With Christmas and the end of the holiday shopping season, less than a week away, it is crunch time for shoppers and e-commerce websites alike. While you are trying to pull in a few more sales before the most profitable season of the year ends, your customers are trying to purchase last-minute gifts so they do not show up empty-handed at Christmas.
Fortunately, these two goals can work hand-in-hand. With a little bit of creative, last-minute marketing, you can entice last-minute shoppers to stop by your website. Here are a few tips for making your e-commerce website the place to be for customers looking for gifts in the days leading up to Christmas.
Ensure that shoppers on your e-commerce website can get their items on time.
In the week before Christmas, shipping becomes tight, and even perks like free shipping become less appealing if the items cannot be guaranteed before Christmas. As a result, you will need to make the items on your e-commerce website easily accessible with short notice. One simple way to do so is to clearly mark which items can be available by Christmas, and which cannot.
In addition, you may want to come up with creative ideas for ensuring the availability of items before the holiday. For example, consider offering free two- or one-day shipping so customers can purchase items from your e-commerce website at the last minute. Make items available for in-store pickup so customers can enjoy the dual convenience of shopping online and picking up their items in time for the holiday. Whatever tactic you choose, making items available at the last minute can be a key strategy to earning more profits at the end of the holiday season.
Promote products that are ideal for last-minute shoppers.
For shopping procrastinators, not every item is created equal. Some products, thanks to their convenience or general popularity, work better as last-minute gifts than do others. In order to encourage last-minute holiday shoppers to buy from your e-commerce website, you need to promote these products over other, less convenient options.
For example, gift cards always make ideal last-minute gifts. They can often be emailed and can be used to satisfy almost anyone, even people who already have everything or who are difficult to shop for. Alternatively, you can put together a gift guide with a theme like “25 Best Last-Minute Gifts” or “15 Gift Ideas for the Person Who Has Everything.” With an easy way to find fast gifts, customers are more likely to stay on and convert to your e-commerce website.
Use social media to drive customers to your e-commerce website.
With instant access to large networks of potential and current customers, social media provides the perfect way to quickly get the word out about what your e-commerce website can offer to last-minute holiday shoppers. As a result, use these channels to drive traffic to your business in the last days before Christmas.
For example, if you have any last-minute deals on items, post these to your social media pages. If you are engaging in a countdown to Christmas, post reminders on Facebook or Twitter. You can even choose photos, stories, and information about how your business is celebrating the holidays, or about how your customers are celebrating the holidays, to build rapport with your networks. With the right social media campaign, you can garner interest and activity in your e-commerce website in the lead-up to Christmas.
Offer perks like free gift wrap through your e-commerce website.
Sometimes, it’s about the little things, and on your e-commerce website, it can be the small perks that convince harried consumers to buy from you instead of from a competitor. As a result, think about small ways that you can do to improve the customer experience for people who are in a hurry to finish their Christmas shopping.
For example, free gift wrap can be an appealing option for customers who need to get ready for Christmas with limited time. Knowing that they can receive their gifts pre-wrapped, or have their gifts sent looking beautiful to the intended recipient can be a compelling argument to buy from you. Other perks you might want to consider adding in the last days before Christmas are gift messages and seasonal packaging.
Make it quick and easy to get in touch with your e-commerce website.
Last-minute shoppers are in a hurry, and needing to spend time tracking down your phone number and sitting on hold will not make them happy, or eager to buy from you. As a result, emphasize speed and convenience with your customer service options. If customers have questions or concerns about your products, encourage them to get in touch with you immediately.
For example, consider adding a live chat feature to your e-commerce website. This feature will give customers instant access to the help they need, without requiring them to pick up a phone. Even if you cannot add live chat, ensure that your contact information is easily located on every web page; include multiple points of contact, and make sure that your customer service lines are filled with enough employees to answer the volume of inquiries you receive.
Last-minute Christmas shopping by your customers can mean last-minute profits for you. Ensure that shoppers can get their items on time; promote products that are ideal for last-minute shoppers; use social media to drive customers to your e-commerce website; offer perks like free gift wrap, and make it quick and easy to get in touch with your business. By doing so, you will encourage sales from your site all the way up to Christmas.