The opportunities for seasonal merchandising are ripe for the picking.

That's the central idea executives from GMDC, Colorado Springs, wanted retailers to take away from last year's “Seasonal Best Practices” study.

Four seasons later, GMDC feels it has proved its point. According to representatives from the organization, important new data on seasonal sales due this week validates the need for interdepartmental cooperation and a category management approach to seasonal merchandising, among other key points from the 2006 study.

Indeed, GMDC officials believe that the new seasonal information, to be released a week from today from the group's reconstituted Education Leadership Council at the General Merchandise Marketing Conference in Phoenix, validates last year's study as an important management tool, now and for the future.

“The book is filled with great information and covers all the key points,” said Anthea Jones, vice president of nonfoods and pharmacy for Bi-Lo, Greenville, S.C. “It's a great tool to pull out and refresh yourself.”

Supermarket retailers have always played up the major holidays, offering themed items and promotions around events like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Halloween. Increasingly, however, industry statistics show that there are opportunities to think outside of the box on seasonal sales — to branch out past the traditional holidays, and to bring a category management mind-set to seasonal merchandising.

Last year's seasonal study highlighted the potential of this market approach. One key point the study made, and that sources interviewed for this story emphasized, is that the modern-day supermarket is equipped to merchandise for all types of seasonal events. Stores have the coolers, sunscreen and grill accessories to accentuate summer. They have the pens, rulers and notebooks for back-to-school time.

Putting all these items together can capture customers' attention, and create a one-stop-shopping destination to increase basket size.

Over the past couple of years, the seasonal focus at Bashas', Chandler, Ariz., has spread outward from the traditional holidays and into event and weather-related merchandising, such as outdoor furniture for summer and back-to-school items closer to fall, said Mike Isom, director of general merchandise.

“I think we were in the same boat with other retailers,” said Isom. “We hit the five major holidays and called it a day. But we've found that back to school, for example, has become an event in and of itself. So what were maybe three or four holidays that didn't warrant a permanent location in the store have turned into 10 to 12 events cycling through to keep that fresh look to the customer. The seasonal department has become a destination department within our stores.”