How to make retail success your goal during this years summer of sport

With the Winter Olympics and Six Nations now behind us, it’s already been a busy year of sport. But, with the recent kick-off of FIFA’s Football World Cup, and Wimbledon just around the corner, there are even more fantastic opportunities for airport retailers to make the most of the sports season.

If you’re in charge of instore marketing strategies in an airport retail space, we’ve put together our top tips for how to make this year’s summer of sport a retail success.

Don’t get caught out by poor stock control

One of the main challenges airport retailers often face when preparing for large-scale sports events like the FIFA World Cup, is stock control.

International sports events will always be a great way for duty-free retailers to captialise on patriotic fans by stocking official merchandise. But what happens to the leftovers when a team or nation is kicked out of the tournament?

Due to the seasonal nature of such products, getting goods onto the shop floor, with the right promotional signage at the right time, can be a big challenge logistically. Add to that the difficulties of knowing the perfect amounts of stock to buy, and it can certainly seem overwhelming.

Once the sporting event has drawn to a close, a quick-fire sale is a good way to help clear some of the surplus flags or t-shirts but be mindful of how this is displayed. Although most people love a bargain, they’re unlikely to want to face a whole range of flags from past sporting tournaments or losing teams.

Retail success lies in the detail

Ensuring stock is presented in a way that attracts people into the store is always a golden rule when it comes to driving increased profits. Over the summer, many customers will be looking for official merchandise, so be sure to display event logos prominently with the correct branding.

It’s important that all shelves are fully stocked, but be careful not to overstock – avoiding the space looking too cluttered is key. It will not only make the store look more attractive and inviting, but will also help to minimise lost sales caused by shoppers tiring of not being able to find the item they need.

Put your best foot forward with eye-catching displays

When footfall is high as is often the case at many of these key calendar events, eye-catching displays for merchandise are a must. Poor in-store displays will not help to persuade browsers to become customers. After all, if you’re paying a premium to be in an airport you might as well make the most of it.

The quick and easy assembly and removal of free-standing display units (FSDUs) with changeable graphic wraps make them perfect for creating striking displays during large-scale sporting events. Digital signage also lends itself to such seasonal events too. They’re often a very useful tool for communicating relevant and timely promotional messages linked to what happens in the game and serve as another way to catch the attention of passersby.

Safety should always be paramount

As with any retail unit, ensuring the safety of customers and staff should also be your prime concern. Store teams should always take steps to ensure shop displays are properly installed and maintained at all times.

Often, footfall in airport can be significantly higher than in traditional high street spaces, and as a result this can pose many dangers for airport shoppers who will often be lugging large bags around. As a result, airport retailers might find it useful to opt for gondola ends on existing shelving units, rather than introducing temporary cardboard FSDUs that take up space and can easily be knocked over.

Naturally, it’s the sheer unpredictability that surrounds major sports events that will always bring the most challenges for many duty-free retailers. However, for those retailers who take the time to plan and prepare for such events carefully, the benefits could well outweigh the risks and mean high sales volumes throughout the summer’s sporting season.