7 Suggestions for a Surge in Seasonal Sales


Happy Holidays! We have once again arrived at this magical time of year that everyone either loves or loathes, the shopping season. In the e-commerce industry, we embrace the season of online shopping  to its fullest extent and delight in the upsurge in web traffic and the escalation of orders as they are delivered to our clients.

It’s not too late to spice up your holiday promotions this year to make your season merry, bright, and loaded with orders to fulfill. If you have felt a slump this season and are seeking solutions to soup up your site, we’ve compiled 7 simple suggestions for a surge in sales!

 

1) Item of the Day

What better way to draw shoppers to your site than to offer a fantastic deal on a new item everyday. Promote the Item of the Day on your website, social media sites, mailing list (although a daily email may be a bit much for some) and any other marketing outlets that you prefer. Further entice customers with free or flat rate shipping!

 

2) Gift Guide

Gift guides are preferred by many as they can provide an efficient shopping solution for gift purchasing. This creates a terrific opportunity to index products you would like to feature in your store. Some options you may consider in your gift guide are: Gifts for Mom, Gifts for Dad, Gifts for Girls (by age), Gifts for Boys (by age), Gifts by Price, Gifts for the Music Lover, Gifts for Pets, etc. Obviously, the gift guide needs to cater to your type of customer. Get creative!

 

3) Free or Flat Rate Shipping

Shipping costs are a measurable expense for many ecommerce merchants. During the season of shopping, “Free Shipping” has almost become synonymous with the term “Happy Holidays”! If you are a retail web merchant, it may be in your best interest to find a way to offer some form of free or flat rate shipping in your online store. Some merchants may sell products that can easily ship for free due to low shipping expenses, or merchants might require a minimum purchase to provide free shipping. Savvy shoppers have grown to expect free shipping with their online purchase, even if it means they need to spend a little more to get it.

 

4) Product Bundling

A great way to capture more sizable orders is to offer product bundles. Assemble product offerings that create an irresistible ensemble. Encourage shoppers to order the bundle rather than a single item with an offer they can’t refuse.

 

5) Gift Certificates

It’s a common problem – What do you get the man/woman that has everything? The solution is simple – a gift certificate! You can’t go wrong with a gift certificate. Best of all, it’s a gift that can be delivered through the convenience of email. Last minute shoppers rejoice! Don’t lose a sale to indecision, present the option of a gift certificate in your online store and you always have a satisfied customer!

 

6) Loyalty Program

Ready to spread that holiday cheer? Reward your customers for making their gift purchases on your website. Not only will your customers experience instant karma, it will give them a really great reason to come back to your website and shop.

 

7) Review Ordering Policies

If it has been a while, take a moment to review your website’s policy pages. Make your customers aware of the time anticipated to deliver their order. If your business has a deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery, provide this information so shoppers can be assured of the timely arrival of their gift. A return policy should indicate the proper procedure for returning products and information concerning refunds or exchanges.

 

We hope that these suggestions are useful and can help you sell more than you ever have over the holidays. Remember, we are here to help you to succeed. As we approach 2015, SmartCart will mark our 20th year of serving our wonderful clients and their online businesses. We are proud to say we have the best clients an ecommerce company could ever have, and for that we are truly grateful. Thank You and Happy Holidays!


About Pamela Rathbun

Pamela Rathbun is a professional web designer/developer and cofounder of SmartCart.com, an ecommerce web store builder. When she is not at her computer designing websites, or sharing her passion for web development, she relishes in the joys of photography, hiking, and snowboarding in Utah.