Christmas is coming! The time for gift giving and spending is upon us. What does this mean for the eCommerce world? Well, it means things are getting busy. Almost 20% of annual sales take place in preparation for the holiday season, so it’s a good idea to get ready. Let’s take a look at some predictions that can help you prepare.
Spending Starts Earlier
Christmas shopping is creeping earlier and earlier. No longer is it just confined to the second half of November and December; people are even considering it in October. A survey by Google stated that by mid-October, global shoppers had on average 21% of their holiday shopping completed.
This means your shoppers will have already started, at least thinking about what they want to buy. This is great news for you, as it means your Black Friday sales might have benefited from this. It also means that if you haven’t got your festive merchandising and discounts up already- now is the time! People are already thinking about buying their gifts; help them along the way.
Omnichannel Importance
Our new Christmas elves (also known as delivery drivers), are definitely putting the hard work in. However shoppers still want the flexibility to make purchases over multiple channels, requiring an omnichannel strategy. Shoppers are keen to return to brick and mortar stores since Covid-19 worries have died down.
Similarly, more and more people are shopping on their mobile apps, or social media platforms. These all need to be considered, the visual merchandising should be coordinated; the experience should be seamless.
Smart Spending
As many countries across the globe face a cost of living crisis, people are looking to be savvy with the way they spend. Frugal spending isn’t on the menu; so make sure you have your strategy set for this. Discounts and bundles are a great way of making sure that shoppers are getting the most for their buck.
Make sure your marketing highlights this! People are looking for discounts, especially when making multiple purchases such as in the holiday season. Providing this means that you meet their expectations, as well as meeting all the sales you need.
Reliable Returns
Part of eCommerce shopping is the awareness that things might not turn out as expected. One way to reduce returns, also helping sustainability goals, is to provide clear images and explanations of products. Also, to provide detailed information and size guides.
However, some returns are inevitable and creating the smoothest process possible will reach new customers and build loyalty from existing ones. If your returns are smooth and reliable, shoppers will be willing to purchase from you again.
Personalized Promotions
We all know the power of personalization; this is no secret in the eCommerce world. However, especially when gift searching for others, personalized offers can go a long way. Shoppers may be on your brand without a clear idea of where to go to; why not offer tabs such as:
- Gift for her/him/them
- Christmas for babies
- Festive homeware
Giving people these nudges in the right direction can relieve the stress, and help encourage sales. Personalized cross-sell and upsell recommendations can also go a long way, as once the spending has started there’s more chance of it continuing.
Social Media
As we now know, social media plays a huge role in the buying behavior of shoppers. This is particularly true for Gen Z and Millennials. If you haven’t already invested in a social media strategy, the holiday season is a great time to get involved. A festive competition that encourages user generated content would be perfect at around this time.
Similarly, if you haven’t created the opportunity for social commerce to thrive, now could be a good time to sort that. Allowing purchases from within the social media platforms removes any friction from the buying funnel, and appeals to younger audiences.
The holiday season is a visual time; red, green and gold become synonymous with the celebrations. Make the most of this with the visual elements of apps such as Instagram and Facebook.
Conclusion
The holiday season is already here, and it’s one to be taken seriously but also enjoyed. With our predictions, you can make sure that you are prepared to have the most merry festive season yet.