Get Your eCommerce Store Ready For The Holidays: Now Is The Time To Do It!
The holidays are just around the corner and you know what that means: More customers, more orders, and more of a need for inventory to keep up with demand. What if I told you that now is the perfect time to get your eCommerce store ready for the holidays? This article explores how YOU can get your store ready before it’s too late – and make sure your customers have plenty of options when they’re shopping.
How to Get Your eCommerce Store Ready For The Holidays
It’s that time of year again! The holidays are just around the corner and if you’re running an eCommerce store, now is the time to start getting ready. Here are a few tips on how to make sure your store is ready for the holiday rush:
1. Make sure your inventory is up-to-date and well-stocked.
Nothing is worse than having a customer find the perfect gift only to discover that it’s out of stock. Avoid this by doing a inventory check now and restocking items as needed.
2. Create a holiday-specific landing page.
This will be the first page customers see when they visit your site during the holidays. Use this space to highlight special deals, featured products, or anything else that will get them into the holiday shopping spirit.
3. Update your shipping options and cut-off dates.
Be sure to let customers know what your shipping options are and when they need to order by in order to receive their items in time for Christmas.
4. Get social!
Use social media to spread the word about your holiday deals and promotions. This is a great way to reach new customers and remind existing ones that you’re still open for business during the upcoming holiday season.
Related: Boost eCommerce Sales by Ramping Up Advertising for the Holidays.
How to Get Ready for the Holidays With Inventory
As the holidays approach, now is the time to start thinking about how you can make sure your eCommerce store is ready. One of the most important things to consider is your inventory. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Plan ahead.
Know what products you want to sell and make sure you have enough in stock. Keep in mind that demand will be higher during the holidays, so it’s better to err on the side of caution.
2. Consider your shipping options.
Make sure you offer several shipping methods so that customers can choose the one that best suits their needs. And don’t forget to factor in delivery times when making your promises!
3. Be prepared for returns.
It’s inevitable that some customers will need to return items they’ve purchased from your store. So be prepared by having a Returns Policy in place and making sure your customer service team is ready to handle any questions or issues.
By following these tips, you can make sure your store is ready for the holiday rush!
Related: Products Out of Stock? How to Solve Your Inventory Problem.
What Should You Do Now?
As the holiday season approaches, now is the time to start thinking about how you can make sure your eCommerce store is ready. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Make sure your inventory is up-to-date and well-stocked.
You don’t want to run out of popular items during the busy holiday season. Inventory Management by Elite OPS provides you with real time reporting of your inventory levels.
2. Review your shipping options and policies.
Make sure you can accommodate any increased demand and that your customers understand your shipping timeline.
3. Promote any special offers or sales you’ll be running during the holidays.
This is a great way to attract customers and boost sales.
4. Finally, take some time to review your site as a whole.
Make sure everything is working properly and that there are no potential issues that could cause problems during the holiday rush.
By taking care of these things now, you’ll be in a much better position to have a successful holiday season. So get started today and make sure your eCommerce store is ready for the holidays!
Kicking Off a Holiday Campaign
As eCommerce stores gear up for the holiday season, it’s important to start planning your holiday marketing campaign. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Define your goals.
What do you want to achieve with your holiday marketing campaign? More sales, more traffic, more engagement? Once you know what your goals are, you can create a plan to achieve them.
2. Start early.
The holidays are a busy time for everyone, so it’s important to start your campaign early. This will give you time to create great content and make sure everything is running smoothly before the holiday rush begins.
3. Create a festive atmosphere.
Use your website and social media platforms to create a festive atmosphere for your customers. Decorate your website, post holiday-themed graphics and videos, and run contests or giveaways.
4. Offer promotions and discounts.
Everyone loves a good deal, so make sure to offer promotions and discounts on your products and services. This will entice customers to shop with you during the holidays.
5. Make it easy to purchase from you.
During the holidays, customers are busy and don’t want to waste time trying to figure out how to purchase from you.
Related: Best Practices for SMS & Text Marketing.
Examples of Holiday Campaigns
1. Cart Abandonment
According to a study by Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is 69.23%. That means that for every 100 people who add items to their cart, only 30 of them will actually go through with the purchase.
There are a number of reasons why people might abandon their carts, but one of the most common is because they get distracted or there are too many steps in the checkout process. Whatever the reason, cart abandonment is a huge problem for eCommerce stores, and it’s even more pronounced during the holidays.
2. Free Shipping
Offering free shipping is one of the most effective ways to increase sales and decrease cart abandonment. In fact, a study by Comscore found that 51% of shoppers said that free shipping was the most important factor in their decision to buy online.
If you’re not currently offering free shipping, now is the time to start. You can either offer it on all orders, or set a minimum order amount that must be met before free shipping kicks in. Either way, make sure your customers know about your free shipping offer so they can take advantage of it.
3. Holiday Discounts
Everyone loves discounts. The holidays are the best time to send out discount coupons, email discount codes as well as share discount codes and offers on your social media accounts. Discounts will bring more customers to your eCommerce website, Facebook marketplace and even Instagram product pages.
Customer Service Tips
The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, and your eCommerce store is likely to see an influx of customers. To ensure that your customers have a positive experience, it’s important to be prepared. Here are some customer service tips to help you get your eCommerce store ready for the holidays:
1. Be responsive to customer inquiries.
During the holidays, customers may have questions about your products or services. Make sure you have someone available to answer their questions in a timely manner.
2. Offer extended customer support hours.
If possible, extend your customer support hours during the holiday season. This will allow customers who are shopping late at night or on weekends to get the assistance they need.
3. Be prepared for increased call volume.
If you offer phone support, be prepared for an increase in call volume during the holidays. Make sure you have enough staff available to handle the calls, and consider offering call-back options to reduce hold times.
4. Offer flexible return policies.
Many customers do their holiday shopping online, so it’s important to offer a flexible return policy in case they need to return an item. Consider offering free returns or extended return periods for items purchased during the holidays.
Related: 7 Essentials of Great Customer Service.
Elite OPS’ Order Fulfillment Services
Let Elite OPS be your partner for order fulfillment for the holidays. We understand that holiday rush could be overwhelming for an eCommerce store. But it is an equally great opportunity to attract a large share of the audience. Great customer experience can do wonders to your business. Order fulfillment in time is one of the best ways to reinforce your commitment to customer service.
Elite OPS can fulfill your orders, store and manage your inventory, and do product shipping and drop shipping. You can choose our eCommerce order fulfillment services in Atlanta, GA and, Salt Lake, Utah to store your inventory, monitor your company’s orders, and ensure order fulfillment and timely shipping from 2 different locations.
Elite OPS has been a leader in Shipping and Logistics for over 25 years. Contact Us to find out how we can help you Save Time and Money on Procurement as a Service, eCommerce Order Fulfillment, and Kitting and Assembly.
Call 855-553-5490 or Click Here to Request a Quote!
