Easter long weekend is fast approaching!
It’s time to get your public trading hours organised, if you haven’t already.
The holiday is set to be a huge opportunity for tourism operators and retail businesses, with around $8.6 billion estimated to be spent on holiday bookings and gifts in Australia.
The last thing you want is people trying to contact or visit your business when it’s closed, or vice versa, people thinking your business is closed when it’s actually open.
Updating and confirming your business trading hours will ensure your customers are on the same page and you won’t have to deal with negative reviews after the holidays.
How to Update your Trading Hours on Google
When your hours of operation change for a brief period of time, like for a special event, you can set holiday hours on your Google Business Profile (GBP), so your regular hours don’t change.
It’s always a good idea to confirm your hours for official holidays, even if they’re the same as your regular hours. This makes it clear to customers that your holiday hours are accurate.
To set your holiday hours on Google, follow these steps:
- Go to your GBP.
- Select “Edit profile” then “Business information.”
- Near the top, select the Hours tab.
- Next to Holiday opening hours, select “Edit.”
- Select the date and update your hours.
- Select save.
Other Places to Update your Trading Hours
Take a moment to consider the other places people may go to see your Easter trading hours – the more clarity, the better.
1. Social media.
Creating a social media post with your trading hours over Easter is a simple yet effective way to reach your customers. This is also a great opportunity to promote any online sales or discounts you will be having over the long weekend.
2. Physical store.
If your business has a physical store, you could put up a sign with your Easter trading hours. This will be helpful for your regular customers who don’t look online regularly.
3. Online directories.
To avoid any confusion, consider confirming your hours on any online directories your business is on, like Localsearch.com.au. Simply add a post letting your customers know when you will be open over the holidays.
Which shops can trade over Easter in Australia?
If you have a physical store, take a moment to check on a government website what days you can legally open over Easter before you update your trading hours.
In jurisdictions that have regulations, small businesses are generally exempt from trading hour restrictions, while non-exempt retailers, supermarkets and department stores are more restricted in the hours they can open.
It’s important to note public holidays also vary across states and territories and so do the restrictions that apply for these holidays.
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