Checklist template

Seasonal and holiday merchandising for gift shops

A ready-to-use checklist with 110 items in 6 sections, covering Displays, Assortment, Pricing, Signage, Stock, Sell-down. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 110 Items
  • 93 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 123 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Displays 19 items

  1. The current season's lead display is the first fixture a customer meets inside the entrance Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The front window shows the current season and no product from the season that just ended Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The seasonal set matches the set photo or planogram sent by the head office Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The set was completed by the set date on the seasonal calendar Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Date the current seasonal set was completed Date
  6. Feature tables and fixtures given to the current season Number
  7. Feature tables are built at three heights, with the tallest product at the back or in the center Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Each feature table carries one theme or color palette rather than a mix of leftover themes Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Boxed ornaments have one sample out of the box, hung at eye level above the boxed stock Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Glass ornaments, snow globes and ceramic figurines sit back from the table edge or on a shelf with a lip Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Seasonal tabletop items (platters, mugs, linens, napkins) are set together as one dressed table Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Light-up and musical items have a demonstration unit that works when the try-me button is pressed Yes / No 1 pt
  13. String lights and lit decor on display are switched on during trading hours Yes / No 1 pt
  14. No extension cord crosses a customer aisle to reach a lit display Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Artificial trees used to show ornaments are decorated on every side a customer can see Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Props on the set (crates, sleds, baskets, risers) are those supplied or approved for this season Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Seasonal gift wrap rolls stand upright in a roll fixture, grouped by design Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Small seasonal add-ons (gift tags, stocking stuffers, boxed chocolates) are stocked at the cash wrap Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Impact of the seasonal set seen from the entrance Rating
    • Full, on theme and impossible to miss 5 pts
    • Present but partial or mixed with other themes 3 pts
    • Not noticeable from the entrance 1 pt

2. Assortment 17 items

  1. Every item on the seasonal assortment list for this store's tier is on the sales floor Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Items on the seasonal assortment list not found on the sales floor Number
  3. Key items named by the buyer have a second location in addition to their home position Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Gifts are grouped by recipient or occasion (teacher, host, baby's first holiday) as shown in the set guide Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The opening, middle and top price points of each gift group are all represented on the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Boxed holiday cards are displayed beside the gift wrap and gift bags Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Year-dated items on the floor (annual ornaments, baby's first holiday) carry the current year, with prior-year stock moved to clearance Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Names or letters sold out in personalized seasonal ranges (name ornaments, initial stockings) are on the current reorder Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Local and souvenir seasonal items are displayed together in one location Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Vendor-direct seasonal lines are displayed on the vendor's own fixture where one was supplied Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Ornament hooks, batteries, gift boxes and tissue are displayed beside the products that need them Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The five best sellers on the latest seasonal sales report are at eye level or on a feature table Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Seasonal confectionery sits on a shelf apart from candles, potpourri and other scented products Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Seasonal food on display is rotated so the earliest best-before date is at the front Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Product for the next season is not on the floor before its launch date in the seasonal calendar Yes / No 1 pt
  16. No more than two seasons share the sales floor (the one ending and the one starting) Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Completeness of the seasonal assortment on the floor Rating
    • Complete for the store's tier 5 pts
    • A few items missing 3 pts
    • Many items missing or not unpacked 1 pt

3. Pricing 17 items

  1. 10 seasonal items sampled each carry a price ticket or sit behind a shelf label Yes / No 1 pt
  2. 10 seasonal items scanned at the register rang at the ticketed price Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Price discrepancies found among the 10 items scanned Number
  4. Seasonal price tickets carry the season code used to select items for markdown Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Ornaments are ticketed on the hang tag or the box, never on glass or a painted surface Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A multi-buy offer tested at the register (for example several ornaments for a set price) rang correctly Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Multi-buy signs also show the price of a single item Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Promotional prices on the floor match the current promotion calendar Yes / No 1 pt
  9. An item from the promotion that ended most recently rang at its regular price Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Small items sold singly from an open display box have the price shown on the front of the box Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Gift baskets and sets assembled in the store carry one ticket with the set's own item number Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Personalized spinners show the price on the header or on each row Yes / No 1 pt
  13. No handwritten price tickets are in use on seasonal product Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Price changes in the latest price change bulletin have all been applied on the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Date of the latest price change bulletin applied Date
  16. A cashier asked could describe the seasonal promotions running today Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Accuracy of seasonal pricing Rating
    • Every item ticketed and scanning correctly 5 pts
    • One or two errors 3 pts
    • Several items unticketed or scanning wrong 1 pt

