‘Tis the season to sell your merchandise

It’s time to mention the big ‘C.’ That’s right, Christmas is a mere few weeks away and soon we’ll be reunited with Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot and shedding a few tears over the John Lewis advert. The festive season is a time for giving and receiving, so why not make sure that your logo and merchandise is the first thing people see when they rip apart the wrapping paper on the big day.

While the festive season brings increased footfall and higher spending, many businesses miss a crucial opportunity at this time of year: helping customers discover your products and experiences.

Why offer gift options?

For independent hospitality businesses, the benefits of offering products and merchandising is compelling:

Increased Revenue Without Increased Costs: Your biggest expenses—rent, utilities, core staff—remain fixed whether someone orders a basic coffee or discovers your festive pastries and takes home a bag of your house blend. Helping customers find more of what they love leverages your existing infrastructure to boost revenue without proportionally increasing overheads.

Stronger Customer Relationships: When customers discover products they genuinely enjoy, they return more frequently and become advocates for your business. That regular who tries your Christmas hamper might become a year-round buyer of your specialty products.

Better Guest Experiences: Making thoughtful recommendations genuinely improves visits. Suggesting a perfectly paired wine, mentioning a gift set they hadn’t noticed, or offering a premium upgrade shows you understand their needs and care about their experience.

What Sets You Apart: Independent businesses can be agile in ways chains cannot. Your curated selection of local merchandise, bespoke gift packages, and personalised recommendations create unique value that keeps customers choosing you over larger competitors. Would a customer wear a tee with a Starbucks logo on it? Probably not. Would they wear a tee from an independent business with cool branding – absolutely, in fact, I’ve done it myself (shoutout to Bonehead!)

Why Christmas Changes Everything

The festive period transforms how people shop and what they’re looking for, creating natural opportunities to help them discover more:

The Gift-Giving Mindset: People aren’t just buying for themselves—they’re actively seeking presents, host gifts, and treats to share. A customer who’d normally just grab a coffee is looking for thoughtful gifts with a unique twist. People want to feel like they’ve ‘discovered’ something new that not many other people are in on. Your beautifully packaged coffee beans or artisan gin suddenly become the perfect solution for someone they’re shopping for.

People Expect to Treat Themselves: December budgets work differently. Customers are planning to spend more on special experiences and quality products. That premium bottle or luxury hamper that seems extravagant in July feels perfectly appropriate in December.

Emotion Drives Decisions: Christmas is emotional. Nostalgia, generosity, celebration—these feelings make people more open to creating special moments and showing appreciation. They want help finding ways to make the season memorable.

Convenience is King: Busy shoppers appreciate curated solutions. They’re genuinely grateful when you mention “these gin and tonic gift sets are perfect for corporate gifts—we can gift wrap five while you enjoy your coffee” rather than adding another stop to their already packed day.

Smart Strategies for the Festive Season

Create Thoughtful Gift Bundles: Package complementary items together. A “Christmas Morning Hamper” with your house coffee, fresh pastries, local jam, and branded mugs provides convenience for customers and creates something more special than individual items alone.

Make Products Easy to Discover: Those branded condiments, house-made preserves, or signature hot chocolate mixes that customers enjoy during their visit? Display them prominently with “Take the taste home” messaging. Let products sell themselves through visibility and smart placement.

Empower Your Team to Be Helpful: Your staff naturally chat with customers. Encourage them to share what’s popular: “The mulled wine kits have been really popular this week” or “Lots of people have been taking boxes of our mince pies for guests.” Natural conversation, not a sales pitch.

Showcase Special Experiences: Christmas is when people celebrate. Make sure guests know about your private dining spaces, festive tasting menus, or special brunch options. Display information where people can discover it at their own pace.

Make Gift Vouchers Visible: Position gift vouchers prominently in December. They solve the last-minute gift dilemma perfectly. Consider premium presentation (festive boxes, ribbons) and themed packages like “Dinner for Two” that feel more special than a generic voucher.

Highlight What’s Special: “Our Christmas blend is only available until December 24th” or “We’ve made a limited batch of festive hampers” creates a sense of occasion that makes items feel gift-worthy and encourages people not to wait.

Showcase Local Partnerships: Stock locally made products—artisan chocolates, craft spirits, handmade decorations. These items tell a story, support your community, and appeal to customers seeking authentic, unique gifts. Your space becomes a destination for discovering local gems.

Keeping It Authentic

The key to success is genuine helpfulness, not hard selling. Your customers can instantly tell the difference. Instead:

Listen to what they need: Understand their situation before offering suggestions
Share what you genuinely love: Only mention products you truly believe in
Explain why it’s worth trying: “The extra shot really brings out the cinnamon notes in our Christmas blend”
Remove friction: “I can gift wrap that for you now while you finish your coffee”
Never push: If they’re not interested, that’s perfectly fine—the relationship always comes first

The Real Opportunity

Christmas provides a unique convergence of higher footfall, people actively seeking gifts, elevated spending, and emotional purchasing—conditions that make it easier and more natural to help customers discover more of what you offer. For independent hospitality businesses, this represents a crucial opportunity to boost revenue while genuinely enhancing customer experience.

The businesses that thrive aren’t necessarily the busiest—they’re the ones that create the most value in every customer interaction.