Your In-Store Holiday Selling Toolbox
How independent hardware stores can merchandise the holiday category to drive add-on sales, increase visibility and build basket size.
For independent hardware store owners, holiday success often comes down to how the category shows up on the sales floor. Product selection matters, but merchandising determines how much of it actually sells.
Across both the Do it Best Group and Orgill, buyers point to one consistent theme: Stores that connect products, create visual impact and guide the customer experience outperform those that simply stock seasonal goods. Here are their expert tips.
Build displays around how customers shop
Holiday purchases often start with a project—decorating a home, setting up lighting or preparing for gatherings. Merchandising that reflects those tasks makes the category easier to shop and more effective at driving additional purchases.
Cross-merchandising plays a central role in that approach. Jim Wilson, vice president of Orgill private label, says retailers should group complementary items together so customers can find everything they need in one place. Extension cords, timers and other connection products belong alongside lighting and décor. Tree stands should sit with trees. Ornament hooks, storage and accessories should be within reach of the main display.
Such structure reduces friction and increases the likelihood that customers will complete the entire project in a single visit.
Create visual impact that stops customers IN THEIR TRACKS
Holiday merchandising benefits from scale and presentation. Displays that draw attention pull customers into the category and increase the time they spend in the department.
Timothy Heath, group merchandise manager at Do it Best, points to fully decorated Christmas trees as one of the most effective tools on the sales floor. When executed well, those displays often lead to complete-package purchases, in which customers buy the tree along with ornaments and accessories.
Interactive lighting displays serve a similar purpose. Heath recommends showing multiple lighting options side by side on a dark backdrop so customers can clearly see differences in color, function and quality. That comparison helps justify trade-up purchases and supports higher-margin sales.
Outdoor décor carries even more impact when assembled and powered. Inflated or lit displays create focal points that draw customers deeper into the store and signal that the category is worth exploring.
Use placement to drive impulse behavior
Where holiday merchandise lives in the store shapes how it performs. High-visibility areas—front-of-store displays, endcaps and main traffic paths—capture attention and create more opportunities for add-on sales.
Wilson notes that free-standing displays and endcaps work particularly well for giftable items and seasonal impulse products. Price-point displays, such as “Gifts Under $10,” provide clear entry points for shoppers and simplify decision making.
In stores with limited space, moving holiday merchandise closer to the entrance increases exposure and aligns with how customers shop during the season. The category thrives when it remains visible throughout the store rather than confined to a single aisle.
Turn checkout into a final selling zone
The register area offers one of the strongest opportunities to increase basket size. Smaller, high-margin items placed near checkout align naturally with last-minute purchasing behavior.
Wilson points to products such as batteries, tape, storage containers, gift wrap and stocking stuffers as strong performers in these areas. These items connect directly to holiday needs and require minimal consideration from the customer.
Suggestive selling reinforces that placement. A simple prompt from the cashier—whether tied to batteries for toys or tape for wrapping—can consistently add incremental sales across transactions.
Use themed displays to guide the customer
Holiday merchandising performs best when it provides direction. Displays that group products around a theme—gifting, decorating or entertaining—help customers quickly find what they need.
Gift-focused displays create easy solutions for shoppers looking for quick purchases. Items such as tools, grilling accessories, toys and novelty products can be grouped together to form a clear destination within the store.
Seasonal signage and simple visual cues, such as bows or holiday labeling, can extend that theme into other departments. This approach allows retailers to highlight giftable products throughout the store while maintaining the integrity of core categories.
Bring the category to life through experience
Merchandising extends beyond static displays. Interactive and experiential elements help customers engage with products and understand their value.
Heath notes that demonstrations—such as showing how smart lighting works or syncing displays to music—create a more compelling presentation and increase the likelihood of purchase. These elements add energy to the department and encourage customers to spend more time exploring the assortment.
Build momentum throughout the season
Holiday merchandising evolves as inventory moves. Strong programs adjust space and presentation throughout the season, condensing displays while ensuring that the visual impact remains strong.
Wilson emphasizes the importance of maintaining clean, organized presentation as product sells through. A well-managed department continues to drive sales even as assortments narrow, while a disorganized one loses effectiveness late in the season.
The holiday category performs best when merchandising connects products, presentation and customer behavior. Stores that execute with clarity and intent turn seasonal displays into consistent drivers of traffic, basket size and overall performance.
5 Holiday Trends to Watch
- Smarter lighting takes hold
Programmable and app-controlled lighting continues to gain traction, with customers increasingly looking for displays that can change color, sync to music or be controlled from a smartphone, according to Orgill’s Jim Wilson and Henry Lin. - Bigger outdoor statements
Inflatables, illuminated yard art and motion-based displays remain strong, helping customers create high-impact outdoor setups that stand out. - Infinity décor gains ground
Do it Best’s Timothy Heath points to growing interest in infinity décor, which uses mirrored lighting effects to create depth and visual impact across a range of indoor and outdoor products. - Permanent lighting enters the mix
Permanent and semi-permanent lighting systems continue to build momentum as customers look for longer-term solutions that extend beyond a single season. - Core categories remain steady
Traditional products—trees, wreaths, garland and core lighting—continue to anchor assortments, providing a base retailers can refresh each year.