4. Signage 18 items

  1. Every sign on the seasonal sign list has been put up Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Window decals and banners are those of the current campaign Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Signs are in company sign holders, not taped to fixtures or product Yes / No 1 pt
  4. No handwritten signs are on the sales floor Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Each feature table has one topper sign, at the height shown in the set guide Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Every product under a gift-by-price sign is at or below the price on the sign Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Promotional signs state the end date of the offer Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Signs of the previous season have been removed from the floor, the windows and the cash wrap Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A sign asking customers to request help is posted at glass and ceramic displays Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The last day to ship a gift for delivery before the holiday is posted at the cash wrap Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The holiday return and exchange policy is posted at the cash wrap Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Holiday opening hours are posted at the entrance Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The last order date for personalized or engraved gifts is posted where those gifts are sold Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Signs are in both languages where local regulation or company policy requires it Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Signs are flat and unfaded, with no curled corners or tape marks Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Digital screens are playing the current seasonal loop Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Shelf talkers for dated collectible series (annual ornaments, yearly editions) show the current year Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Execution of the seasonal sign package Rating
    • Complete, current and well placed 5 pts
    • Incomplete or some outdated signs 3 pts
    • Mostly missing or outdated 1 pt

5. Stock 18 items

  1. Seasonal back stock is kept in one area of the stockroom marked with the season's name Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Back stock cartons are labeled on the front with the item and the quantity inside Yes / No 1 pt
  3. No seasonal position on the floor was empty while stock of the item was in the stockroom Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Seasonal positions found empty on the floor with stock in the stockroom Number
  5. Seasonal displays were refilled before opening today Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A second refill is scheduled before the afternoon peak on high-traffic days Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Glass ornament back stock is kept in its original dividers Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Back stock of the season's key items is stored nearest the stockroom door for quick refills Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Seasonal shipments received to date match the seasonal shipment schedule Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Seasonal shipments not received by their expected date have been reported to the buyer Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The manager knows the reorder cut-off dates of the season's main vendors Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Top sellers running low have been reordered or reported to the buyer Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Counts of 5 seasonal items matched the on-hand quantities in the system Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Transfers of seasonal product to or from other stores are entered in the system on the day they ship or arrive Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Seasonal sets missing a piece (nativity sets, village pieces, boxed ornament sets) are pulled and recorded, not sold as complete Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Seasonal gift boxes, tissue and bags on hand cover at least the next two weeks of trading Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Fixtures and props of the previous season are packed, labeled and stored Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Availability of seasonal stock on the floor Rating
    • Full displays, back stock organized 5 pts
    • Some gaps or disorganized back stock 3 pts
    • Many gaps 1 pt

6. Sell-down 21 items

  1. The manager has the sell-down schedule for the season in progress Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The first markdown was taken on the date in the sell-down schedule Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Date of the first markdown on the season in progress or just ended Date
  4. Current markdown on the ending season (%) Number
  5. Markdown tickets show both the original and the reduced price Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Markdown stickers are the color the company assigns to the current markdown stage Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Once the holiday has passed, remaining product is consolidated onto the fixtures named in the sell-down guide Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Seasonal clearance is at the side or rear of the store once the next season is set Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Clearance fixtures are sorted by type (ornaments, decor, wrap, plush) rather than mixed Yes / No 1 pt
  10. No year-round full-price product is mixed into the seasonal clearance Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Items designated "pack away" came off the floor on the pack-away date without being marked down Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Pack-away cartons are labeled with the season, the year, the item and the quantity Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Pack-away quantities are recorded in the system or on the pack-away list Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Seasonal food is marked down on schedule ahead of its best-before date Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Seasonal items approved for return to the vendor are boxed with the return authorization number on the carton Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The manager can state the season's sell-through to date Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Sell-through of the season to date (%) Number
  18. Leftovers after the final clearance date are written off or donated as company policy directs Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Name of the store manager or shift lead met Short text
  20. Overall seasonal and holiday merchandising Rating
    • On calendar and to standard 5 pts
    • Behind calendar or partly to standard 3 pts
    • Well behind or far from standard 1 pt
  21. Corrective actions and comments Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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