The last few months have seen a dramatic turnaround in economic climate. As consumers gain more confidence and revenue continues to roll in, the amount of spending has encouraged store owners to begin the growth processes they abandoned when the recession hit in 2008.
Today, many are now turning their attention toward commercial loans and other capital investments to secure greater inventory for the holiday season. Economic forecasts show the next few months will provide a windfall for many organizations, and being prepared to meet rising demand could be the last push businesses need to get out of the recession.
Preparing for the rush
CNN's Fortune Magazine wrote that this holiday is expected to see consumer spending in excess of what has been seen for the last few years. The National Retail Federation predicted individual companies will see just under a 5 percent increase in revenue from last year, though the organization's estimates are regularly much lower than the actual outcome. On top of that, the source reported that Accenture surveys of anticipated holiday shoppers showed more than half of all Americans will be spending more than $250 in excess of what they did last year.
To keep up with all these extra shoppers and attract additional foot traffic, businesses will need more money on-hand to procure additional inventory, hire seasonal workers and keep stores in peak condition. Commercial lending may be easier to secure than in past years as well, making it an appealing option to owners.
Figures from the most recent PayNet survey showed that small business lending was down somewhat in September, but manufacturing had increased for the same period. Even in September, the demand for more products and inventory was increasing, the source reported, showing that companies may simply be taking a different direction with their lending and spending practices until economic recovery is more strongly established. Overall, the change in existing lending could indicate that financial services have been obtained to the level that corporations previously were satisfied with, but additional funding may be needed again in the future after this minor slump.
With key sales dates fast approaching, organizations need to be sure they're ready for the biggest shopping days of the year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday may leave some companies in a bind if they don't have adequate financial plans in place to handle the season.