Why Your Holiday Planning Needs to Start Now
It’s still warm and sunny through most of the United States, and it may seem like the Holidays are far off, but if you are an ecommerce seller the planning season has already begun. Many retailers find that the months of November and December make up as much as 30% of their annual revenue—this makes planning for these months essential. Here are our top 5 reasons you should be in the Holiday planning spirit today:
#1 Connecting with customers now will lead to more sales
Whether it is a holiday sales guide, a curated Pinterest board of gift ideas, or a timely email newsletter, your marketing efforts can have a lasting impact on customers’ decisions during stressful holiday shopping. Begin your campaigns now by reaching out via abandoned-cart and after-sales emails or posting “Only 130 shopping days left!” teasers on social media. The more you connect with customers, the more you can be sure to offer them the products they want.
#2 Your customers are already thinking about Holiday shopping
Google searches for “Christmas gift ideas” start to pick up in late August and only increase from there. If your customers are already thinking about holiday gifts, should you be too? With many other holidays stacking up once October hits – including Yom Kippur, Halloween, and Thanksgiving – almost everyone gets busier and more frazzled as the year draws to a close.
#3 There are more “Sale Holidays” than ever
Some of the biggest sales days of the year are not marked with a holiday on your calendar. By now Black Friday and Cyber Monday are household names, but there is also Green Monday (the second Monday of December) and Free Shipping Day. Preparing and participating in these holidays can increase your revenue and ensure that customers come back for next year’s holiday sales. Create a holiday calendar so you know exactly which ecommerce promotions you’ll be participating in so you can be sure to plan accordingly as well as alert your customers.
#4 It’s not just holiday sales you need to prepare for—it’s also holiday returns
Returns are an unavoidable part of ecommerce, especially during the holiday season. Well-intentioned shoppers will buy gifts for loved ones, but may choose the wrong style, size or color. It’s important that you have reviewed your return policy and follow best practice for returns. By taking the time to consider these factors now, you can make informed decisions once the busiest shopping season begins.
#5 Customers expect a top-notch shipping experience
Negative feedback is overwhelmingly related to issues associated with shipping. Offer a shipping time table that lets customers see how soon they need to place an order if they want it to arrive before the holidays. If your shipping is not up to par with your customers’ expectations, now is the time to improve. Improving your shipping process is easy with Stamps.com. With all USPS mail classes available, and many time-saving features, Stamps.com is the best way to print postage online.