I have noticed a faster drop off in calendar sales in the first days of 2014 compared to last year. I think this is being driven in part by other retailers very heaving discounting in the lead up to Christmas. In one centre where I have a store the calendar outpost was at 50% off for three weeks prior to christmas. In another they got to 75% on some lines in the week before.
We have a small range left and are discounting at 40% and that’s where we will hold it as calendar shoppers now are less likely to be bargain shoppers and more likely to be necessity shoppers. At 40% and with our buying we’re making excellent gross profit.
There is even an opportunity for us to increase prices of 2014 calendars in the coming weeks as desperation rises.
It must depend on the area we are in. We had strong calendar sales right up to and after Christmas. Currently discounting at 20% rising to 30% then 50% based on quantity. We’ll probably go to a straight 50% discount after Australia Day. I’m sure that our efforts to have the largest range in the area have paid dividends.
I won’t have any calendars by Australia Day. Diaries are selling much faster than last year ( I only sold my last few 2013 diaries in November, I don’t see the need to discount them).
I wonder if other stores have been bitten by overstocking in the past, leading to less stock around this year.
It’s interesting H. For us, YOY sales are up 25%.
Similar here, calendars up 21% for December qtr and we didn’t order any cheap ones this year so the growth in sales has been against a loss of the cheaper sales.