Top 5 eCommerce Best Practices Heading Into The Holidays

by Robert Burko
3 mins read
E-Commerce 101

Are you hoping for an increase in sales over the holiday period but not sure how to make it happen? It can be tough to keep up with the latest eCommerce best practices, especially during the hectic holiday season. 

But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. The holidays are a time when sales are at their peak, but competition is fierce. If you’re not using the latest eCommerce best practices, you’ll get left behind. 

By following these five eCommerce best practices, you’ll be sure to maximize your holiday sales and stay ahead of the competition.

Read on for more details:

1. Ecommerce Tip One: Get Your Shipping in Order

The holidays are a peak time for eCommerce businesses, which means that your shipping needs to be able to handle the influx of orders. Make sure you have enough staff and resources to get orders out on time.

Consider offering express shipping options for customers who need their purchases ASAP. You should also take some time to review your shipping process and make sure that it is as efficient as possible.

Streamlining your shipping process will help you to get orders out faster and reduce the chance of errors.

Finally, don’t forget to let your customers know about any changes to your shipping policy ahead of time so that there are no surprises. 

Smiling woman shopping on eCommerce website with smartphone on hand, receiving a delivered parcel by home delivery service

2. Ecommerce Tip Two: Offer Holiday Promotions

Looking for a way to boost sales during the holiday shopping season? Offer special promotions and discounts on your products! This is a great way to attract new customers and get people excited about your business.

Plus, who doesn’t love a good deal? By offering holiday discounts, you’ll be sure to stand out from the competition and make a lasting impression on your potential customers.

3. Ecommerce Tip Three: Make Your Site Festive

The holidays are a great time to spruce up your website development and get into the festive spirit. adding some seasonal visuals like Christmas trees, snowflakes, or lights can really help get your visitors into the shopping mood.

Not to mention, it will make your site more visually appealing overall. So if you’re looking to give your website a little holiday makeover, start with some festive visuals. It’s a surefire way to spread some holiday cheer.

4. Ecommerce Tip Four: Create Holiday-Themed Content

The holidays are a great time to connect with your customers and promote your products. One way to do this is to create holiday-themed content.

This can include decorating your website and creating holiday-themed blog posts, social media posts, and email newsletters.

Christmas theme with laptop computer and ornaments

By creating festive content, you can show your customers that you’re in the holiday spirit and that you’re thinking about them during this special time of year.

Plus, holiday-themed content is a great way to highlight your products and services in a fun and unique way.

5. Ecommerce Tip Five: Plan for the Future

The holidays are a busy time for businesses, but they’re also the perfect time to start planning for the upcoming year. This is the time to assess what’s working well and what needs improvement.

By taking stock now, you can hit the ground running in the new year and continue growing your business. Sales during the holidays can give you a good indication of what areas are strong and which need work.

If you see areas that are lagging, start brainstorming ways to turn things around. The holidays are also a good time to reach out to customers and get feedback. Use this valuable input to help shape your plans for the new year. 

Why Planning for the Ecommerce Holiday Season Is Key

Always plan your holiday campaign in advance. This will give you time to assess what’s working well for your business and what areas need improvement.

Planning ahead will help you hit the ground running in the new year and continue growing your business.

The Importance of Creating an Ecommerce Holiday Checklist

When it comes to the holidays, preparation is key. By creating a checklist of things that need to be done, you can ensure that your eCommerce business is ready for the holiday rush.

This list should include tasks like decorating your website, creating holiday-themed content, and planning promotions.

Cup of hot cocoa, holiday decorations, gift, present, miniature fir tree and notebook with eCommerce to do list on white wooden table.

By taking care of these things in advance, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the holidays knowing that your business is prepared.

How to Nail Your Online Ecommerce Holiday Strategy

There are a few key things you need to do in order to have a successful eCommerce holiday season. Firstly, make sure your shipping is able to handle the influx of orders. You can use a Shopify online store for this.

Secondly, offer special promotions and discounts to attract new customers. Finally, create holiday-themed content to get your visitors into the shopping mood. If your feeling overwhelmed, speak to an expert.

Make Sure Your Marketing Teams Are Aligned

Marketing teams need to be aligned with eCommerce goals to be successful. How can you tell if everyone is on the same page and working together efficiently?

There are a few key indicators. A clear and concise plan helps teams execute their duties more effectively. Having all team members working together towards the same objectives prevents confusion and conflict.

Also, regular communication between team members allows for feedback and course correction as needed.

If your marketing team exhibits these signs of alignment, you can be confident that your online retail business will be successful this holiday season.

Market to Your Early-Bird Shoppers

As the holidays approach, retailers begin to ramp up their digital marketing efforts in order to reach shoppers who are looking for the best deals. One key group of shoppers that retailers should target is early-bird shoppers.

These holiday shoppers start their shopping early in order to take advantage of sales and discounts. To reach these shoppers, retailers should start their marketing efforts early as well.

This means creating ads, social media posts, and email newsletters that promote holiday gifts, deals and discounts. By targeting these early-bird shoppers, retailers can boost sales and get a head start on the competition.

Make a Plan for Out-Of-Stock Products

It’s inevitable that some of your products will go out of stock during the holiday season. To avoid disappointed customers, it’s important to have a plan for how you’ll handle these situations.

You can offer rain checks, back-ordered items, or alternative products. By having a plan in place, you can ensure that your customers will still be able to find what they’re looking for, even if it’s not what they originally wanted.

For example, if you sell a popular toy that goes out of stock, you can offer to put the customer on a waiting list for the next shipment.

Or, if you sell a popular holiday decoration that’s no longer available, you can offer a similar product in its place. 

Don’t Forget About Post-holiday Sales

The holidays may be over, but that doesn’t mean your sales have to end. Many retailers offer post-holiday sales to get rid of leftover inventory.

These sales can be a great way to clear out old stock and make room for new products. But before you jump into the post-holiday rush, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First, make sure your website is ready for an influx of traffic. If your site isn’t prepared for high traffic levels, it could lead to lost sales and frustrated customers.

Second, take advantage of social media to promote your post-holiday sale. Use hashtags, run ads, and partner with influencers to get the word out. Finally, don’t forget about shipping.

Make sure your orders will go out on time and that you have enough packaging supplies on hand to avoid any delays. By planning ahead, you can make sure that your eCommerce business is ready for the post-holiday rush.

Offer Financing Options

Offering financing options is a great way to attract more customers and boost your holiday sales. By allowing customers to spread out the cost of their purchase over time, you can make it more affordable for them.

There are a few different financing options you can choose from, so be sure to find one that best suits your business. This can help you attract more customers and boost your holiday sales.

Vector Illustration of financing options on huge clipboard

Create a Customer Service Plan

During the holidays, your customer service team will be working overtime. To ensure that they’re able to handle the increased volume of customer inquiries, it’s important to create a plan.

This plan should include things like extended hours, additional staff, and alternative contact methods. 

Keep an Eye on Your Competitors

Finally, it’s important to keep an eye on your competition. This will help you see what they’re doing right and where they’re going wrong.

You can use this information to adjust your own strategy and ensure that you’re always one step ahead. By monitoring your competition, you can be sure that your eCommerce business is the best it can be.

Ready to Uplevel Your Ecommerce Best Practices?

As we head into the holiday season, it’s important to make sure our eCommerce game is on point. By following these eCommerce best practices, we can set ourselves up for success and avoid any last-minute scrambling.

Of course, there’s always more to learn – so be sure to check out our blog for more articles like this one!

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