Building Your Holiday Ecommerce Strategy
The holiday season is fast approaching and with it comes the busiest shopping season for retailers. If you want to tap into the ecommerce success that many other sites have discovered, follow these ecommerce tips to build the best and most successful holiday marketing strategies.
1. Start early and plan your strategy.
Giving yourself ample time to plan your marketing strategy means a greater success rate. Leaving your planning and implementation until the last minute can cause serious problems that drive customers away. With the holidays fast approaching, make sure to plan now and give yourself enough time to implement your best ideas.
2. Give your website a festive theme.
Using iconic holiday images (whether they be Christmas, Hanukkah or simply generic) puts added pressure on consumers by reminding them that ‘tis the season to buy gifts for friends and family. Festive websites get consumers into the holiday spirit and cause them to be more likely to purchase gifts and spend money.
3. Categorize your items based on best sellers, supply buying guides, and display hot gift ideas.
These options make your website easier to navigate for potential customers and give them confidence that the items they are purchasing will be loved by their friends or family. Consider adding the option to divide your items by price, best sellers, or buying guides (“For Her”). Prominently featuring your best selling items on your site will draw interested customers in.
4. Use social media to market products and advertise promotions.
Social media gives businesses a chance to build a relationship with the consumer. Using this platform to market and advertise provides customer feedback and serves as a great ecommerce online marketing strategy.
5. Mobile Commerce
Sending short, concise mobile emails during the holiday season is crucial. If you plan to use a mobile platform, make sure that your information is correct, there are no grammatical errors, and you convey as much information in as little space as possible.
6. Offer gift cards
Many people aren’t sure how to shop for their friends and family. Therefore, offering a gift card ensures that the consumer’s money is spent with you, but doesn’t tie them down as far as picking out a gift.
7. Offer consumers holiday promotions, discounts and incentives.
During the holidays, money is tight for most families, and many consumers find themselves in search of the best deal. When setting up your discounts and promotions, make sure they have an expiration date and clearly explain their function and validity.
8. Give consumers the option to sign up for a holiday newsletter.
Generally, the option to sign up for a holiday newsletter is included on a confirmation page with the customer’s ordering information. Holiday newsletters deliver the most important information about your company to your customers in a timely manner.
9. Shipping
During the holiday season, make sure your shipping options cater to last-minute shoppers. Provide overnight shipping for an increased cost, and don’t limit your shipping options to the United States only.
10. Saying “thank you” post purchase
Thanking your customers for doing business with you leaves them with warm feelings and decreases the potential for buyer’s remorse. This platform is great for promoting future sales opportunities.
Following these tips ensures that consumers have a positive experience on your website, feel more comfortable purchasing from you, and return in the future to buy again. Build your website in time for the holidays and cash in on the Christmas season.