Autumn Window Dressing - Too Early?

At this time of year we're selling a lot of Japanese teapots, tea cups and mugs in warm reds and oranges. Autumn is in the air and even though there aren't that many places in Australia that have enough deciduous trees for a real Autumn colour change, the cooler air and shorter days (in the southern states at least) do encourage people to think of afternoon teas with freshly baked biscuits, served on tableware with softer, warmer tones.

And yet, it's very hard to think about shopping for bowls for hot soup when the water temperature at the beach makes you feel like you're swimming in it.

Are customers put off by a shop window display that seems out of step with the weather? Or does it draw them into your store, with the promise of cooler days ahead and the airconditioning to entice them to stay a little longer?

Good merchandising should always be a step ahead. People complain about hot cross buns appearing in the supermarkets in February, or Christmas decorations in October, but it can really start to set the mood and build momentum up until the time for purchasing. Get people thinking about tea and soup and cosy dinner parties at home before the cooler weather sets in. When the time comes they will already know just where to go.