The Giving Season
Time to put away the hot weather gear and come to terms with the beginning of Fall. With this seasonal transition comes a realization that holiday shopping, which begins earlier every year, is sneaking up on your ecommerce store. Have you given it any thought?
We come prepared with ideas on how to maximize the commerce-heavy autumn months and use the increasing habit of online shopping to your benefit. Much of it doesn’t involve pressuring for sales; merely planting ideas into customers’ heads will give you a foot forward if you manage to brand and personalize.
Let’s face it, some well-meaning givers need help. With a litany of gift options, the desire to be unique and heartfelt remains strong. Try it with an organized method of categorizing your inventory, and maybe even introducing a new line if you’re so inclined.
Here are some great ways to kick off the holiday shopping season:
Creature comforts. An example? How about animal-oriented gear? Experts continue to stress the exploding commercial trend of not only buying for pets, but for pet lovers. Customize an entire collection of fabulous choices for four-leggeds and their people. If apparel is your thing, look for ways to add animal themes. Jewelry? Just as good. Home goods have become a hot category for personalizing with animal themes. Consider license plate frames, cell phone cases, shopping bags. Anything people buy for daily use, for décor purposes, or to wear on occasion is a great target for capturing the all-too-popular love affair people have with their pets.
Themed adventures. Is your e-store geared toward recreational or sporting-related pursuits? Think about subtly transitioning into the holidays by customizing images with Christmas or Hanukkah themes. Present a backpack as a gift opening scene. Add Santa to a bike-riding video or photo. Or illustrate a pre- or post-holiday trek with your merchandise involved. Travel increasingly is a gift for those anxious to escape dreary winter days.
Joint E-Retailing. This concept is new only to ecommerce and has enjoyed huge success among like-minded merchants understanding that it’s better to join them than lose to them. Find another ecommerce merchant whose product mix is complementary to yours, and create a team campaign to plug a comprehensive gift-giving experience, adding incentive with an incentive for buying from both (or all) of you.
Whether you pitch these strategies through direct sales in emails, on your home page, or on social media, be sure to have all loose ends tied up in advance. Seal the deal with participating vendors. Check access to stock to be sure you can meet fulfillment requirements. Preparation can ease the typical stress of navigating that all-important time of year when your business experiences the greatest success.