Get Your Online Shop Ready for Christmas & The New Year
With the weather taking a chilly turn and seasonal vibes getting near, it’s no secret that Christmas is right around the corner!
This only means one thing - the holiday shopping season and the new year is officially kicking into high gear.
Christmas and the new year have always been excellent opportunities to end the year with a boost of revenue and begin the new year with a great start. From spending time with loved ones to shopping together, December is an enticing and fun period that has a special place in everyone's hearts. Although the past two years have taken a major toll on the retail sector due to various unprecedented issues, retailers have successfully adapted to the online sphere and taken advantage of the current circumstances. Of course, customers are loving it because more people have been shopping online while in-store shopping has reduced significantly. So it’s very likely that a large portion of this year's Christmas and new year sales would be generated online. Despite pandemic-induced social restrictions, shoppers are getting ahead of the curve in Christmas shopping as they fear economic anxiety, the headwinds of supply shortages, and longer delivery times.
Furthermore, many top brands have kicked off early sales, helping consumers get a head start on shopping. In other words, the sooner you prepare your online business for sales, the faster you can cater to your consumers, boost your revenue and put profits over the mark.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Aesthetics
It sounds like an obvious one but looks play a major role. If your online store isn’t visually appealing, then things could get a little difficult.
Remember! People love Christmas, that's why they spend so much on it each year. If your brand hasn't embraced the Christmas spirit as many top brands do each year, customers are highly likely to overlook your brand.
Try to improve the UI of your online shop, spruce up your product photography, create Christmas-themed social media posts and add season-themed background to your online store. This way, your customers know that you’re ready for the season and in for orders. The nice thing about having your online store on ShopOnCloud is that you can make all these changes yourself, and change it back once the holiday season is over (surprise!).
Moreover, make sure your online store is easy to navigate for customers who visit it. With a large portion of internet traffic shopping coming from mobile devices, it is extremely important to make sure your website is primed for mobile viewing. Don’t forget that customers are more likely to abandon purchases on the first try if your store isn’t mobile responsive. So make sure you emphasize the importance of mobile responsiveness this season.
Update Your E-commerce Website
Your website is a crucial factor that drives your seasonal sales forward. So, make sure your website is Christmas-themed. This will bring some joy and spirit to your site. If there are ongoing seasonal promotions, ensure they are displayed on the homepage and easily redeemable. Maybe try to add a little humour to your products descriptions and bring the Christmas spirit to life. Again, make sure your website is mobile responsive to optimize conversion and reduce bounce rates. Finally, note that customers are highly likely to look for specific products during seasonal shopping. So it’s easier for them if your website has a product search listing available. Store owners could also categorize products into special sections such as “Christmas gifts for women” or “Christmas gifts for children” for a much better shopping experience.
Provide Special Offers
During the festive season, customers are highly likely to seek out the best deals in town to try to cut down unnecessary expenditure. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase sales. There’s a lot of methods to do this. You can either offer discounts, go for “buy 2 get 1 free” offers or provide a discount code to redeem on your website and promote it on your website homepage or social media channels. Remember that even a small discount can make customers feel special and feel like they are getting a good deal. Try to make the offers and deals more Christmas-themed. Go for unique offer names like "Santa's Wish-List" or “Merry-Sale” because Christmas possibilities are endless!
Optimize Email and SMS Marketing
Set the festive mood and drive more sales with email and SMS marketing. This is a typical customer acquisition strategy. Customers love to see their holiday shopping experience being easy and personalized. Show them your appreciation by keeping them in the loop on the latest offers, deals, news, and updates through email and SMS. Foster long-lasting relationships beyond the purchase by sending tailored messages via text message and email.Make Your Social Media Holiday-centric
Dress up your social media profile, logo, icons, and captions for the holidays. Use Christmas elements to spread the feeling of festivity. This is a common practice among all brands and it’s perfect to add a little fun. You can also give your social media captions a little Christmas touch. There are endless opportunities to get creative this holiday season!
Furthermore, Facebook and Instagram can be easily utilized to advertise your seasonal offers and promote your products. Paid social media ads are another excellent strategy you can opt for if you have a big budget.
PS: Always include a call-to-action in your captions to have a significant impact on sales figures. "Order now", “Click now” or "Get information now" are a few examples.
Focus on Delivery
Provide top-quality delivery services. With the increase in online shopping this year, you should be equipped to offer a high-quality and fast delivery service during the upcoming festive season. By ensuring a seamless delivery, you’re most likely to tempt your customers to visit your store again. You can even offer free delivery to selected products. Offering free delivery is a brilliant way to appeal to potential customers. So make maximum use of it!
Create Gift Bundles
If you have products that compliment each other well, you can pull them together to create a gift bundle. Since Christmas is the time of generosity and sharing, your customers are going to love it!
You can also provide a special offer so that customers are aware of how much they’re saving when they purchase a gift bundle. This helps customers purchase many items at once and feel like they're getting more for the money.
Final Festive Thoughts
For many companies, the Christmas season and the new year determine whether the year was a success or a failure. We hope these tips will help you prepare more during this festive period. We look forward to emerging with you to greater heights. So hop in and get in the Christmas spirit!
