Michaels Sees Success In Early Holiday Sets
STORE BRANDS: The decision by Michaels to set its Halloween assortment two weeks earlier than prior years would seem to be counter-intuitive as shoppers often complain about “the next season” hitting stores too early. What made this work for Michaels?
MELISSA MILLS: There are two key factors that make Halloween so unique. One, Halloween is for everyone. It’s inclusive of all people no matter who you are or where you come from. Two, it is largely a creative holiday and creatives make up our customer base, from makers to decorators and everyone in between. Those that get excited about Halloween have been ready and waiting as they plan their handmade costumes, spooky décor, and anticipate drops of our ever-popular limited edition seasonal collections.
Additionally, setting our product earlier means we can be one of the first retailers to offer a Halloween selection each year. When the Halloween enthusiasts are looking for supplies and décor in July, they can trust that Michaels will be ready with an assortment of trend-forward merchandise.
STORE BRANDS: What were the differences in how the assortment was set this year as compared to previous years?
MILLS: Over the past few years, we’ve made great strides to transform our brick-and-mortar stores for an improved shopping experience. We’ve optimized our assortment to focus on what our customers are actually looking for. That means seasonal and holiday assortments are more prominently displayed, easier to find, and products are available when customers want them. We roll out our seasonal collection over a number of weeks knowing that some people start celebrating in July while others rush to Michaels on October 30th to find last-minute party supplies.
STORE BRANDS: Were there differences in how products were merchandised in stores?
MILLS: We focus on telling stories through our merchandising of seasonal assortments, so that our customers can be inspired and imagine themselves decorating or creating with our products. With a more focused assortment this year, we curated drive aisles for the specific ways our customers get creative around Halloween, including party planning essentials and a lot of newness in kids and novelty items that are popular last-minute grabs.
STORE BRANDS: What changes were made in how Michaels promoted its Halloween assortment to shoppers?
MILLS: The biggest changes came as a result of our brand relaunch in August, which featured all-new creative that shows up across our store environments and throughout our marketing. The new creative features bolder colors and fonts, macro photography to show the textures and tactile nature of many of our products, and emphasizes the possibilities and inspiration that our customers come to us to support.