Some products sell all year round. Think of baby items, toys or kitchen utensils. But there are also products that you actually only sell for one or a few seasons of the year. Think of inline skates, swimming gear and Christmas decorations.
Seasonal products may not sell all year round, but when they do sell, they sell well. So, it can still be interesting to explore this area of e-commerce, so you can make a significant sales spike in different seasons.
How do you recognize seasonal products?
Don't ever assume that a product will do well in a particular season. Do your research! It's a small effort and can save you a lot of unnecessary costs.
Use the search trends tool from bol.com and enter the product and other possible search terms for the product. Make sure you set the tool to 2 or 3 years so you can see if the demand actually comes back every year.
It's not a seasonal product, so why do I still see spikes?
In both years, you can see a spike around November/December. You'll see this spike in many non-seasonal products. The simple explanation is that more money is spent during Black Friday and the holidays.
So, how do you recognize a seasonal product?
By looking at spikes that occur specifically in certain seasons, apart from the general Q4 spike. A garden furniture set has a spike in the spring, a sled in the winter, swimming gear in the summer.
Seasonal products vs. trends
The demand for seasonal products comes back every year. The demand for trends often doesn't come back every year, because a trend fades away after a while. So, when researching seasonal products, make sure to look back at the trend for multiple years.
Purchasing seasonal products: how much stock?
How much stock you purchase of a seasonal product depends on the sales you're already making and your knowledge of selling on bol.com.
Be aware that purchasing seasonal products generally carries more risk than evergreen products.
Extra things to consider:
- Buy in time, so you're ready to sell as soon as the spike starts.
- Be alert at the beginning of the season and fine-tune your listing if necessary.
Is it smart to work with seasonal products?
Seasonal products carry more risk. That's why it's usually smart to only start with seasonal products when you have a steady business and sufficient capital.
Once you've got the hang of it, seasonal products can be a great addition to your evergreen range. The key is: do your research, buy on time, and don't take too much risk with your first seasonal product.
