-Order Guide
| BY NEAL ROTHSTEIN
Don’t be alarmed, but the holiday ordering season is already upon us! When it comes to planning for Halloween and Christmas, (two of the most important holidays in the candy business) pre-ordering a healthy supply of candy will help you ensure adequate stock in your stores and give you the ability to provide your customers what they really want this holiday season.
Take a look at our top 5 holiday ordering tips for 2021:
1. Pre-order candy to ensure your orders are shipped in time for the holidays.
During the busy holiday seasons, your store’s inventory should be well-stocked. This means it is important that you order the products you need on your shelves, well in advance. You will definitely want to order ahead of peak shipping season, as this will help make certain that your store is prepared once your holiday promotions are set to begin.
Have you ever run-out of a popular product before consumer demand dried-up? Then you certainly have experienced the frustration that comes with people asking about something, money in hand and you don’t have any more to sell them. We know you understand the importance of customer service by giving them what they are looking for.
When you have what your customers want in-stock, they are likely to build a sense of trust with your shop or brand. This keeps them coming back because they know they will find what they’re looking for at your store. When you pre-order from Redstone Foods, you are securing the popular items your customers will be shopping for in advance, without having to worry about these products selling-out. No more missed sales for your candy store!
2. Timing is key in the world of holiday sales.
We know that the holiday season is critical to ending the year in the black for many retailers. Fourth quarter sales can really drive your profit margin, so Halloween and Christmas are crucial to the overall success of your business.
For that reason, it is imperative that you are aware of shipping cut-off dates and delivery times for both of your Halloween and Christmas holiday buys. We’d recommend that you add them to your calendars now!
For ordering from Redstone Foods, our holiday pre-order deadlines are:
· Halloween: Thursday, June 17th
· Christmas: Thursday, June 24th
These dates will help guarantee that your store will have the right products for your shelves and in-time for your holiday sales promotions.
Follow this link to browse our extensive holiday line-up!
While ordering on time is key, it is also important to know when to expect your inventory to arrive, so you can make sure your warehouses or stock rooms have the space necessary for these new shipments. We would therefore recommend you add the expected delivery date to your calendar as well.
3. Understanding what items to order.
Redstone Foods prides itself on our deep understanding of product trends. Our dedicated team of buyers and sales representatives meet regularly to discuss candy trends that are constantly emerging. If your candy store needs help to decide what items to order and how much your store should stock, we are always glad to help you with product ordering guides and ongoing support.
Our team of dedicated sales representatives are also focused on quality customer service, and we strive to make your ordering process an enjoyable one. We can help lower the stress of the busy holiday season by assisting you through every step of the ordering process, up until we have your orders shipped.
We understand that anticipating what items are going be hot this year can sometimes prove to be difficult. Yet, it is important to understand the value of stocking-up on the holiday classics, like Santa-shaped chocolate bars, candy canes, or peppermint bark for Christmas, and even novelty candy items for Halloween.
With those time-tested classics in mind, it may also benefit your store to include some hot and new-to-market items. We have seen some of these items trending on social media apps, like TikTok and YouTube such as E Frutti’s Planet Gummi, Nik-L-Nip, and Nerds Christmas Rope – just to name a few. We are always happy to help you find the products your customers will want this season.
4. You may want to increase your lead times and days of stock on hand as needed for consumer demand.
Many retail stores operate through most of the year with only up to 14 days of stock on hand. You may want to alter this approach for the 2021 holiday season. We all know that shipping services have been strained this year, partly due to the pandemic, but also because of ongoing labor shortages, driver shortages and overloaded ports are all factors contributing to the added time it currently takes to ship to a business.
For these reasons, we highly recommend you stock-up well ahead of time to beat the holiday shipping rush.
5. Plan your holiday marketing strategy ahead of time.
Your marketing strategy should be thought out and planned, well before the holiday season begins ramping up. Starting your promotions early and making your customers aware of them will help guarantee a successful year for your candy store business.
Part of this effort should include your regular advertising channels, along with email newsletters, social media campaigns, blog posts on your website and a healthy presence of online digital advertising.
It is of utmost importance to analyze past year’s data to see what worked, and what didn’t. If you optimize your advertising budget and strategy, you’re sure to see growth in your business, year after year. Feel free to contact us today and we can help you get your Halloween and Christmas ordering plans in place.
