Halloween is upon us and, with costumes, trick or treat lollies and ghoulish decorations high on the agenda for many Australians, this annual event is my peak sales period.
Over the past five years, Halloween in Australia has grown from an almost non-existent holiday to a much-loved and celebrated event. In fact, Aussies appear to be so eager to plan that our sales started as early as August. This year, we’re expecting a year-on-year sales growth of around 20%, which is consistent with the last few years for the business.
However, it’s not just sales that are moving fast. It’s trends too. Staying ahead of the next big trend is what I believe is the key to our success at The Party People.
Gone are the days of the classic Dracula and ghost costumes. Fast pop culture shifts mean nothing is a guarantee when it comes to the next shopper trend. Aussies are looking to popular movies and TV shows for inspiration for their Halloween attire.
For example, The Walking Dead inspired zombies were proving to be our most popular costumes this year. Overnight, that quickly shifted to Suicide Squad characters, with the launch of the movie.
These fast-moving trends, coupled with the fact that we operate as both an online and bricks-and-mortar store, mean that reliable communication and continuous connection between team members, suppliers, warehouses and customers is essential during these peak periods. To keep up, I often have to place last minute stock orders outside of office hours.
As such, I operate as a business owner on-the-go, relying on the Optus Small and Medium Business network to help me stay connected around the clock. My team work via mobile so we can quickly share ideas and customer feedback. This allows me to have visibility on what is selling in store, identify what needs to to be restocked and track what our customers are requesting.
Operating this way means that we can also share mobile data as a business and keep costs to a minimum by taking advantage of group discounts on small business plans.
My biggest tip for navigating through busy peaks, such as Halloween, is to stay connected – remember, communication is the key to what will keep you ahead of competitors and the next big trend.
Dean Salakas, Owner, The Party People
