Bouncing back
UK charity shops have become such a common sight, it’s easy to take them for granted. Yet with the Charity Retail Association (CRA) counting over 11,200 shops across the UK, they have become something of an institution. Why? Because it works. A force for good, in 2018/19, charity shops raised £331m in profit for their parent organisations – and of course, there’s also the social and environmental benefit charity retail can bring. True, those figures are pre-COVID, and lockdowns one, two and three, did hit charity retail sales hard. But it isn’t the end, with lockdown also giving people the chance to clear out their closets and donate. It might take some time for our beloved charity shops to bounce back, but the picture is far from bleak. But what is it that makes a charity shop successful, and what can your organisation do to boost sales this winter?
12 ways to boost Black Friday and other festive charity shop sales
- Check out the competition: A business like any other, it’s important to do some market research. Look at other charity shops and retailers. Talk to the people that use them. Don’t recreate the wheel. Find out what works – and what doesn’t – and use this as a starting point for festive fundraising success.
- Draw people in with an eye-catching window display: Don’t just string up a piece of last year’s tinsel and consider it a job well done. Your window display is your shining light – a beacon that guides people into your store. A good display will start with a story and a theme, a point of unification that gives your decoration and display purpose (think ‘The Snowman’ rather than ‘Randomly festive’). Create a focal point for your display and don’t be afraid to be different. Every store on the street will be lighting up its winter windows and yours needs to stand out. Just remember to keep it balanced, stay on brand and don’t let it get too cluttered. Less will always be more. (Thanks for the tips, Shopify!).
- Sell a range of different goods: People aren’t just looking for Christmas Jumpers, they’re looking for gifts. So think about the different items you could sell. More than just background décor for your next Zoom meeting, second-hand books are hugely popular, and there’s a great market for vintage and reclaimed homewares. You could even sell a few first-hand ethical gifts and Christmas cards. It all goes to charity, so why not?!
- Go for quality over quantity: They don’t all have to be big brands, but they do need to be of good quality. No one wants to buy a jumper with bobbles, a book with missing pages, or a broken vase. Set a gold standard and you’ll build a good reputation. You could even single out high-value items and sell them as a ‘Boutique’ line - a great way to add some exclusivity and draw people into your store.
- Add a little extra sparkle: Christmas comes but once a year, and if now isn’t the time to get out the glitter and all the sparkly festive dresses and jumpers you’ve got in the back, then when is it? Be sure to showcase your best items and make them easy for people to spy, try and buy!
- Remember your shopper experience: It sounds great in theory, but in practice, crowded stores, one too many fairy lights and Mariah Carey playing on repeat can leave even the most festive shopper feeling bitter. Think about your shopping experience – the layout, flow and COVID safety of your store. Don’t pack it so full of goods and people, shoppers can’t find what they’re looking for. Ask yourself how you are going to organise goods so that they are accessible, and create mini-displays that draw people to specific items.
- Appeal to the senses: Think about the type and volume of music you have playing, how your store is decorated and even how it smells (cinnamon stick, anyone?). Appeal to the senses and make festive charity shopping an experience people want to repeat.
- Create a cross-channel PR campaign: Retail business isn’t just about footfall. There are lots of things you can do to raise the profile of your charity shop store, encourage donations and shopping trips. We love that the British Heart Foundation’s Charity Shop Challenge is encouraging people to buy second-hand this winter, with the hashtag #BoughtatBHF a great place for folks to showcase their wares.
- Serve customers with a smile: Most charity shops are staffed by volunteers. It’s a great way to get people engaged with your cause - as well as giving valuable work and professional experience. Invest in your staff. Make sure they are well trained, not just in sales, but in the work that you do. Not only will this help create a great customer experience, but it will also make your volunteers feel valued. They are giving their time and skills for free, and that gift should be recognised just like any other. Remember, happiness is contagious and if you’ve got a smiling team at the helm your shoppers will leave smiling too.
- Make it a place to donate: Just because you’re retail-based, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give people the option to donate. As the CRA’s report ‘Giving Something Back’ shows us, charity shops help raise awareness for important issues and causes. A strategically placed cash or contactless donation point is a great way to raise extra funds. You could even upsell events and activities – think raffle tickets, carol concerts and coffee mornings. Your store is a hub, an important contact point for people who want to get involved with your work.
- Catch that data: You might not always have the chance, but where you can, make sure you catch people’s data and integrate this into your broader management systems. Do you have a regular shop donor who is Gift Aid registered? Great! There’s no reason why you can’t keep them updated on the amount their goods have raised, or invite them to donate to a new campaign or initiative (UK GDPR consent pending, of course).
- Go digital: Not all charity shops are in physical buildings. In fact, during lockdown, many charity retailers turned to digital stores, with some platforms seeing online sales rising by 151% between February and July this year. So if you’re struggling to meet rent, or have more goods in stock than you can put out in the store, then why not get a digital shop up and running?
So there you have it. 12 ways to put your charity shop on the map this winter. Feeling inspired? We are. So much so, we’re off to do a bit of charity shopping! Wahey!
Download the New Festive Fundraising Guide
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