5 Last-Minute Shopping Tips For Christmas!
Sleigh bells may be jingling, but so is the cash register at your salon, or the doorbells of any clients you’re paying a visit to. December is a hectic time for beauty professionals.
Although the extra work is welcome – as people try to nourish their best look for the season – it doesn’t leave many spare hours for Christmas shopping. Even now, in the last Yuletide week, you may be struggling to hit the high street and find the right gifts.
La Beeby want to push you back into a better balance… These five time-saving suggestions are sure to make shopping a breeze:
1. Do your research
We hate wandering into a store and being overwhelmed by shelves, bright lights and streams of people like us, who may not be certain what they’re looking for. Ideally, you want to spend as few minutes scouring for presents as you can. That’s why it’s better to do some digging in advance – what you want, where it’s located, and how much it costs.
2. Double-check stock
Similarly, there’s no point making the effort to turn up, wallet in hand, only to find the item has sold out. Check the brand’s online catalogue to ensure they have it. If you’re uncertain, ring them: a quick review will confirm or deny any suspicions. Anyone who’s really strapped for time can get a recommendation from the retail team, so you can buy the next best thing.
3. Gauge peak shopping periods
Again we have to praise the savviness of internet research… Google can tell us what hours are synonymous with the greatest, average amount of customers that a shop may greet in a given day. Whilst you work, plan the shift around lower-volume footfall, so you have more freedom to browse and spend less wasted minutes in the queue. Early mornings are good, as are nights after 8pm.
4. List everything you want
It’s helpful to write a full, bullet-pointed index of the stuff you’re trying to buy. Use a pen and paper; actually noting it down will sear the wish list into your memory. Then on each shopping expedition, prioritise what you’re aiming to buy. By taking the list with you it’s easier to go for a few select, primary items whilst seeing the other, less time-critical gifts below them. Yet if you see anything in this second tier, pick it up – it’ll save another trip.
5. Use coupon and comparison apps
We’re guessing some of you pour a lot of time into getting a nice Christmas discount. But comparing prices and coupons across multiple stores can soak up more effort than actually shopping for the things you need. Instead, try a couple of mobile apps that streamline the whole process. RetailMeNot, for example, presents an overview of trending deals, giving you the codes for big savings. Others let you scan a product barcode; that data is then compared to other shops in proximity, revealing how it matches against the competition.
Being a high-flying beauty entrepreneur and a seamless Christmas shopper isn’t easy. Except, with this advice, it’s a whole lot more achievable! We’ve already talked about how to motivate your staff at Christmas (and further seasonal subjects), but you can also treat your employees with candles and balms from the La Beeby collection.
Plus, remember that our beauty uniform range is here as a gift to you – or your staff – as you head into 2018. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
