December marks the busiest and financially rewarding months out of the entire year for retail. With the holidays and New Year’s all packed into a one-month long extravaganza, it’s obvious how critical the month of December is for every brand, product, and retail store. Most stores actually spend the majority of the year just in preparation for December. And after all the dust settles sometime around the middle of January, most will admit that the payoff was well worth all the chaos, time, and energy put into the holiday season.
Now, you’re probably thinking “well sure, but this year is different”. This year is dramatically different from years past, but that hasn’t exactly slowed down spending. And the companies that will survive and even thrive this holiday season despite the craziness of the pandemic are the ones willing to put in the extra effort with regards to COVID safety and get creative for their customers.
Make Safety Your Mission Statement
Customers coming from near and far this year will be hitting the streets with safety close in mind. This month alone has produced staggering numbers of Covid cases and deaths, more so compared even to the beginning of the pandemic. This means that those who are choosing to go out and holiday shop in person will be understandably wary of putting themselves in harm’s way and entering into retail stores that don’t meet the right safety requirements. As a shop owner or a retail manager, make safety your priority and arm your business with the right precautions. Here are some of the simple yet effective tools you can use to ensure this year a safe shopping experience for everyone.
- Set up a greeting table at the entrance to your shop with hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for guests to use upon arrival.
- Ask that all of your customers use the sanitizing methods before entering the store.
- For an extra step of security, take the temperature of your shoppers before permitting entrance
- Limit the number of customers allowed in your store based on your available square footage
- Place flexible wall partitions throughout your retail store to keep sections blocked off. Some stores have opted to create a one-way path for their shoppers by using standing glass dividers. This “path” helps to guide customers through the store without letting them backtrack. This keeps traffic flowing in one direction and is much easier at socially distancing customers and keeping track of their whereabouts.
- Continually sanitize your store after groups of customers leave. Real glass dividers are great for COVID sanitizing because they’re sturdy, non-porous, and won’t weather with wear.
Create A Pop-up Shop
One of the most inventive retail solutions this year in light of the crisis is the resurgence of safe outdoor pop-up shops. These retail shops aren’t only a solution to safety concerns, they’re also great at piquing the interest of passers-by. Pop-ups are usually made possible with little resources, time, or labor necessary! They can even be erected within a day by installing room dividers or floor-length glass wall partitions, to help create the mood of being indoors, all while remaining safe in an open-air environment. Next, bring in tables and benches and artistically outfit the space to display clothing and goods for sale! It’s as easy as that!
This holiday season, you’ll be ready for the frenzy of frantic shopping and curious visitors by ensuring your place of business is a safe one for everyone. For more ideas, inspiration, and related blogs, head over to Space Plus, a Division of The Sliding Door Company, for all the best in commercial space-saving solutions! From Bi-Fold doors to swing doors, wall dividers to suspended systems, Space Plus has it all! Schedule a free consultation with one of our showroom professionals and order your very own custom QubiGlass partitions today!
