4 Steps Retailers Can Take to Overcome the January Blues

The first few weeks of the year can be tough for retailers. It’s a time when sales slow, product returns spike, and productivity levels aren’t at their highest. It’s no wonder they call this period the January doldrums.

If you’re anxious about the upcoming slowdown, fret not. Below are a few tips on how to make the most out of the next couple of weeks.

See the opportunities in returns

Processing returns isn’t fun, but it’s part of the territory. So instead of dreading them, it’s best to view returns as opportunities to impress or even convert customers.

Micah Solomon had it right when he wrote:

Sometimes a return even means a chance to introduce yourself to an entirely new customer who received the item as a gift, but in the wrong size or color, and is now showing up at the slowest time of the year, when you really need traffic in your stores. Don’t miss your chance to wow them.

Make the return process as quick and painless as possible. As Solomon put it, you should handle holiday returns cheerfully, frictionlessly, and optimistically. In other words, do it with a smile and don’t make people jump through hoops. You’ll make a great impression on shoppers, and they’ll be more likely to tell their friends or come back to your store when they’re ready to buy.

Returns can also give you some valuable insights into your products and customers. Take note of the reasons why people are returning merchandise and use that information to improve.

For example, if a lot of customers are returning a particular item because it’s too small, then perhaps it’s time to consider introducing a new size. Or, if most of your returns are coming from a particular demographic, then it could be an indicator that your product isn’t a good fit for that market and you should focus your efforts on other types of customers.

Motivate employees

Are the slow sales lowering employee morale? Take the time to rally your staff and get them in the right mindset for the rest of the year. Recognize their efforts from 2014 and let them know that you’re looking forward to seeing more great output in 2015.

Consider discussing your staff’s professional goals for the year ahead and talk about how you can help them achieve their objectives. If you can, offer growth opportunities within your company and lay out a “moving up” plan for 2015.

Start thinking about what’s in store for the rest of the year

It may be a slow period, sales- and traffic-wise, but it’s not going to stay that way for long. Why not use this downtime to plan events or promotions for the rest of the year? You don’t need to be very detailed at this stage, but you can at least lay the groundwork by circling important dates on your calendar or by creating reminders.

If you have a blog, use this time to plan out a content strategy. Brainstorm content ideas and add them to your editorial calendar.

These steps help you stay organized and enable you to carry out your plans more efficiently. They keep you on track, so by the time the busy shopping dates roll along, you’ll be prepared.

Update your company’s online profiles and listings

Go through your company’s social media accounts and directory pages to make sure everything is in order. Do your Google and Yelp listings contain the most recent contact information? Are your Facebook and Twitter descriptions as good as they can be? If not, you may want to spruce things up.

And if you made any changes to your business in 2014 (i.e. you renovated your store or added new products), see to it that the most recent information and photos are on your website, profiles, and listings.

Bottom line

January may be a bit slow, but that doesn’t mean you should slow down with it. Keep yourself busy by implementing the steps above and continuously finding ways to take your business to the next level.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

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Image: Joe Lanman on Flickr