How do I prepare my craft store’s seasonal buying calendar for a new owner?

Craft stores live by the calendar. Autumn projects, holiday decorating, school terms and spring gardening each need stock ordered months before the customer walks in. Much of that timing sits in the owner’s memory, so put it on paper.

Build a simple calendar. For each season list the product groups, supplier order deadlines, delivery lead times, show or preview dates and the dates when markdowns begin. Note which suppliers want early commitments or minimum orders and which will fill reorders quickly.

Add lessons from past years: what sold out, what lingered, what the weather or local events did to traffic. Attach copies of recent purchase orders so the buyer sees real quantities. Be clear about what is already ordered at the date of sale, and what deposits have been paid. Then walk the buyer through it. If the sale will close shortly before a big season, agree who makes the early orders and how the cost is shared. Your accountant can help set how prepaid stock is treated at closing, and offering to advise in the first season builds trust.

Key takeaways

• Build a month-by-month calendar of supplier deadlines, lead times and markdown dates.
• Record what sold out and what lingered in previous seasons.
• List orders and deposits already placed at the date of sale.
• Agree who makes early orders if closing falls near a peak.