How to Open an Eye-Catching Gift Shop Before Christmas?

Thirty days before Christmas, I stood in the empty store, staring blankly at the few light luxury style decoration pictures on my phone - wanting to open a gift shop that makes people want to come in as soon as they pass by during the Christmas season, what details should I pay attention to? After all, the Christmas season lasts only about twenty days. If you are one step slow, you might miss out on the most bustling traffic of this year. During this month, I've encountered quite a few pitfalls and accumulated some practical experience. Today, I'll break down these details from decoration to opening and talk about them in detail.

gift store design

A 30-day preparation schedule for "anti-anxiety"

1. Week 1: Determine a position where the festive atmosphere can be seen

I didn't choose the most bustling main street (the rent was too high), but picked the secondary street next to the business district - with big Windows and a 3-square-meter open space at the entrance, which was just right for Christmas decorations. I directly hired a proxy for the license. I submitted all the materials for "Individual business + Food Business (selling Christmas candies)" at one time, and got the license within a week, saving time to supervise the decoration.

2. Week Two: Implement the "high-end feel" in the decoration drawings

I stared at the decoration team and restored the style in the reference picture

  • The floor is paved with white marble tiles with shallow patterns. They are not cold when stepped on barefoot and can reflect light, making it look brighter.
  • The shelves are specially designed with golden-edged circular island shelves. The cylindrical shelves in the middle can not only display goods but also serve as the visual center.
  • The arched area was originally a blank wall. I added hanging fern plants and later wrapped them with Christmas light strings, making it an "invisible photo spot" in the store.
  • The lighting was adjusted three times: the circular lights on the ceiling should be warm and white, the recessed lights on the shelves should be brighter (to highlight the texture of the gifts), and the pendant light strings at the door should be soft - after all, the "warmth" of the Christmas season is the first attraction.

3. Week 3: Product selection should meet the dual demands of "Christmas and daily life"

It would be a waste of the store to only sell Christmas limited editions. I selected the items at a ratio of 7:3

Seventy percent are daily light luxury gifts: such as scented candles with golden logos, matte white mugs, and exquisitely packaged hand creams (all referring to the styles in the picture that "match the decoration style").

Thirty percent of them are Christmas limited editions: cedard-scented scented candles, Christmas cards with gold foil, and small-sized Christmas tree ornaments - the packaging all uses golden ribbons, which are in harmony with the store's color tone. Even after Christmas, these "beautiful little items" can still be sold.

design idea

4. Week 4: Trial Operation = "Find Bugs + Build Popularity"

I only opened the trial operation for three hours in the afternoon.

  • It was found that the corner of the circular island shelf was too narrow and it was easy to knock over things. Anti-collision strips were quickly added.
  • I asked my friend to bring the kids over for a visit. The kids stared at the Christmas decorations and wouldn't leave. Only then did I remember to prepare some "child-friendly" small gifts.

Five local communities were added and a message was posted saying "Free Christmas brooches for those who come to the store during the trial operation". On the first day, 12 customers came.

custom design

Decoration: The visual code that makes passers-by unable to move their feet

1. Main color: Use "white + gold" to set off the red and green of Christmas

Don't fill the store with red and green every Christmas. It's easy to make it look messy. I used large areas of white (walls, shelves, floor tiles), and added golden borders and golden ornaments as embellishments. Christmas elements were only used as "small decorations" : for instance, a few red and gold Christmas balls were hung on the green plants of the arch, and a small white Christmas tree was placed at the cash register - this way, it neither steals the limelight from the gifts nor fails to make people feel that "Christmas is coming".

2. Circulation: Make customers "willing to take a detour"

The circular island shelves in the reference picture are so smart:
The cylindrical shelves in the middle display best-selling items, such as limited-edition Christmas scented candles. The low shelves around are divided into "Best Friend Gifts", "Couple Gifts" and "Elder Gifts", clearly marked with small signs. Behind the arch, there is a "niche gift area" (such as handmade jewelry), giving customers the feeling of "finding a treasure". I also placed a sofa and a small table in the corner, and put a few Christmas-themed magazines on it - when I get tired from walking around, I can sit down and take a look at the items on the shelves beside it.

design idea

Seven days before opening: A clever trick to turn "passing by" into "in-store consumption"

1. Entrance: Use "small decorations" to catch the eye

I placed a 1.5-meter-tall white Christmas tree at the door, wrapped with golden strings of lights and hung several Christmas balls of the same style as those in the store. Passers-by would stop to take a look and even reach out to touch them. There is a sticker on the glass door that reads "Free brooch for Christmas opening". The words don't have to be large, but they should be eye-catching.

2. Benefits: "Small and ingenious" offersare more appealing than "big discounts"

The benefits of the trial operation are "a Christmas brooch will be given upon arrival at the store" (costing over 1 yuan), and a "Christmas packaging service" (wrapped with a golden ribbon and a Christmas card) will be provided for purchases over 100 yuan. Compared to "discounts for spending over 100 yuan", "small gifts that can be taken away" and "services that can be used" are more likely to make customers remember you.

3. Employee: "Being able to say Christmas greetings" is more important than "beingable to sell"

I asked the shop assistants to wear aprons decorated with antlers and taught them the first sentence to say, "Merry Christmas, just wander around ~" instead of "What gifts do you need?" ; When a customer selects a gift, the salesperson will proactively say, "Let me wrap it up for you in Christmas packaging. It's free ~" - The enthusiasm of the Christmas season is hidden in these small details.