The holiday season is rapidly approaching, which means it’s time to start preparing your ecommerce business for the influx of sales. By following these ecommerce tips, you can ensure a successful holiday season and maximize your profits.
Prepare to be swamped by traffic
In 2022, 60% of Australian Black Friday shoppers said that they’re more likely to shop online than in-store. That’s a tonne of traffic coming to your online store or website! There’s nothing worse than your site crashing during this crucial time, so make sure your website is optimised and fully prepared.
- Tighten your user journey and ensure check-out is working smoothly
- Get a chat-box up and running so customers can ask questions on the day (whether BF, CM or Boxing Day)
- Check your speed and loading times and optimise for 3 seconds or less
- Optimise your site for mobile devices. Since many shoppers now prefer to browse and buy from their smartphones or tablets, it’s important to ensure that your site is responsive and easy to navigate on all devices.
- Lastly, make sure you restock inventory! To avoid customers getting frustrating Out of Stock or Back Order notifications and subsequently leaving your site without purchasing, talk to your suppliers to ensure you’re appropriately stocked.
Create your ecommerce marketing strategy in advance
Another key factor for success is having a strong ecommerce strategy in place well before the holiday season begins. This includes planning out everything – from sales promotions to holiday specials.
KOA TIP – Consider offering free shipping for a limited time, or including product recommendations and upsells on your site.
To get started with your ecommerce marketing strategy, be sure to do thorough research into the latest trends and best practices. In Australia, one promotional campaign that has the biggest impact on online shoppers is an item discount or price reduction.
Once you’ve established your offer, you need a well-executed marketing plan to let your customers know! Here’s a few tried and tested ideas:
- Whip up a storm on social media with Instagram stories and Facebook posts promoting your season sales.
- Try tweeting a product #hashtag and get people to use and follow it on Twitter.
- Create a timer on Instagram to count down the days until the sale.
- Leverage your email database! Send a 3-part campaign to alert your customers that the sale is on.
- Set up relevant email automations such as abandoned cart or ‘thanks for purchasing’.
Expand your sales channels
A key consideration within your ecommerce strategy is where you’re selling. Is your website alone enough? Look at connecting with major players like Amazon and eBay who get over 70 million visits per month.
Alternatively, you could also explore selling through marketplaces like Catch and OZsale. These online retailers often have a dedicated ‘Holiday Sales’ section on their sites, which makes it much easier for customers to find your products.
By following these ecommerce marketing tips, you’ll be well on your way to a profitable holiday season! Stay ahead of the competition by starting now, and if you need help, we’re just one call away.
