3 Summer Retail Trends For Local Business Owners

Summer is here! The new season means that days are longer, kids are off from school, and there are plenty of new trends that small business owners should take advantage of.

According to travel experts, we can expect a super busy vacation season this year, largely thanks to easing Covid restrictions and a shift in consumers’ priorities after two years of limited travel. In fact, according to the U.S. Travel Association, 6 in 10 Americans are planning to take a vacation this summer, and 35% expect to travel more this summer than they did in 2021.

What it means for local businesses: if your located in a tourist destination, be sure you’re taking advantage of the season by tailoring your marketing efforts and promotions to vacationers. Not in a travel spot? From flip flops and bathing suits to luggage and tech gadgets, there are still plenty of purchases that go along with travel season. Be sure your small shop is highlighting the products and services you offer to help consumers maximize their summer trips to capture their attention (and wallets!) before they head out to a vacation destination. 

Whether traveling or just having an at-home staycation, another trend you can expect to notice this summer is consumers seeking out shared experiences. Particularly after spending the past two years socially distanced, we are all valuing the ability to spend more time together - with friends, family, and our local communities.

What is means for local businesses: think beyond just the goods and services you offer, and focus on creating a true experience within your retail space (and beyond!) this summer. Hosting in-store shopping events and getting involved with larger community or property-wide initiatives are easy ways to tap into the power of shared experiences. Your customers will appreciate your brand’s effort to take part in these mood-boosting activities, and will be all the more likely to turn into loyal, repeat shoppers as well.  

The busy back to school shopping season has traditionally been a huge driver for annual retail sales in August. However, in recent years, that has all changed thanks to Amazon. Now going into its eighth year, Amazon Prime Day (scheduled for July 12-13, 2022) has become the biggest day of shopping in the U.S.! And with deals on school supplies, tech products, apparel and more, it has also ushered in a new era in which consumer habits have shifted. Thanks to July’s annual Prime Day, consumers now purchase the majority of items needed for the upcoming back to school season in July instead of August.

What it means for local businesses: Rather than letting Amazon’s Prime Day hinder your local business’ sales, you should use the day to your advantage. Prime Day now marks the kick-off to the back-to-school sales season; capitalize on this knowledge to run your own deals relative to Prime Day. You can target shoppers by promoting your local advantage over shopping a retail giant like Amazon, and even keep the momentum going to capture sales from customers after July 13th once Prime Day is over, and customers are seeking out the deals they may have missed out on. 

From spending time outdoors to taking much-needed vacations, there is so much fun to be had (and related sales to be made!) during the summer season. It doesn’t have to be a slow time of year for you as a small business owner. Tap into these key seasonal trends for a successful summer!