There might still be a couple of months before December 25th, but shops need to get their retail premises in order so that they can be well-maintained and presentable for the busy shopping season. 

As much as 38.1 per cent of people begin Christmas shopping before the start of November, according to Yesmail Interactive. It also revealed that 13.8 per cent already began their festive purchases before September, during the height of the summer.

The figures showed that by December 1st, more than two-thirds (69.8 per cent) of shoppers have begun buying things for Christmas.

This is despite Christmas adverts typically not beginning until November, which shows that retailers that want to capitalise on festive custom need to be targeting their market as soon as possible. 

This includes putting out their Christmas stock, particularly food with a long sell-by date, gifts, and decorations. They could also start thinking about their festive window displays, as these will entice people into their stores.

It is also important to consider planned maintenance, so they are not forced to close their premises during November or December for an unforeseen problem with the store, as they could lose a lot of business if they shut during the busiest shopping weeks of the year. 

This maintenance includes servicing their fire alarm, emergency light and fixed wire testing, roof and fabric repairs, water sprinkling testing and checking the electrics.

It is also worth glass polishing, shop fitting and redecorating if you want to attract as many customers as possible and your store is in need of a facelift. Having a clean, fresh and updated look could make all the difference to retailers this winter, as an attractive store is much more likely to entice people to go in.