by Mona Gallagher

Created on: December 28, 2008

Money flows freely during certain times of the year. In the US, Christmas is traditionally the season where retailers make up for sales slumps during the year. The sharp down turn in the economy brought forth a very low spending season this past year, and retailers are working hard to overcome weak holiday sales by offering super discounts to customers, but consumer lack of confidence in the economy continues.

Smart retailers don't have the luxury (of time) to be in a post-holiday rut when they're scrambling to recover losses. They move as soon as Christmas is over with day after Christmas sales, 72-hour sales, door busters, and special discounts. When the economy is in a slump, store-wide sales increase in intensity with slashed prices and other incentives needed to get old inventory out the door.

Twenty-four hour sales or even seventy-two hour sales periods provide a sense of urgency for customers who want the deep discounts. Good ad writers are priceless in bringing traffic to brick and mortar and Internet e-commerce stores. Retailers are motivated sellers.

Immovable (sometimes older) merchandise, refurbished returns, and overstocked items have to make way for new items. Electronics are high on the list because each year in January the new electronics show is held in Las Vegas. New orders are placed by February and the push is on at the retail level to clear last years merchandise. Inventories must be taken and slashing prices begins.

Pharmacies can use a "use it or lose it" sales pitch to push customers to spend down their Health Savings Accounts before the end of the year and customers get an extra discount if they spend more than fifty dollars. While customers are in the pharmacy retail stores they're enticed to can take advantage of other discounts or instant store rebates on seasonal Christmas items and other older merchandise.

During the after Christmas sale, prices may be discounted from 20 to 75 percent. Savvy retailers know exactly how long the item has been in the store and the amount of discount it will take to send the item out the door to a new home. That's not the end of sales however.
Winter storm sales and more store-wide clearance sales take place in February and March.

Most all major retailers also run an Internet store and offer a special "free shipping" period to help motivate buyers. A free gift, a coupon code and instant rebates serve you well, but retailers must also have a USP or a unique selling position. What makes your product unique

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