Holiday seasons are undoubtedly the “money-making” time for e-commerce businesses. In 2023, US consumers spent a record-breaking $211.7 billion during the holiday shopping season.
If you want to capture a slice of the growing e-commerce pie, it’s time to rethink your strategies. Whether improving the website performance or offering personalized promotions, here are some actionable tips and seven e-commerce best practices to increase holiday sales for the upcoming seasons.
So continue reading as we learn more about these B2B eCommerce best practices in the following sections.
7 Tips to Improve Holiday Sales
1. Ensure a Seamless Website Performance
Did you know that 53% of mobile site visitors abandon a webpage when it takes longer than three seconds to load? Thus, speed is a critical factor in attracting customers for holiday sales.
Your website should be capable of managing the influx of traffic during the holidays. You can optimize your website’s performance by considering some key factors. This includes:
- Compressing larger images without compromising their quality
- Utilizing browser cache to store a version of your website on the user’s device.
- Ensure your website’s performance is seamless on mobile devices.
Mobile shopping accounts for 58% of the total e-commerce sales during the holiday season, so don’t miss your chance due to technical setbacks. You need a professional to help you with the technical parts. Professional SEO firms provide these services as a part of their digital marketing service plans.
2. Start Early Promotions To Drive More Sales
Although the festive season is not until the end of the year, people start shopping by the end of October. Take this opportunity to offer more sales by offering early discounts and sales.
A countdown timer, limited stock alert, or flash sales can create excitement and a sense of urgency in customers. You can also capture some new customers before the holiday rush. Set yourself ahead of your competitors to earn more significant profits.
3. Personalize Your Services To Appeal to More Customers
Personalization is key to gaining loyal customers. Salesforce states that 63% of consumers expect personalized shopping experiences, and businesses that deliver this can increase sales by 20%. Leverage your consumer data to create targeted marketing campaigns and customized product recommendations.
You can utilize AI-driven tools to suggest items to your customers based on their browsing or purchase history.
4. Utilize SEO for the Holiday Rush
Gain profits from organic search traffic by optimizing holiday-themed keywords. It also involves writing content or blogs that will be helpful for customers around the holidays. Step ahead by listing your products and linking them to engaging content.
A trusted digital marketing agency will curate content and use relevant keywords to increase traffic. They will provide you with an SEO Service with practical SEO tips.
5. Offer Flexible Payment Options
Many consumers drop their carts due to a lack of transparency regarding payment. The convenience of flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) drives more consumers to complete their purchases. By offering payment solutions such as PayPal, Klarna, or Afterpay, you can reduce friction during checkout, making it easier for customers to buy.
6. Focus on Customer Service and Returns
Customer service is often overlooked but is critical in boosting holiday sales. A report by PwC found that 73% of consumers say customer experience is a key factor in their purchasing decisions. Excellent customer service can mean the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart.
You can offer live chat support and simplify your returns policy. Offering free returns or extended return windows gives customers the confidence to buy, knowing they can easily return items if needed. Besides, don’t forget to follow eCommerce checkout best practices.
7. Offer Free Shipping and Guarantee Delivery Times
Shipping costs and delivery speed are critical during the holiday season. Around 72% of US consumers said free shipping greatly influences purchasing decisions. Offering free or discounted shipping during the holidays can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates.
5 E-commerce Tips for Your Best End-of-Year Sales in 2024!
#1 Create a Festive User Experience for Your Customers
Updating your website design with holiday themes can elevate your customers’ moods. Add imagery or elements to match the holiday season, like snowflakes for the winter season.
You can create holiday shopping content like gift guides, themed shopping categories, or holiday FAQs to stay ahead. This will give customers a better experience and may spark new shopping ideas.
#2 Prioritize Customer Care
As mentioned, proper customer care service helps you gain your customers’ trust. Research has proven that retaining existing customers is cheaper than acquiring new ones.
Some of the most common FAQs that you must be prepared for are:
- How many days does it take for a product to be shipped?
- How can I find or track my purchase?
- What’s your return policy
- Will my purchase be here by the holidays?
- Do you offer gift cards?
Live chat and automated chatbots efficiently answer common questions, or you can link new customers to a frequently asked questions page.
Besides, you must ensure that your FAQ page is updated with all the necessary information. Broken links and outdated information can frustrate your customers, leading to dreadful cart abandonment.
#3 Focus on review sections
49% of customers consider online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Online shoppers usually pass over products with no reviews or too many negative ones.
You can reinforce your holiday e-commerce plans by including a prominent review section on your product page. You can also ask your previous satisfied customers to leave their valuable feedback via an email campaign or a text notification.
#4 Tend to the Eco-consumer and keep the planet in mind
Recent trends have revealed that customers increasingly demand more eco-friendly practices from brands. Customers have started valuing sustainability, and this greatly influences purchase decisions.
Be creative with your holiday campaigns and highlight any eco-conscious effort your company has made to improve this planet. If you lack ideas, you can partner with an eco organization or donate to any Non-Profit Organization working for this cause. Some other efforts you can put in are:
- Creating products with recycled materials
- Using recycled packing materials
- Introducing biodegradable or compostable mailer sleeves
- Use eco-friendly transportation
- Dispatch a multiple-item order in the least possible number of packages.
#5 Use modern technology
AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual fitting room) have led to significant growth in sales. These modern technologies allow the customer to understand products better.
The ‘try on’ feature allows customers to upload selfies and see how the different styles look on them. If this makes sense for your brand and you have a budget, adding virtual elements can bring impressive returns.
Takeaway!
- Holiday seasons are a significant opportunity for e-commerce businesses to gain profits.
- Professional agencies can provide eCommerce marketing tips and help you with website loading speed, ranks, and attractive design layouts.
- By focusing on customer experience and utilizing new technologies, you can gain loyalty and enjoy increased sales.
