I just read a great article at PracticalECommerce.com that discusses the upcoming holiday shopping season and how some big retailers are preparing for it. I know you may not want to think about that just yet, you’re still all flip-flops, barbecues and beach, but if you plan well now, you may have a little extra in the bank for a tropical get away during the darkest, coldest part of the year.

Some companies such as Sears Holdings have implemented “Christmas Lane” in their Sears and Kmart stores. Sears has a  Christmas Club where customers can sign up to earn cash rewards based on spending between particular dates. This makes it easier for the customer to spend on necessities and create loyalty while earning a little extra cash for holiday shopping. Kmart is offering discounts on holiday merchandise and free shipping with no minimum order.

Other stores like hhgregg.com used the Christmas in July theme to move inventory with everything over $99 on sale. Toys “R” Us is using a kitschy Santa in sunglasses and surfer reindeer to advertise back to school specials and free shipping on orders over $49.

Bargains, specials and sales are definitely the name of the game. I particularly liked the idea from Sears Holdings that allows shoppers to earn credit for future purchases. July may be drawing to a close, but any holiday plan or promotion you start to implement now will only help you in the long run.

If you aren’t already using it, our Promo Manager makes it much easier for you to implement an unlimited number of promotions. From date and time specific specials to coupon codes you could send out to your email subscribers, the Promo Manager has you covered. It has been proven to increase order totals and conversion rates while promoting customer loyalty.

Take a day or two out of your summer fun to see how Promo Manager can impact your sales so you can reap the benefits later!