Get Ready for the Holiday 2005 Sales Season

Conclusion

Of course, the best holiday planning is just that: planning. Until holiday sales are in full swing and it’s all happening in real-time, you can’t be sure how much product you’re going to move or how much staff you’ll need.

The key: Plan for some tolerance — perhaps up to 10 percent more or less than your planned budget allocations. If your operations team and managers are comfortable in that tolerance zone, there will be less of the last-minute surprise when the numbers aren’t exactly on target. You’ll know it’s all right because you’re within your zone.