When is it too early to prep for the next holiday?
Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Manager of HR and Administration at SafeSourcing.
Many of you may have noticed stores beginning to stock up on decorations and goods for the next big holiday. While it may seem a bit early for your Christmas shopping or buying Halloween candy, you may be surprised that most businesses plan for these holidays months in advance.
Generally, companies begin sourcing holiday goods about six months before the actual holiday. This means that they already have a plan of what and how much will be purchased. Accurate planning and forecasting is of great importance when trying to predict an upcoming holiday, so researching what and how much was sold historically must be done first.
This general rule of 6 month plus prep work not only applies to holiday goods purchasing, but for other seasonal items and services. If a business will need its lot cleared of snow during the winter, it may need to begin sourcing in the spring or summer. Likewise, if mowing and landscaping are needed, the plan should begin during fall or winter.
Next time you are browsing your local shopping spots and see holiday goods out a couple months before the holiday, remember how long the planning must’ve been and how much prep work went into getting all those goods ordered, sourced, shipped, and displayed.
For more information on SafeSourcing can help with your holiday or seasonal sourcing needs, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.
