How can you as an E-commerce seller boost your business’ sales over the 2022 Christmas period?
How can you as an E-commerce seller boost your business’ sales over the 2022 Christmas period?
As we approach the Christmas period, we thought it would be good to provide E-commerce sellers with some recommendations that will increase their sales and achieve a higher customer retention, despite it being one of the busiest times of the year. Customers have high expectations throughout the year but taking into consideration presents and the narrow timescale consumers usually purchase their products within, this can place pressure on sellers. It is vital that you are fully prepared for the next few months and here are our top tips to keeping one step ahead of the game…
Offer Product Bundles to Drive Package Deals
For those selling through Amazon, eBay, Onbuy, Wish and other marketplaces, your customers have the privilege of accessing a quick ‘add to cart’ button. Research has shown that it has the power to steer even the latest of last-minute shoppers to your products due to ease of purchase. Furthermore, many marketplaces offer a ‘recommendations’ and ‘bundle deals’ section on their platform. This function can drive further traffic to a seller’s storefront increasing a customer’s total order value with ease.
For example, if you were selling handbags and display a bundle of ‘complete the look’ products (like a keychain and a wallet) or through Amazon’s function of, ‘people also purchased,’ customers will be more inclined to add to their basket. Having other products that tie in with your alternative product categories encourages shoppers to add additional items to their cart without having to visit another site or brand. This removes an additional barrier between browsing and purchasing, whilst adding a new opportunity to drive higher revenue in sales.
Clearly Outline Delivery Expectations
At this time of year shoppers want to be sure that what they buy will arrive on time. If they do not have total confidence in this, they will go elsewhere. Simple. That means it is essential to communicate your delivery processes and options clearly, or you may face the possibility of customers abandoning their cart later. Including this in pop-ups or your product detail pages can increase your customers confidence. Making speedy delivery and free returns part of your offering is key to reducing obstacles and uncertainty from consumers.
Communicate Shipping Timelines
Whether the shopper has just missed the window to receive the order before Christmas or shipping times are longer than usual, displaying accurate and up to date dispatch and delivery information on your site ensures that an expectation is set prior to purchase.
It’s vital (especially this time of year) to send your customers delivery updates informing them about their products delivery status throughout its journey. As a result, they will feel reassured about you as the service provider due to your transparency and willingness to go the extra mile. Those that use marketplaces such as Amazon, already have this functionality in place, however, an additional email with tracking following purchases could be a good step to take this time of year.
Planning your stock
Plan your stock. Your stock levels will fluctuate during the festive season so you should ensure that there is a backup when you run out of certain items. You can also give your customers an option to sign up for an email alert that will notify them when items are available. Over the coming period, there are scheduled strikes in the UK that could hinder the delivery of both your products reaching a 3PL and your customers at the tail end of their journey. As a seller you should make sure you keep up to date with changes and if you are using Amazon FBA, be sure to keep this stocked enough to manage an influx of orders. After all, we wouldn’t want your rankings to be hindered as a result!
Optimise every experience for every device
You cannot take mobile commerce for granted in the coming months, and at Christmas especially, it is more important than ever. 68% of eCommerce traffic over the holiday season will originate from mobile, while Christmas Day might be the busiest day of the year for mobile sales. Our tip is to look beyond your own site: mobile-friendly PPC and social ads will help build awareness of your brand and funnel more traffic to your own website and additional marketplace storefronts.
Take the opportunity to get the same customers back
Christmas is an excellent opportunity for new E-commerce sales, but it is also a moment to capture loyal customers for the future. Primarily, you need to deliver a faultless customer experience. Easy checkout, secure payment, quick purchase functionality and fast and accurate delivery all create an ideal purchase journey.
At the same time, you can encourage customers to stay connected by offering on the spot discounts for newsletter signups, giving them first access to any exclusive deals. You can then use this email list to boost sales in January and beyond. Think long-term, rather than just focusing on this year’s Christmas sales, staying one step ahead of the game will be vital to becoming your categories biggest competitor.
Overall, you are in control of your business’ future. Christmas is a fantastic opportunity to get in front of the customers you want and overtake your competitors. By utilising the tips in this blog, GEE truly feel that you will be taking the relevant actions required to generate a influx of sales over this busy period and set up your business in the best light for 2023. Global E-commerce Experts are here to provide you with the tools and knowledge to seamlessly expand overseas, through our VAT, Compliance, Responsible Person, 3PL, Growth Management and Shipping & Customs solutions. Your brands’ UK and European expansion success story is just around the corner, get in touch today to see how we can help launch your products across multiple marketplaces in just 14 days!