Let There Be Lights!

Holiday lighting is a big part of the Christmas experience. According to the American National Standards Institute, approximately 200 million light strings are sold each year. Those sales are often left to mass market retailers, but by doing so, you could be missing an opportunity to be a "one stop shop" for your customers' Christmas decorating needs.

While the standard strands of lights are mostly a price-driven purchase, there are plenty of lighted home decorations that discerning shoppers are happy to pay a little more for. Stocking innovative new technologies that are not yet everywhere is a good way to make your store stand out, as are convenient step-savers for busy lifestyles and design-driven products that target hot trends. "There are stores and there are consumers who want better product." says Dan Loughman, director of Roman Lights at Roselle, Illinois-based Roman Inc.

Here are a few suggestions for appealing to those consumers, and sparking additional holiday sales with decorative lighting.

With two-career households, extended working hours, and longer commutes, Americans are busier than ever, and many families are looking to create the classic "Christmas look" with as little effort as possible. "There's a focus on pre-manufactured decorations," says Loughman. "The consumer just pulls it out of the box and it's a large four-foot-to-six-foot display piece."

Jeanne Claire, national sales manager of Seattle-based manufacturer Pacific Rim, agrees. "Consumers are looking for bigger, better, and easier ways to create the looks they want."

Some products that appeal to this market are:

• Pre-lighted Trees, Wreaths, and Garlands. Customers can simply store this artificial greenery with the lights intact, then display it as-is or embellish it with individual ornaments.
• Light Nets. Much easier to put up than individual strands, light nets can be draped over a tree or bush of virtually any size or shape.
• Inflatable Illuminated Characters. They are easy to store, and, with built-in pumps, they are also a snap to set up.
• Tree-free Trimmings. Displaying the trimmings alone can give a home a touch of Christmas without the tree, or can help spread a decor theme into throughout the home. Holiday-themed night-lights, which both Roman and Pacific Rim report as strong sellers, are one example.
• Bigger Is Better. One large piece can make a statement better and more quickly than lots of little ones. It's also consistent with the aesthetic of today's larger houses and furnishings.

In lighting, even more so than in the rest of the holiday decor industry, technological refinements translate directly into new products. Help your customers be the first on their block to "light up" with the latest, and make sure your point-of-sale information explains how it works. It's also a good way to attract gadget-happy male shoppers during the Christmas season. Here are some ideas.

• LED Lights. Good for the environment, LED holiday lighting uses up to 90 percent less electricity than standard lights. They can be used inside and out, and are designed to last more than 20 years. Since they are encased in plastic, not glass, there are no broken or burned-out bulbs. They're also cool to the touch, reducing the risk of fire. Quite a bit more expensive than standard lights, LED lights could be a good fit for the specialty retailer
• Fiberoptics. It's not a new technology, but advances in fiberoptics continue, extending color throughout the strand instead of just at the tips, and making use of crimping to maximize the illumination.
• Miniatures. Smaller is stylish, and miniaturization continues to be improved upon. New, tiny "rice" lights, for example, create a fairy dust effect, and may become as big a hit as the ubiquitous icicle lights. Like LEDs, rice lights are more expensive than standard lights.
• Randomizers. This technology sets lights to flash at unpredictable intervals instead of in regular sequences, offering the element of surprise.

Trendy designs express personality and style, replacing generic home and tree decorating. Pick out lights that echo the theme and feel of your store, or offer several different looks on themed trees. Possible trends include:

• Colored Cords. Forget trying to hide the lighting cords. Instead, make a statement with colored lights in trendy pinks and purples, along with matching wires. A great look with white trees.
• Bubble-luscious. Nostalgia is never stronger than during the holidays. One of this year's hottest looks is a reproduction of retro bubble lights.
• Custom Shapes. Strings of lighted Santas, angels, stars, pumpkins, and other holiday shapes look festive on or off the tree. Look for special designs that can snap over ordinary lights to achieve the same effect.
• Licensed Characters. Not only do they have strong emotional resonance, but, as Loughman notes, "Licensing is another surefire way to differentiate yourself." And there are plenty of Christmas licenses currently available. For example, Roman offers yard art and bubble lights based on the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer license.
• Beyond Christmas. Decorative lighting is expanding into other holidays, especially Halloween, the second most decorated date on the calendar. Also, summer lighting for gardens, patios, and decks will enable you to extend this product's sell-through to warmer months.

Safety is always a concern when it comes to holiday lights. Choose your suppliers carefully, and make sure the lights contain the mark of a recognized testing lab such as UL (Underwriters Laboratory). Also, be alert to the possibility of product recalls. There's more information at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website, www.cpsc.gov.

Just as playing music sells more CDs, illuminating holiday lights will boost their sales. Don't forget to budget for an increase in your December electricity bills. But since holiday lights do double duty by attracting visitors to the store as they sell themselves, it's one increase that's worth paying.