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We’ve got the insights so that you can smash goals, not baubles

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It’s here and it’s fresher than gingerbread straight out of the oven: exclusive insights from more than 1500 Australian shoppers about how they plan to spend this festive season.Filled with ideas, information and inspiration, <a href="https://business.afterpay.com/rs/539-RJA-633/images/2023_Festive_Forecast_Report_by_Afterpay.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Afterpay’s 2023 Festive Forecast</a>* aims to help you have your merriest holiday season yet. Here’s a sneak peek.&nbsp;<h2>Shoppers are cutting back. But the festive season looks strong.</h2>Yes, inflation is impacting holiday spending, with 46% of shoppers cutting back on general purchases. However, 19% of shoppers still plan to spend more, and others are finding ways to get around cost-of-living pressures, by looking for deals, buying presents earlier and utilising Buy-now-pay-later services like Afterpay.&nbsp;Tree-mendous tip: Make sure to let your customers know that you offer Afterpay, both online and in-store.<h2>Christmas is coming early</h2>It pays to start strategising for the silly season now, as two-thirds of shoppers will have finished their holiday shopping by the end of November.Gen Z will be leading the charge to the checkout, with younger shoppers much more likely to get their festive shopping done&nbsp;Tree-mendous tip: Different demographics will shop at different times. When planning your BFCM marketing, for example, your primary audience should be Gen Z.<h2>What will sell this silly season</h2>Gift cards are working overtime this Christmas, topping the shopping lists of many consumers, followed by clothing and accessories.&nbsp;But it’s worth remembering that nearly half of all shoppers (47%) wait until they’re in-store for inspiration to strike. So it’s important that your store entices shoppers in and then offers appealing visual merchandising and curated collections.&nbsp;And if you really want to get shoppers’ attention? Half of all Aussies say that noticing that an item is on sale will persuade them to purchase.&nbsp;Tree-mendous tip: Do you offer gift vouchers? Now is the time to set them up if not.&nbsp;Want to more festive tips? Download our complete <a href="https://business.afterpay.com/rs/539-RJA-633/images/2023_Festive_Forecast_Report_by_Afterpay.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Festive Forecast</a> and head over to our <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/festive-forecast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Festive Strategy hub</a> now.&nbsp;*Source: All data has been taken from Afterpay Festive Forecast research 2023 Australia.

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All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.

We've got all the festive insights and tips

Discover how shoppers will spend this festive season - from when they'll shop to what will sell this silly season.

How Aussies Will Shop And Spend This Festive Season 2023

How Aussies Will Shop This Festive Season 2023

Festive Forecast report 2023

Stand out this holiday season and attract more in-store customers

The holiday season is a time for festive goodwill and family get-togethers – and, for retailers, it’s also a great chance to bring in more sales and maximise your profits.Planning how you’re going to take best advantage of this window of opportunity requires a little effort, but it can prove invaluable for your end-of-year figures.<h2>Why in-store matters</h2>Driving more customers in-store is important to both brick-and-mortar retailers and omnichannel brands.Throughout the festive season, it’s estimated that around 50-60 per cent of shoppers will purchase gifts in-store – and that proportion rises as Christmas draws closer. Why? Because customers who leave their shopping to the last minute want to ensure they receive their purchases in time for Christmas, and many are prepared to head in-store, rather than put their trust in the post system, to pick up their gifts.Driving customers in-store is especially important for small and local businesses, which are likely to attract a greater proportion of in-store shoppers.&nbsp;But even omnichannel brands can benefit by focusing on increasing footfall; after all, studies have repeatedly shown that the more channels a customer uses, the more loyal they are to the brand.Here are a few easy ways to usher in more customers, not to mention that Christmas cheer…<h2>How to reach more customers – and drive them in-store</h2>

