First Quarter (1Q)
What months are in the first quarter of the calendar year?
January, February, and March
What are the months in the second quarter of the calendar year?
April, May, and June
What are the months in the third quarter of the calendar year?
July, August, and September
What are the months in the fourth quarter of the calendar year?
October, November, and December
Of the four quarters, where does the first quarter rank in terms of total sales per quarter (sales volume)?
Third
Of the four quarters, where does the second quarter rank in terms of total sales per quarter (sales volume)?
First!
Of the four quarters, where does the third quarter rank in terms of total sales per quarter (sales volume)?
Of the four quarters, where does the fourth quarter rank in terms of total sales per quarter (sales volume)?
Second
Weather!
What is the typical sales pattern on the day before, the day of, and the day after a large snow storm?
Day before: Sales way up!
Day of: Sales way down
Day after: Sales lower than normal as people work through their purchases from the day before the snow storm
Weather!
What is the typical sales pattern on the day before, the day of, and the day after a large thunderstorm?
Day before: Sales way up!
Day of: Sales way down
Day after: Sales lower than normal as people work through their purchases from the day before the thunderstorm
Weather!
What is the typical sales pattern on the day before, the day of, and the day after a big heatwave?
Day before: Sales are normal
Day of: Sales are up a bit - mostly in Produce, Meat and the Deli Counter
Day after: Sales are back to normal
Weather!
What is the typical sales pattern on the day before, the day of, and the day after a very cold day?
Day before: Sales way up
Day of: Sales way down
Day after: Sales lower than normal as people work through their purchases from the day before the cold weather event
Holidays!
Which holiday drives the biggest sales bump of the first quarter and what is the typical sales pattern before, on the day(s) of, and after the holiday?
*Easter, when it falls in March, but! That is abnormal
The correct answer is: no holiday!
Instead, consider this: Sundays in March are one of our most consistent high sales days throughout the year. Of the past 18 Sundays in March, 17 of them are ranked in the top 30 sales days of the year.
Holidays!
Which holiday drives the biggest sales bump of the second quarter and what is the typical sales pattern before, on the day(s) of, and after the holiday?
Easter!
Day before: Big huge sales bump!
Day of: Big sales day - but not as much as Saturday
Day after: bigger than normal sales Monday
Holidays!
Which holiday drives the biggest sales bump of the third quarter and what is the typical sales pattern before, on the day(s) of, and after the holiday?
No holiday!
Instead, consider this: Sundays in September are the first signs of sales increases out of the low sales season that is the summer months
Holidays!
Which holiday drives the biggest sales bump of the fourth quarter and what is the typical sales pattern before, on the day(s) of, and after the holiday?
Thanksgiving!!
The Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are consistently two of our biggest sales days of the year.
Thanksgiving itself is slow, and we have shortened hours.
The day after Thanksgiving is very slow