Rain or Shine: Tips to keep your Mother's Day business booming

Mother's Day is celebrated each year to honor and appreciate mothers and mother figures. It is a day that brings together families, and many businesses rely on it to generate revenue. However, the weather can significantly impact Mother's Day business by affecting customer behavior and sales. AccuWeather For Business can help your business to be better prepared.   Here are some ways the weather can impact Mother's Day business and tips on how to prepare.

Forecasting for Flower Shops 

Flower shops and nurseries are some of the businesses most impacted by Mother's Day weather. Flowers are traditional gifts for Mother's Day, and florists and nurseries rely on the holiday to generate a significant portion of their annual revenue. But weather conditions can also significantly impact their sales. If it rains heavily on Mother's Day, customers may be less likely to venture outside to purchase flowers. Also, if there has been severe weather in the weeks leading up to Mother's Day, it may affect the availability and quality of certain flowers and plants. So the weather can impact sales not only on Mother's Day but also in the weeks leading up to it. To be better prepared, business owners can do things like ordering extra flowers and plants to plan ahead for any weather-related shortages. They could also encourage online ordering and delivery to boost sales for customers who might not want to out in bad weather.

Redirecting Resources for Restaurants

Weather can also impact a restaurant's revenue on Mother's Day in different ways. Customers may be less likely to go out and eat in a restaurant if it's raining on Mother's Day, leading to decreased sales and tips for servers. But it could also have the opposite effect. Some restaurants could see an increase in business on a rainy or chilly day because families may want to go indoors to a restaurant to eat instead of hosting an outdoor picnic. Either way, businesses should prepare to adjust staff and add additional seating. Restaurant owners could also do things like offering discounts or promotions for customers who want to eat indoors and promoting delivery and take-out options.

Rain & Retail 

Retail stores are another type of business that the weather may impact on Mother's Day by impacting customer behaviors and sales. If it rains heavily on Mother's Day, customers may not go out to buy last-minute gifts. If the weather improves, locations could see a boost in sales with an influx of people heading out to buy gifts for Mom.  One thing retail locations can do is stock up on weather-related items, such as umbrellas or rain jackets, to cater to customers needing them on a rainy day. 

Outlook for Online Businesses

The weather may also impact online businesses on Mother's Day. While online companies don't have to worry about customers being turned away by bad weather, they may still be affected by shipping delays or disruptions due to weather-related issues. If heavy rains or floods occur in a specific area, shipping carriers may need more time to deliver packages, leading to customer frustration and decreased sales. So business owners should plan and communicate with their shipping carriers to ensure they have contingency plans for any potential weather-related disruptions.

Superior Accuracy™: Better informed, Better protected, Better prepared.

To minimize the impact of weather, business owners should plan ahead, consider any weather-related factors that may affect sales, and have contingency plans for any possible disruptions. By being prepared, businesses can maximize their revenue potential and provide customers with a great Mother's Day experience.

Be proactive with AccuWeather SkyGuard Warnings backed by Superior Accuracy™, which will deliver site-specific alerts and warnings well before severe weather hits, giving you much-needed time to prepare. Want to learn more? Demo SkyGuard today.