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Do you work in retail? In springtime, everyone is looking for a fresh start. That includes both your store and your customers. You are looking for a way to clear out your old inventory. Your customers are doing spring cleaning at home and have recently freed up a lot of space. They are looking to fill up that space with new items. In other words, springtime is a perfect storm for retail sales.

In Part 1, I shared a few retail clearance strategies with you regarding pathways through your shop, spring retail display ideas, and helpful signage. Now I want to give you a few more suggestions for running a successful spring clearance sale.

• Know what to sell and how to mark it down. Remember, a spring clearance sale is about getting rid of old backstock which is sitting there collecting dust, not putting hot new inventory on sale. Don’t be afraid of substantial markdowns. Start at 30% for the first week, then knock everything down to 60% off.

• Make sure you are promoting your clearance sales. In the previous article, I talked about using signage throughout your store as well as sign spinners on street corners. Don’t forget about virtual promotion either. This is the time to get aggressive with social media and email newsletters. Send out reminders every time you increase your discounts!

• Make use of clearance store displays. One of the most useful types of retail store display stands for clearance sales is the retail dump bin. Remember, the point of a clearance sale is not to showcase individual hot new products—it is to get rid of as many old items as you can in bulk. Dump bins shout “clearance” and will draw shoppers over if you set them up with bold signage promoting deep discounts. This is an especially good tactic if you are selling a lot of small items (hats, DVDs, etc.) and maybe offering a buy-one-get-one type of sale. Ironically, dump bins give the impression that you do not highly value the items, but that is exactly what you want. That sends a message to buyers that you are selling these items cheap.

• Get creative! There are so many unusual ideas you can use to promote spring clearance sales. For example, you can have a sale where you will offer customers an additional 10% off if the weather reaches a certain temperature. This is a fun way to celebrate spring—and your customers!

Springtime is one of the best retail seasons for clearance sales. Buyers are feeling impulsive at this time of year. They have recently made space in their homes for new items, and they are excited about the weather warming up and vacation time ahead. So take advantage of that! Get your retail dump bins out and promote your clearance sales online and offline. Use smart markdown strategies and bring inventive incentives into play. You should be able to free up some room on your retail shelves and in your storeroom!