Easter is a significant seasonal period for the confectionery market in New Zealand and is here before we know it.
Many retailers miss out on peak sales not due to lack of demand, but due to ordering late or stocking products that are hard to move fast. Considering the fact that three out of four people buy chocolates for Easter, and most purchases are driven by impulse, getting the timing and product range right makes all the difference.
This guide will walk you through how you can prepare in advance for Easter to select suitable product lines, merchandise well, and generate sales from store footfall.
Why Easter is a Must-Win Season for NZ Retailers
Consumer spending on Easter reaches its all-time high, with most demand witnessed for grocery items including confectionery. Items like chocolates and novelty treats top the list for Easter gifting, especially in NZ households.
With school holidays falling on the same timeline, impulse buying and gifting opportunities overlap, giving you the perfect opportunity to maximise sales.
However, unlike Christmas, Easter arrives fast and has a shorter selling window; with the peak footfall happening on Easter weekend. Instead of reactive promotions, your best bet is to plan in advance for your next retail campaign to capture more buyer attention and drive footfall.
Preparing for Easter Retail Sales: The Earlier the Better
Wholesale stock moves quickly on Easter, and waiting until the last minute can have you end up with choosing from a limited range of products. By planning ahead, you can not only run a successful campaign to intrigue buyers before the peak holidays but also save costs. Buying in larger volumes lowers unit prices, which can help you maintain good profit margins while increasing sales volume.
Managing Your Self-Buy Window
Easter comes with a hard deadline, and once the long weekend is over, demand plummets quickly. Unsold products during this period become much harder to move, especially seasonal confectionery. Therefore, it’s crucial to order according to forecasted demand and not overspend on products with limited appeal.
To make the most of Easter, order 4-6 weeks in advance to stock up on in-demand merchandise.
Additionally, identifying favourite and in-demand categories Easter favorites such as Cadbury White Choc Creme Egg sell out quickly and are definitely better purchased ahead of time.
Stocking the Right Brand Mix
Not all products share the same popularity during Easter, and a great deal of it comes down to their familiarity to consumers. During peak sales hours, most customers do not spend much time comparing brands and tend to look out for familiar options.
For instance, Cadbury Creme Eggs have long become a staple of Easter shopping. The addition of White Chocolate Creme Egg variety brings novelty to the mix and will appeal to repeat shoppers looking to purchase familiar items, but trying something new.
Another example is Kinder Surprise, which still remains popular among parents and has established itself as one of the key products associated with Easter. Children know it very well and expect it to be there, so it is bought effortlessly.
In order to keep the variety of products balanced, the brand needs to have a value-focused product too. Damel Fried Eggs will perfectly fit here, as these are good for scoop bins and repacking, which makes them suitable for kids and budget-conscious shoppers alike.
One effective method of determining your product range would be incorporating three kinds of products. One would be a premium type which would cater to high-ticket sales, another would be a novelty product that could entice customers and the third one would be a bulk or economical line product which would capture the more price sensitive market segments.
Turning Footfall Into Sales
Getting people to visit your store is just the first step. The goal is to convert your foot-traffic into sales and clear out your shelves by the end of Easter. To achieve this, even simple in-store events or themed promotions can work wonders to increase customer engagement.
Egg Hunt
You can consider organising an egg hunt, either in store or your website (whichever makes your customers spend more time). These can be rewarded with promotional discounts, bundles, or gifts on purchases.
Gift Wrapping
Another suggestion is free gift wrapping, helping last-minute shoppers get nicely wrapped gifts in time. A good thing about this offer is that it promotes itself through word-of-mouth, with more shoppers preferring your store to save the day for Easter shopping.
Bundles
Bundling is another effective promotion that will help you clear out your stock faster. You can create categories for bundles, such as Her/Him, Spouses, Siblings, Grandkids, etc. While making bundles, make sure that the price of the bundle is less than what individual products would’ve cost.
Moment Marketing
Capitalizing on viral moments isn’t only a smart move, but also grabs attention fast, if done the right way and at the right time. The Kitkat Heist that left millions of people talking about the moment coincidentally fell right before Easter, which could’ve been a golden egg for marketing.
Product Placement
Easter treats are usually impulse purchases, so placement plays a crucial rule. Displaying Easter candies such as the Creme Eggs and Kinder Surprise right at the checkout counters can increase chances of impulse buying. Even a small but thematically arranged display, for instance, an Easter shelf or Easter basket will go a long way towards helping you capture the essence of the season without having to take up much space.
Cross-Selling
The idea of cross merchandising is a no-brainer here. Displaying Easter candy right next to birthday party favours, gift bags, or other children’s merchandise makes customers visualize how the product fits their needs. Be sure to keep Easter candies at an eye-level for kids, and keep your displays full at all times because empty spots act as subconscious cues that the best stuff has already been taken.
Achieve Better Margins this Easter with Wholesalers NZ
To maximise your profits in Easter, planning in advance, having a balanced range of brand merchandise and strategic product placement prove useful. But to procure stock at costs that don’t hurt your margins requires quality bulk purchasing.
As a wholesaler specializing in popular brands from all major categories, Stock4Shops stands as a reliable supplier in New Zealand for easter treats. We keep an active inventory of popular brands such as Cadbury, Kinder, and Damel, available to you at discounted prices. Our prices and offers provide you with opportunities to accommodate in-store discounts or support promotions while increasing profits.
Ready to stock up the best stock this Easter or preparing for the next festivities? We’ve got special wholesale discounts running in April! Don’t miss out on free delivery on bulk orders above $450 (+GST) on NZ’s most in-demand confectionery.
