Is Your Store Ready For Christmas? A Stock-Up Guide for Retailers

From the first box of chocolates bought as a gift to the wrapping paper picked up on Christmas Eve, convenience stores can help customers tick off their Christmas lists without a trip to the supermarket. With November underway, now’s the time to decide what to stock, where to put it and when to reorder.

Here’s how to get your store ready for Christmas, with support from Procuria and our suppliers.

Start with the Christmas essentials

Look back at last year’s sales before placing your orders. What sold out early? What were customers still asking for in the final week? What was left on the shelf in January? Use that to decide where to buy deeper and where to start with a smaller order.

Cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, tape and batteries are all worth a look. Give them a spot shoppers can find easily, and group products that go together. A customer buying a toy may need batteries, while someone picking up a gift bag might grab a card at the same time.

Explore the seasonal non-food ranges from Homeware Essentials and LP Wholesale, and take a look at BJ Toys’ Christmas floor-standing display if you have room for a dedicated toy fixture. PMS’s Elves Behavin’ Badly counter display is another option for stores with limited space.

Give festive confectionery a clear place to shop

Christmas confectionery can serve several different trips, from a small stocking filler to a box of chocolates for a get-together. Give shoppers a mix of price points and make prices easy to see. Keep larger gifting and sharing lines together, and try a few lower-priced treats near the till.

World of Sweets is a good place to start for seasonal confectionery. Look at Buchanan’s for traditional sweets and Americatessen for American candy that can add variety to your stocking-filler selection.

If shelf space is tight, start with a compact range and see what sells before reordering. Check supplier cut-offs early so you know which lines you can top up in December.

Keep everyday favourites and food to go in stock

Christmas brings extra shopping trips, but customers will still come in for bread, snacks, lunch and a hot drink. Keep your regular bestsellers easy to find and give yourself enough room to replenish them on busy days.

Use Procuria’s direct-to-store suppliers to plan your regular top-ups, from Warburtons for bakery to Bobby’s for snacks. If you sell food to go, explore Country Choice and Rollover for hot food and Jack’s Beans or Smokin’ Bean for coffee. A clearly priced hot drink and snack deal can give shoppers a quick reason to buy both.

Get the store ready for the busiest days

A few checks in November can make December easier to manage.

• Mark your last order and delivery dates. Confirm holiday cut-offs with suppliers and plan your final top-up around your opening hours.
• Walk the shop as a customer. Can you spot prices quickly, reach the seasonal display and get to the till without squeezing past a queue?
• Plan for extra packaging and waste. Check your collection dates over Christmas and make room for the cardboard from larger deliveries.
• Check your tills and card terminals. Make sure your team knows who to contact if there’s a problem during a busy shift.
• Tell customers when you’re open. Put your festive hours in the window and update your online listings before the holidays.

If you’re reviewing how you run the store, Procuria can also help with card payments, waste collections, pest control and floor mats through our retail services.

Plan your Christmas stock-up with Procuria

Whether you need a few extra stocking fillers or want to put together a full Christmas display, Procuria can help you find suppliers and ranges that suit your store.

Log in to the Procuria customer portal to explore our Christmas ranges and latest offers, or speak to the team for help finding the right suppliers for your store.