Set up the workplace effectively for Christmas
4min read
11/10/2018
There are always those moments when we somehow find ourselves a few hands short. But if this means that we have to process a lot of orders before Christmas and the cash register is ringing, this stress is a reason to rejoice. And current studies certainly give reason to rejoice: retailers are expecting sales of 14 billion euros at the end of the year.
This year too, German online and retail traders expect record sales of over 14 billion euros in the year-end business before Christmas (GfK). On average, every German will invest 278 euros in Christmas gifts. The race of the most popular and most frequent gifts is made by books with an expected sales volume of 957 million euros, followed by toys (expected sales of 1.82 billion euros).
The four shopper types regarding time management of Christmas shopping
Still plenty of time until Christmas? Yep. The “hot phase” is already starting for many! The retail trade distinguishes between the shopper types
- Early Shopper
- Bargain shopper
- Late shopper
- Coupon shopper
According to a Adobe survey around 18 percent of Germans already have all their Christmas presents together by the end of November. Most (30 percent) only start Christmas shopping in the second half of November. Only 15 percent of those surveyed buy Christmas presents at the last minute. A recent Statista survey paints a very similar picture:
Gift wrapping
Wrap as a gift? Gern!
Almost every online shop offers the option ” Wrapas a gift” during the purchase process. Despite extensive research, we couldn’t find any reliable figures on how often this option is used. Therefore, we conducted our very own survey in the office. Admittedly, it is anything but representative for several reasons: the sample size is far too small and there is a clear surplus of women.
Up to two hours for gift wrapping?
Packing table becomes creative workshop: Without you? No package!
The well-known online giants have long since taken precautions. Christmas paper, wrapping ribbons and adhesive tape are ready and waiting at every packing table. But who is going to wrap all the presents? Holiday jobbers and seasonal workers literally have their hands full. Because despite all the automatism, the wrapping is still done by hand.
Simple tricks for more efficiency at the packing table
The same applies in the dispatch hall as at the counter in the retail trade: good equipment and good organisation are decisive. If you have to search for the “beginning” of the tape every time and the gift ribbons form funny-coloured tangles, you will lose time and nerves. We tell you how you can save both with simple tricks:
What you need for a smooth gift-wrapping process
The following indispensable basics are part of an effective gift wrapping process:
- a dispenser for wrapping paper and/or gift wrap
- a dispenser for gift wrap tape and/or gift ribbons
- a tape dispenser
- a good pair of scissors
Each “tool” must have its fixed place, and the arrangement of the individual work utensils also plays a role.
The wrapping paper dispenser
A right-handed person ideally places the wrapping paper dispenser on the left side of the packing table – firmly screwed or clamped so that nothing slips or even falls off, even with a somewhat more dynamic pull. Unwinders on which several rolls of wrapping paper can be integrated on top of each other are particularly practical: this way you have a choice of different designs for each gift without having to lift the heavy rolls back and forth. An integrated cutting rail guarantees a clean cut edge without fringes and without waste.
The ribbon dispenser
Many gift wrap dispensers also offer space for gift ribbons. This is doubly practical: the ribbons are fixed and do not take up any extra space on the packing table. But also flexible dispenser for gift ribbons have their fans: with a non-slip base, a solid dead weight and an integrated cutting device, they perform well, preferably placed again on the left in front of the body for right-handers.
The scissors
Unfortunately, the scissors are as “wanderlusty” as the tape dispenser. With integrated cutting devices in the paper dispenser as well as in the tape dispenser and the gift wrap tape dispenser, they can compensate for their absence for some time. Nevertheless, it belongs on every packing table. And, you guessed it: placed on the right for right-handers and well sharpened – for the proverbial finishing touches on gift wrap tape, for example.
