The latest Seasonal Buying Report from Autumn Fair organiser i2i Events Group explains how seasonal buying can benefit your business.
Retailing has always been about change and attracting customers with new products and looks. But today’s retail world is changing in a way we have never seen before.
We are witnessing a retail revolution, nothing more, nothing less. Customers are behaving differently and believe they are empowered to shop wherever and whenever they want. They are no longer being dictated to by retailers curating collections put together by their buyers.
Driving this change is the digital revolution and mobile in particular which is giving consumers the power to control their shopping habits and destinations. Consumers have also been changed by the experience of the new economic realities of life where money remains tightly held and only spent when a need or a want arises. The latest retail sales figures bear this out with spending falling behind rising income levels.
The Managing Director for Retail at i2i, Louise Young says:
“The changing consumer is leading to a change in the way buyers have to think about meeting their needs. Traditional buying seasons and patterns can no longer be set rigidly by the calendar only. It is impossible to know how customers will be feeling and spending in 12 or even 6 months’ time so where is the logic in committing vital budget that far ahead?
Luckily, suppliers have responded to this new market and are being more reactive and agile in
meeting short term demand. To understand more about how retailers see the best way to serve
their customers and to plan for key seasonal promotions and events, i2i Events Group undertook a major research study to ask them for their views. We also asked retailers and retail experts for their views on the changing buying landscape in order to help fellow retailers. We believe this important report can provide direction and even reassurance to retailers that they can reappraise their buying with confidence that today’s trends are in fact part of irreversible change.”