<h2>Start early</h2>Just a decade ago, most Christmas spending happened in early to mid-December.These days, holiday trading starts sooner than ever, kicking off in early November as Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) become key dates on the retail calendar.In fact,<a href="https://business.afterpay.com/rs/539-RJA-633/images/Festive%20Forecast%20by%20Afterpay.pdf?%24web_only=true&amp;_branch_match_id=1171584512431241910&amp;utm_source=Main%20Landing%20Page&amp;utm_campaign=Merchant%20Holiday%20Campaign&amp;utm_medium=marketing&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXT0wrSS0qSKxMLNUtT03SSywo0MvJzMvWT9VPSy0uySxL1U3LL0pNTiwuAQBcKKzFMgAAAA%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Afterpay’s 2022 Festive Forecast</a> found that two-thirds of shoppers will purchase gifts before BFCM.“November is now at least as big a month as December, with Black Friday sales driving early shopping behaviour,” says Simon Burrett of<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing-strategy-retail-ecommerce-mentor-consultant-leadership" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Retail Roustabout</a>. “Preparing deals and operational plans for November like we used to do for Boxing Day is the new normal.”This also means stealing a march on recruitment of temporary staff. With many businesses already struggling to get enough people to fill shifts, recruitment of Christmas casuals will be more challenging this year. Customer service is a critical part of an in-store sales strategy and retailers need to plan well in advance to ensure they have enough staff to cope with the Christmas rush. See more tips on festive recruitment.&nbsp;

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“November is now at least as big a month as December, with Black Friday sales driving early shopping behaviour.”

<h2>Work those windows</h2>An attention-grabbing window display can convert a passerby into a potential customer, and during the festive season they need to work even harder to catch the eye of shoppers and entice them through the door. A little imagination can go far when it comes to telling the festive story of your brand.Phoebe Simmonds is co-founder of pregnancy, birth and new parenthood store<a href="https://thememo.com.au/pages/armadale-boutique" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> The Memo</a> in Melbourne’s Armadale.“We use our windows as billboards to make strong brand statements. We flip [visual merchandise] once or twice per month, and more over the Christmas period. This is important because it’s common for a customer to visit our store a few times over this period, so we like to keep it fresh and exciting for them to discover new things.”&nbsp;Think ‘Stop, look, enter’. Activate store windows with a customised, on brand, clever and eye-catching display, and think hard about the area that lies just beyond the window, too.<h2>Dive into your data</h2>The best way to identify what will attract customers in store is to look closely at what motivates them.&nbsp;Are your customers driven by discounts? (In which case, think about which promotions you can offer.) Or do they shop with you because they love your store’s personal touch? (In which case, free gift-wrapping or engraving may be the way to entice them in-store.)Afterpay has crunched the data and identified a range of festive shopping personas. Match your customers to Afterpay’s personas – and discover what will draw them in-store here.<h2>Try a breadcrumb strategy&nbsp;</h2>Taking its name from the well-known fairytale, The Gingerbread Man, <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/omnichannel-retail/how-to-drive-more-sales-in-store-this-festive-season" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the breadcrumb strategy </a>involves using social media and digital channels to promote in-store happenings.&nbsp;For example, you could use social media and e-newsletters to let customers know you’re on sale or offering advent-style daily deals. A few days later, you might consider emphasising the urgency of the offer by to encourage them to stop by in-store soon.“The key to this strategy is ensuring that your messaging across online and in-store marketing is consistent and tells a story that is aligned with your brand and the messaging you’re trying to get across,” says Afterpay’s APAC retail experience lead Caroline Stensved.<h2>Set up a social sweet spot</h2>Creating an Instagrammable retail space is another way to attract shoppers, as customers will snap photos and post them to social media – where they will reach a whole new audience of potential customers.“To make Instagram spots successful, they need to stand out, be well lit and easy to access, and include your store’s logo or hashtag,” says Marguerite Bell, the managing director of<a href="https://www.retaillife.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Retail Life</a>. “Promote it across your own social channels to drive customers into the store and keep it updated and refreshed. You may also consider offering incentives for customers to engage with the spot to encourage social sharing and build excitement for gift ideas and new products.”<h2>Consider events</h2>A well-planned and executed store event or activation can drive foot traffic, increase store sales, enhance customer engagement, and create memorable shopping experiences.&nbsp;Even if you can’t recreate Santa’s grotto, you can still use event-style tips and tricks to create a festive atmosphere and provide some reciprocal good will. Mini-giveaways of individually wrapped biscuits or lollies and secret Santa gifts will be a hit with kids, and a free gift-wrapping station will be a relief for time-pressed parents.&nbsp;“The holiday trading period is very heavy with promotional activity,” says Simmonds. “Customers are trained to look for this now, but even more valuable is delivering a superior experience that makes life easier, such as a clear, well-presented assortment targeted to their needs, speedy delivery, or a beautiful gift-wrapping service.“Determine your goals and your budget, plan your event and prepare your marketing with social posts, in-store signage, invitations and special offers, says Bell. “In-store events and giveaways are also a great way for retailers to create a sense of community, drive brand loyalty and set you apart from the competition.”<h2>Leverage click and collect</h2>Click and collect is convenient and cost-effective option for time-poor Christmas shoppers, and it can also be a boon for the retailer as it drives people into physical stores and encourages impulse purchases at pick-up.

