This year, e-commerce may be more important for you than ever before. Shoppers hesitate to shop in person, and may quit physical shopping just when crowds usually bring in the most robust sales of the year.
On average, people plan to spend less on holiday shopping. Some will be directing more of their disposable income toward charitable giving, some expect smaller holiday gatherings, and some are worried about the future. The bottom line is that you will need to get shoppers to make decisions earlier, because many will quit shopping earlier.
It’s time to ramp up your ecommerce for Christmas!
- Add a sense of urgency by announcing the last date for Christmas delivery. Many online shoppers spend lots of time shopping around. If you can get them to feel like it’s time to quit browsing and start ordering, you can close the sale. Disruption in the supply chain is a real possibility, and many consumers know that. Point out that shopping early will help customers avoid problems.
- Offer free shipping — recent surveys say that’s the most important thing to online shoppers this year, compared with fast delivery or deals on products. Consumers have actually gotten used to slower shipping times. However, they expect overcommunication. Texts or emails saying when you plan to ship, when the packages will arrive, and so forth reassure shoppers. Help customers track their packages, too, by providing links and tracking numbers.
- Make it easy: bundle things, offer to wrap, recommend items that everyone will love. If you’re offering curbside pick up, plan and practice to make sure your system works well. Consumers may be used to inconvenience during the pandemic, but they’re also feeling stressed. Having to circle the block or wait in line for pickup could be the last straw for some people.
- Give information. For example, studies show that mothers of large families are no better at remembering which toys are appropriate for which age group than single people are, so sorting your toys by age can help shoppers make decisions more quickly.
- Encourage shoppers to pick up a little something for themselves. Women usually do, according to the experts, so offer something she’ll covet even if you mostly sell stuff for guys. Consider pop-ups at your website to get the most out of this.
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