Executive Insight: Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran on BrandSource’s YourSource News. It has been republished here with permission.
I hope the headline grabbed your attention, because BrandSource members left a lot of money on the table last holiday season instead of using it to help grow their businesses.
Read on to learn how to leverage all your available resources this month and drive up your market share before the new year.
Check Your Co-op Balance
Many members will leave behind hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of dollars in unused co-op funds. Have you kept up on your co-op submissions? Are you sure you’re using every single one of your co-op dollars to grow your business as you finish out 2025? Have you checked your balance to see what kind of advertising you can do right now through year-end to create a surge in traffic?
I urge you to check your records this week to make sure all your co-op eligible 2025 advertising has been turned in. In many cases, any unused funds you earned this year will be lost! Don’t put off checking your balance and tapping whatever co-op resources are available to you, so you can push for a huge end to this year.
Black Friday May Be Gone …
… but there are still a few hot promos you can deliver, especially before New Year’s Day. The day after Christmas (Boxing Day in Canada) through Dec. 31 has become a big mattress-buying period. You need to be ready to market and sell mattresses, furniture and appliances. We have seen retail sales increase every year in December and expect this year to be the biggest yet.
Think of this time period as your bonus Black Friday. Make sure you have strong retail offerings and products on hand to either deliver or have the customer take home with them that day. Now is the time to plan your year-end orders and make sure you don’t run short on inventory during this historically busy retail timeframe. Any extra co-op you have can be used for your advertising that key week, so plan now!
Consider running a 2025 model closeout event. Overparked inventory in your warehouse is a prime culprit for costing you money. December is the perfect time to convert that inventory into cash that you can invest in your business in 2026. Dust off those forgotten items and drag them out to your showroom. Then decorate them with a hot price tag. Shoppers love double discounts.
Consider an online coupon for extra savings on all 2025 clearance models or a preview of 2026 models. Promote “sneak peek” events with early-bird special pricing or value-added bonus offers.
And make sure you have a financing offer attached to every promotion, which brings up a third way to not leave money on the table.
Financing Closes Sales
It also increases average ticket and … your customers want it! We continue to see sales data showing that stores that offer zero-percent financing close more and have a higher average ticket. Make sure that all post-Black Friday advertising features a zero-percent offer. This is also the time to offer “No interest for six months” for customers anticipating a tax refund. Or go with a simple 12-month offer and promote no interest until 2027.
Many Happy Returns
While Black Friday may be the biggest selling day of the year, Dec. 26 is the busiest for merchandise returns. Some shoppers will fritter their refunds on the spot, but others will leave the store with hundreds or thousands in cash. Flush with newfound funds, they’ll be eager to spend it on items they actually want or need — the kind of products you sell.
It’s not too late to plan a social media promo. Consider giving an in-store credit of $100 for any unwanted holiday gift or gift card. Save your shoppers from standing in long lines at the mall or Wally World. Set a minimum purchase of $399; your shoppers will spend more. Simply have them bring in those unwanted sweaters, dust-collecting knick-knacks or gift cards with tiny balances on them. State that you’ll donate all usable gifts. Of course, one refund per family.
So, will you continue to leave money on the table, or will you invest every cent to drive traffic and revenue? There’s still time for a stellar close to the year and the chance to reap all the greenbacks you have earned.
About the Author
Gordon Hecht is a BrandSource content specialist and advisor with over four decades in retail and manufacturing. His award-winning experience includes tenured time with Ashley Furniture and Serta Simmons, with progressive responsibility for large and small retailers. Got questions about your business? Contact him at (614) 537-5997 or Gordon.Hecht@BrandSource.com.
See also: Exclusive Interview: Circana’s Marshal Cohen On The Holiday Purchase Intentions Consumer Survey