"Be strategic with displays close to click and collect pick-up areas to entice customers to purchase additional items.”

“Create an easy to see and access click and collect pick up area in-store,” advises Bell. “Train staff to be familiar with click and collect orders, so they are ready to talk to customers about their purchases, and lead the conversation to add-ons or even to new lines. Be strategic with displays close to click and collect pick-up areas to entice customers to purchase additional items.”

<h2>Once customers are in store...</h2><h2> </h2><h2>Stay up to speed</h2>To drive traffic both new and repeat, a store needs to feel fresh and updated with regular new merchandise offers and displays rotated to keep things new and interesting. Re-filling shelves and rotating colours will help promote lines that are in-stock and ready for customers to buy. Hot spot areas such as counters need merchandising daily to keep them full, well-presented and optimise sales performance.“In the super-competitive, super-fast omnichannel shopping frenzy that is the Christmas period, the critical element is to read the play, every day,” says Burrett“Leverage data and lean on trusted partnerships to analyse what customers are searching, browsing and shopping at every stage of the festive season — and be ready to make adjustments to the plan in real time.”&nbsp;<h2>Offer a staff refresher</h2>Training is key to always delivering outstanding customer service, and particularly in the busy Christmas trade times. Bell suggests holding November refresher training sessions on topics such as loyalty programs, refund and exchange policies, click and collect, delivery and gift receipts.“It’s important to know how to effectively serve more than one customer at a time during busy periods, and make sure staff product knowledge is up to date with best sellers, new lines and Kris Kringle suggestions.“Running sales games and challenges along with staff incentives is a good way to keep the team motivated and promote a sense of fun, while staying focused on maximising store sales during the Christmas period.”<h2>Update Google Business&nbsp;</h2>Google Business profiles play an important part in creating digital footprints particularly for small, independent retailers. In addition, they provide a channel to share photos, campaigns, customer reviews and most importantly essential information such as store address, phone number and changing trading hours.“This is critical with varied trading hours in the lead-up to and over the Christmas / New Year trading period,” says Bell. “Google Business should be viewed by retailers as an additional channel with which to market their business, that is free, and an important tool to utilise and capitalise on."

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Stand out this holiday season and attract more in-store customers

Discover how to stand out this holiday season and attract more in-store customers by increasing footfall. Experts provide their tips

Increase footfall and drive more in-store sales this festive season 

8 ways to increase footfall - and drive more in-store sales – this festive season

Increase footfall and drive more instore sales

Christmas is coming, so it’s time to think smart when it comes to the silly season

The end of the year is fast approaching, but, for retailers, this is no time to slow down. November and December – known as the Golden Quarter – are a critical period for businesses hoping to end the year with a strong finish.&nbsp;Here at Afterpay, we know how important it is to prepare for the festive season, which is why we’ve commissioned research into how Aussies shopped and spent during the same period last year. This research, Festive Findings, reveals patterns, purchasing habits and key dates to help you set yourself up for a very, merry Christmas.<h2>Christmas comes early</h2>November is the new December, and last year Australians began spending in early November when Click Frenzy hit. (This year, Click Frenzy is late October).From there, there were three key retail moments:&nbsp;<ul><li>Black Friday and Cyber Monday (when online sales peak).</li><li>The week before Christmas (a big moment for brick-and-mortar brands).</li><li>Boxing Day on December 26.</li></ul>As well as ensuring your processes are well and truly in place to handle these peaks, consider your marketing efforts: capturing shoppers’ details during BFCM sales will mean you can reach out or retarget them through advertising in the lead-up to Christmas.<h2>Who’s spending?</h2>Turns out, different generations spend at different times – and it pays to know when your demographic is primed to purchase.&nbsp;Last year, Gen Z got in early; the period before Cyber weekend was the second biggest shopping moment for young consumers. Meanwhile, Millennials are Afterpay’s most active shoppers throughout the festive season – and also shop enthusiastically during Cyber Weekend. Gen Z and Boomers are likely to leave things until later and tend to shop right throughout December. Gen Z were the biggest bargain-hunters during the Boxing Day sales – and turned out in full (festive) force.Consider your products: do certain items appeal to a younger generation? Then they’re the ones to promote earlier.&nbsp;Will services like last-minute click and collect or free gift wrapping tempt an older audience? Could you curate a collection of gifts for grandchildren? Plan those for later in the season.&nbsp;<h2>In-store is in fashion</h2>Pandemic-induced lockdowns are a distant memory, and brick-and-mortar shopping is back. That’s the conclusion to be taken from our Festive Findings research, which showed that in-store sales were strong throughout the festive period.However, there were noticeable spikes in in-store shopping following Cyber Weekend and also just before Christmas. The latter is probably driven by last-minute shoppers; with only a few days to purchase presents before Christmas Day, more shoppers are likely to head in-store rather than risk late deliveries from online retailers.&nbsp;The upshot? If you’re not already offering Afterpay in-store, it’s time to get it sorted – turns out, 57% of customers say they will look elsewhere if a store didn’t offer Afterpay*.Want more insights, including which product categories were most popular with consumers last year? Check out Afterpay’s festive findings report <a href="https://business.afterpay.com/rs/539-RJA-633/images/Afterpay_Festive_Findings_Report_2023.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. *Source: Afterpay Economic Impact, Accenture, April 2021

