The Complete Guide to Stocking Games for the Festive Season

Businesses are working hard to prepare for the festive season, getting ready for the rush before the big day. The difference between a good and a great Christmas for many shops comes down to how well-prepared they are, what they’ve chosen to stock their shelves with and the positioning of their products around the store.

Games are among the best-selling items at Christmas, providing great gifts and stocking fillers for customers and exceptional opportunities for seasonal performance for shops. Here’s how to ensure your game shelves work wonders for you this year.

The board and card game sector has enjoyed a resurgence over the past decade, fuelled by consumers seeking meaningful social connections and entertainment away from screens. Customers are actively seeking experiences to share with friends and family, and these games are among the most popular and affordable ways to do so.

Classic titles continue to perform well due to nostalgia, as past best-sellers still hold their appeal. Some new releases attract younger audiences by offering hybrid board-and-digital games that combine traditional play with app-based interactions.

For retailers, stocking the latest releases and nostalgic additions is key. Look to curate a range that speaks to quality, togetherness and novelty. Shoppers are looking to buy connection, laughter and festive memories.

Keeping the Best Sellers in Mind

Utilising classic titles and best sellers is essential for steady sales, and these products can serve as the anchor for your games section. These are the types of products that parents can instantly recognise, perhaps with a fresh twist or a collaboration with other brands.

Introducing Carefully Chosen Newcomers

It’s just as crucial to curate and introduce a few newcomers to your stock, too. Fresh releases can position your shop as being up-to-date, relevant and able to follow trends. Limited-edition or trend-driven titles can create buzz and draw footfall when promoted effectively.

The presentation of card games and board games plays a crucial role in converting consumer interest into sales. Games are visual products, with boxes featuring bold colours and beautiful artwork that do much of the selling when displayed correctly. Prioritise front-facing placement for newer releases or gift-friendly options.

Grouping items by their intended audience can be helpful, too. Place games for specific age groups together, or group them by player count. You could even position products by genre, such as strategy titles.

Displays or themed towers that are labelled as the “Top Games for Christmas 2025” or “Festive Family Night Gifts” can capture the attention of consumers in busy aisles. To truly sell the games-night experience to your customers, consider placing offers that cross-merchandise games with snacks, drinks, or accessories that capture the whole feeling.

Creating a sense of scarcity can also help to drive urgency. Limited-stock signage or countdown displays until Christmas can prompt shoppers to make quick decisions, especially as the day edges ever closer.

Placing Smaller Games Till-Side

Positioning smaller games near the point of sale is a highly effective tactic during the festive season. Compact, affordable titles make ideal impulse buys – the kind customers pick up while waiting to pay.

By offering these games near the till at their lower price point, you remove hesitation and showcase products that make easy, fun gifts for colleagues, friends and family. Capture shoppers who have mentally finished shopping by placing these products within arm’s reach when the queues are piling up.

Encouraging team members to upsell and recommend their favourite products till-side can help to improve the sales of these games. Even a friendly suggestion like “Have you seen our pocket-sized games?” can prompt a consumer to engage in conversation and will often lead to spontaneous sales.

When done well, the placement of these games transforms them into a reliable source of revenue while also enhancing the shopping experience.

Games can appeal to a wide range of shoppers. Families and gift buyers are searching for accessible, easy-to-learn games suitable for mixed ages and short play times, the kinds of products that can fill a Christmas afternoon.

Hobbyists and adult gamers are increasingly seeking rich, theme-driven experiences, often planning their purchases months in advance to ensure they get the best. Additionally, couples and solo gamers are an expanding segment of the industry, particularly those seeking compact games for smaller households.

Understanding who your audience is, or who the audience is for the games you stock, is essential for ensuring that your products sell well in the run-up to Christmas.

Timing is everything when it comes to seasonal promotions and campaigns. Hero displays should appear towards the end of October or the start of November to capture early planners. Adding new stock to displays helps keep things looking fresh and interesting to regular shoppers. Online campaigns can begin earlier as you build awareness – especially as search interest in board games and similar products typically spikes throughout November.

As the days edge closer to Christmas, reviewing stock daily can help prevent missed sales opportunities. Promotional offers should peak between Black Friday and mid-December, with multi-buy discounts and bundle offers encouraging shoppers to fill their baskets. Post-Christmas, consider markdowns or clearance bundles to move slower lines.

Even after Christmas, your strategy shouldn’t end on December 25th. Post-Christmas sales, family gatherings, and New Year’s parties can create opportunities to purchase games.

Once we hit January, use the month to review what sold best, gather feedback, and analyse the themes that resonated most with your shoppers, giving you insight into what to order and what to negotiate on moving into the next festive season.

Make this festive season your most successful yet by partnering with a supplier who understands what sells and why. At Wholesale Card Games, we provide retailers with a proven range of bestselling card games, carefully designed for maximum shelf appeal and reliable turnover.

Whether you’re stocking impulse buys for till-side placement or building standout game displays, our wholesale collection offers retailers the flexibility, pricing and support needed to stay ahead of the curve.

Ready to join retailers already reaping the benefits of our games? Get in touch with us today.