Christmas is the most important shopping season of the year. For your customers, it’s an opportunity to take a break and spend time with loved ones and it’s also a chance to splurge a little and purchase gifts. As an e-commerce company, Christmas is your last chance of the year to retain customers, boost your sales, offer holiday discounts, and more. So, how do you prepare your business for the holiday season? We’ve got some compelling last-minute tips to help you prepare your e-commerce store for Christmas.
Prioritize Your Customer Service Team
We can’t stress the significance of customer service during the holidays. As a store manager or owner, you and your customers know that many things can go wrong during the holiday season. So, make sure your holiday customer service team is available during this significant shopping season. Is it possible to have one or more of your team work over the weekend and in the days leading up to Christmas? If so, then go for it. Your customers will appreciate you for taking the time to ensure their orders are delivered.
Give Your Christmas Customers a Reason to Come Back
Consider using the holiday shopping season to acquire and retain customers by offering discounts on their next purchase. Another way to encourage your customers to come back is to make the item return process easy. Customers will likely return items they bought online if the product is the wrong size or color. A good return experience may encourage the customer to return later because they know they can always count on you.
Communicate Your Delivery Schedules
Most consumers know that the holidays include a shipping rush and possible delivery delays. Unfortunately, those same customers will get grumpy if you fail to deliver on a promised day. So, ensure that you keep them informed about the delivery status of their orders. Alert customers through your homepage and email blasts when the last days to order for Christmas are.
Avoid Delaying Your Christmas Marketing
Most customers browse online and walk in stores for deals before the holiday shopping season. Moreover, most of them make purchases during Black Friday, so you should attract those still seeking discounts or last-minute purchases. Also, be sure to mention restocked products in your ads and marketing.
Consider Using a Loyalty Program
Whether you use WooCommerce or have an e-commerce website, you may easily add a customer loyalty program. A loyalty program can attract and help you retain customers. You may also use it to see your most active customers, high-spenders, and more. You may even reward customers with loyalty points for purchases and providing you with their email and birthdate for special gifts.
Enjoy more sales during this year’s shopping season by planning your promotions, discounts, sales, and deals ahead of time. The good news is that collaborating with an accomplished e-commerce web design company can help you provide excellent holiday customer service.
Craig Kahl is the President and CEO of Adventure Web Interactive. AWI has been recognized as Baltimore’s Top Web Design Firm by The Daily Record and named one of Silicon Review Magazine’s Top 50 Most Admired Companies in the country. Before founding Adventure Web Interactive in 1997, he was VP of Operations for Campus Concepts, Inc., and the youngest division head in history for Pitney Bowes at age 24. He has a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Loyola University. Craig is a member of the International CEO Club and Rolling Road Golf Club and loves spending time outdoors with his wife and son.
