Christmas comes at the end of the week! That means that a lot of consumers will be scrambling all week long. Last minute shopping is inevitable. With so many people having busy schedules, it’s common for them to leave their holiday shopping to the days leading up to Christmas. As an e-retailer, that’s actually a good thing. To many shoppers, your online store will come in very handy.
There isn’t much time to spare. There are some techniques you should use to attract last minute shoppers to your website.
Utilize every last online resource you have.
It is obviously crunch time! There should be no virtual stone left unturned. Get online, using each of your online entities, to promote your online store. That means taking to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with posts about your top-selling products and the discounts you’re offering. It also means engaging your subscriber list with an email newsletter about your last minute deals. As well, make sure that your online store is fully functional without any glitches in the navigation.
“Triple check your online presence,” insists Geodis.com, “Your online presence is vital for having a successful peak. Make sure all of your marketing emails are scheduled, your promotions are planned, your website is up to date, and your inventory needs are secured.”
Offer enticing incentives.
Last minute shoppers are certainly trying to make purchases in a pinch. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for bargains. You’d be wise to lure them to your site by promoting the various incentives it has to offer. Significant savings, fast delivery, free shipping and gift wrapping are among some of the top ways to draw customers towards your e-commerce site before Christmas Day.
According to Canada Post, “offering incentives to online shoppers like coupon codes, flexible payment options, themed subscription boxes, pre-ordering, inventory visibility across store channels and recurring deliveries can encourage them to click buy. Features and experiences like these can also offer attractive perks – such as free shipping and faster delivery.”
Prepare for a seamless return process.
One thing that last minute shoppers are known for is buying the wrong gifts. That can be expected when you are hastily trying to satisfy your holiday shopping list. When you promote the fact that returns are made easy in your e-commerce site, it gives last minute shoppers great peace of mind. Highlight your online store’s return policy in all of your marketing efforts this week. It is likely to be used significantly.
“It’s inevitable that some people will return their items,” says Geodis.com, “In the ecommerce world specifically around 15-30% of items will be returned. One key to a great customer experience is how your brand deals with the return process. Work with your teams to ensure that your returns processing and reporting is flawless.”
Is your company in need of a safe and secure e-commerce solution? Unity Payments can help you to take advantage of this ever-growing trend. We’ve made selling online easier than ever! Make this holiday season the last one you don’t take advantage of the popularity of online shopping. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca to learn more.