Christmas is coming, so it’s time to think smart when it comes to the silly season

Discover insights into when, where and how shoppers spent during the Christmas holiday season in 2022. Plus tips on how to drive more festive sales.

How Christmas consumers spent and shopped in the 2022 festive season

Sleigh your holiday season with these festive findings 

Festive findings Afterpay Access article

A strong festive season starts with great customer service. Here’s how to prepare staff for the busiest time of the year.

The countdown is on to the hectic festive trading period, and having the right staff — in the right numbers — is a crucial part of the planning process.Seasonal staff will help meet increased demand, limit queue times, boost customer service and make that festive cheer go further. Here’s how to get it right.<h2>1. Start Early&nbsp;</h2>Competition from other retailers for Christmas casuals can be fierce, so it’s important for retailers to begin their recruitment drives in plenty of time. This is even trickier in the current job market where unemployment figures are hitting record lows, and in regional areas where housing affordability has affected the supply of workers.“It’s become a normal occurrence post-lockdown to see retail brands advertising, not to attract potential shoppers, but potential workers,” says Simon Burrett, a strategist and marketer at<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing-strategy-retail-ecommerce-mentor-consultant-leadership/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Retail Roustabout</a>. “In a ‘full-employment’ world, this is now a critical investment.”The message for retailers: start recruiting now, and make sure your pitch is strong enough to attract more than your share of this scarce and valuable (human) resource. “Offering competitive wages, flexible scheduling and in-store discounts can be enticing at this time of year.”“The culture around casual work has changed,” says Gabrielle Roux, head of retail/people and culture at fashion brand<a href="https://www.sheike.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Sheike</a>. “We find people are wanting flexibility around their hours and shifts more than ever. That can be challenging with casual teams, and businesses need to navigate the challenges with agility and an open mind.”Look back at previous Christmas trading periods and use the past data and insights to predict sales volumes this season.&nbsp;<h2>2. Look back to plan forward&nbsp;</h2>Look back at previous Christmas trading periods (COVID adjusted) and use past data and insights to predict sales volumes this season.&nbsp;This technique – known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stitchlabs.com/learning-center/what-is-demand-forecasting-in-retail/#:~:text=Demand%20forecasting%20in%20retail%20is,hand%20at%20a%20given%20time." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demand forecasting</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;&nbsp;will also help you to plan staff requirements and implement rosters.&nbsp;A range of critical business decisions like turnover, profit margins, <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/boosting-profitability/cashflow-management-tools" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cash flow</a>, capital expenditure and staffing are all dependent on demand forecasting.Australian trampoline retailer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vulyplay.com/en-AU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vuly Play</a>’s direct sales team doubles in size at Christmas. It conducts demand forecasting to ramp up distribution and warehouse staff to meet huge seasonal demand.“Vuly Play has to remain consistently agile regarding staff requirements,” says communications manager Matt Bassos. “Leading into Christmas and the last days of November will pose the greatest challenge.”&nbsp;At Sydney e-tailer&nbsp;<a href="https://gourmetbasket.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gourmet Basket</a>, Christmas is the busiest season, with planning beginning in July, and extra staff recruited in September and then again in December. “So, we need to increase our customer service team, our team processing our orders,” explains managing director Stuart Mills.“We also need more help in our corporate sales area and, last of all, in production. So, we have to scale up across the entire business.”&nbsp;

