Forget bunnies and chicks. Here are the real Easter gifts you should stock | Carol Schroeder

Did you know that Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25? That range of dates can impact the sale of seasonal merchandise, although you would think that the Easter rabbit would make about the same number of stops whether he is hoppin’ down the bunny trail in March or April.

“We think if Easter is later, there is more anticipation, more opportunities to make incremental purchases, and probably better weather to foster more Easter related activity,” said analysts at Deutsche Bank about the differences in 2015.

Last year, an impressive 66 percent of parents made Easter baskets for their children, according to WalletHub, and 85 percent of them will include candy. The same study goes on to mention that the most popular items purchased for baskets are chocolate bunnies and eggs, and other candies like jellybeans and marshmallow treats from brands like Peeps. The vast majority of families also dye eggs and hold an Easter egg hunt.

Unless you carry chocolate, or egg decorating supplies, you will need to be creative to promote Easter sales at your store. Seasonal decor may be an option, especially if items to create a memorable tablescape for Easter dinner work with your merchandise assortment. Special napkins, pastel candles, ceramic bunnies, colorful eggs and vibrant flowers are all elements that customers might find useful in creating a themed setting for a family gathering. An Ostereierbaum, or Easter egg tree, is a European custom you could introduce to your customers, too.

This year, Easter falls on March 31. The biggest challenge for retailers in years, like this year, when Easter falls in the first quarter is figuring out what to highlight during April. Mother’s Day isn’t until the second Sunday in May, so there can be a good month and a half between holidays. I think the best solution to this problem is to focus mostly on floral/spring merchandise for Easter, and to carry this theme through in your gifts for mothers and grandmothers. Several of the styled tablescapes that Southern Living published for Easter last year do not have a single bunny or chick in them, just tulips, daffodils and nests filled with natural birds’ eggs. This approach may help prevent an early Easter from scrambling your spring merchandising plans!

Carol Schroeder is the author of Specialty Shop Retailing, co-owner of Orange Tree Imports. and a regular columnist for sister pub Gifts & Decorative Accessories.

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