<h2>3. Streamline induction processes&nbsp;</h2>When the holiday season is in full swing, it’s crucial for retailers to have processes that onboard new part-time, casual or full-time staff seamlessly so they can hit the ground running.&nbsp;Vuly works hard to make sure temporary staff brought on to meet seasonal demand don’t feel left out. “We have created training manuals specifically designed for temporary sales staff, and we do what we can to make them part of the team, including branded merchandise like our Vuly t-shirts,” says Bassos.Part-timers get all the benefits of long-term staff, from free lunches to birthday celebrations with the team. “This often leads to casuals wanting to stay on and work with Vuly on a longer-term basis,” adds Bassos.During the stressful sales season, regular check-ins with new staff members – encouraging them to be open about how they find the role and checking on their mental health – has also helped to build a strong team.&nbsp;“We ask what’s making them worried, anxious or simply isn’t enjoyable,” says Bassos. “You’d be surprised just how the act of showing some genuine concern can really help change their state of mind.”&nbsp;

“We have created training manuals specifically designed for temporary sales staff, and we do what we can to make them part of the team”

<h2>4. Hire a chatbot</h2>Adding a <a href="https://clutch.co/au/developers/artificial-intelligence/chatbots" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">chatbot</a> to your website is another way to meet the demand in online queries and also reduce the number of phone enquiries, which can be time-consuming for staff.For example, Sephora — one of the first beauty retailers to institute the use of chatbots — has two Facebook bots: a reservation assistant and a virtual artist to help with colour matching. The savings can be huge.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/operators-providers/chatbots-trends-research-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US marketing research company Juniper Research</a> estimates that $8 billion will be saved in 2023 by businesses and retail stores reducing their chat support costs. While not designed to completely replace humans, they offer customers a new way to interact with a brand, which helps retailers streamline their processes.If you are considering a chatbot, ensure that it can be minimised easily for shoppers who prefer to purchase directly from your site.<h2>5. Bolster training for online processes now</h2>One of the consequences of COVID-19 has been a shift toward online shopping – which has prompted a surge in internet enquiries for omnichannel retailers. Experts say that preparing for more online queries will be vital this Christmas.When COVID-19 hit, lingerie&nbsp;and swimwear brand&nbsp;<a href="https://brastogo.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore</a>&nbsp;implemented an online booking system&nbsp;that enabled customers to schedule virtual fittings. Owner Karen Edbrooke has&nbsp;trained staff to use the technology to accept and handle these online bookings, which has lifted sales dramatically.&nbsp;Staff simply call the customer at the allotted time to help them find the right fit for their products. “Our fittings are done in a way that it’s literally like being in the shop, which is seamless for customers,” says Edbrooke.&nbsp;“To give you an idea, we had 20 staff before the pandemic hit in early 2020, and now we’ve got 52 staff on the books, with the fitting room bolstering sales dramatically. Christmas could be a strong trading period for a lot of businesses&nbsp;if&nbsp;they change the way they operate.”Edbrooke recommends requesting staff to use any quiet periods to update customer databases,&nbsp;either via a form, online or by phone,&nbsp;in preparation for a Christmas marketing push.

<h2>6. Digitise your rostering </h2>If your business still relies on a paper-based rostering system stuck on the wall, it’s time to move with the times and consider a digital model – especially if some of your teams are working remotely.The right scheduling system will help ensure there’s no missed shifts or inaccuracy in the communication.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deputy.com/au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deputy</a>&nbsp;is a popular choice among Australian retailers, and is used by IGA supermarkets and fashion retailer GlamCorner. It only costs a few dollars a month per user, and enables you to send rosters to the retail team with a few clicks. The tech includes a built-in awards interpretation function to ensure all employees are paid accurately for every hour they work, including penalty rates.&nbsp;Other popular models include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clockon.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ClockOn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://zenshifts.com/au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zenshifts</a>. Whatever system you use, make sure that staff have their Christmas rosters by October so they can plan their own holidays.

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All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.

A strong festive season starts with great customer service. Here’s how to prepare staff for the busiest time of the year.

Wondering how to navigate the difficulties of short term staffing for Christmas and other busy seasons Get answers from Access Afterpay

5 Tips for Hiring Seasonal & Holiday Staff | Access Afterpay

6 tips for managing staff during the Christmas rush

5 tips for managing staffing during the Christmas rush

The festive rush is nearly here. Is your online presence ready?

‘Tis nearly the season for cash registers to ring and sales to soar ­– and this festive season, retailers’ e-commerce sites will be more important than ever.That’s partly because, post-pandemic, online shopping has become commonplace; in fact, last year,<a href="https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/ecommerce-industry-report-2023.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 82 per cent of Australian households</a>* purchased a product online.However, it’s also because the current economic climate is driving many shoppers online. With interest rate increases, and rising inflation and cost-of-living, many consumers will be shopping around for the best value and comparing deals and brands – and much of this research will happen online.The question is: will your website be ready?“It’s really important for online retailers of all sizes to be prepared,” says Megan Winter, of online strategy advisory <a href="https://unstoppableecomm.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unstoppable eCommerce</a>, who emphasises that online readiness is a topic that all retailers should consider – from pure-play digital brands to omnichannel businesses.

<h2>Here’s how to optimise your website this holiday season:</h2>

<h3>1. Don’t underestimate the user experience</h3>Your website is your shop, sales assistant and cash register, so make sure it’s ready, advises Winter. “The biggest mistake people make is sending traffic to a website that isn’t ready for it,” she says, adding that investing in marketing campaigns, including Facebook ads, is pointless if your website is difficult to navigate or unappealing.&nbsp;Think about your website in the same way you would a real shop, she says. “When people walk into your bricks-and-mortar store, they can use all their senses to check out your products and decide if they want it,” says Winter. “They can pick it up, try it on, touch it, feel it, smell it and/or taste it.”To replicate the in-store experience as closely as possible, ensure that your images are top-quality, your product headlines attract attention and that you’ve answered any frequently asked questions – for example, relating to returns, sizing or shipping – as clearly as possible.“Just like a bricks-and-mortar store, make sure your products are laid out nicely and your website makes it easy for people to find what they are looking for.”<h3>2. Start planning now</h3>Take the time to plan out key promotions and offers straightaway, says Winter. “Get those Christmas props out and have a photoshoot now, so that you’ve got festive images handy.”&nbsp;This is also the time to prepare for extra traffic, says e-commerce strategist Nathan Bush, who adds that although the days of websites crashing due to too much traffic are mostly over, there are plug-and-play monitoring systems, such as Pingdom or UptimeRobot, that will notify you of any issues. “Have the alert set up, so it alerts your phone if anything’s in trouble,” he says. After all, even a few hours of being offline could mean lost revenue during the peak shopping season.And remember that the festive season doesn’t start in December; online shopping spikes in November (around Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend, which is November 24-27, 2023) and continues to rise until Christmas Day.<h3>3. Simplify your checkout&nbsp;</h3>Before consumer spending really ramps up, Bush recommends doing “a few test dummy orders yourself” to evaluate the customer experience. Now is your chance to work out any kinks in the system.Pay close attention to any unnecessary or complicated steps during the checkout process, says Winter. “Remove as many barriers to purchase as possible… Have payment options available, such as Afterpay, which will make it easier for customers to spend money with you.”&nbsp;Bush agrees, advising that retailers check all their payment methods are working and promoted onsite. “So, if you’ve got Afterpay, make sure it’s promoted clearly,” he explains. This means ensuring that Afterpay is visible on the product page and checkout.&nbsp;Shipping costs are one of the top reasons that people don’t buy from an online store, points out Winter. “This is especially true for items that are small in size or low in price,” she says, explaining that free shipping – or the appearance of free shipping (where costs are factored into the total price) – is best. “Or, have a free shipping threshold where people have the option of qualifying for free shipping if they spend over a certain amount.”&nbsp;<h3>4. Create a follow-up strategy for new shoppers</h3>At Christmas, retailers can expect more first-time visitors to their website than usual – especially during promotions, says Bush.This year, with the enormous growth in online shoppers, “the big opportunity is to grow your database,” says Bush who recommends capturing customer details through a newsletter or VIP club. This can mean the start of a relationship that will hopefully generate more revenue over time.&nbsp;Winter says that it’s also important for retailers to install a Meta pixel, which allows them to retarget customers based on the individual actions they’ve taken on your site. “For example, if they have window-shopped but left your site without making a purchase, you can target those people with a different message to someone who only visited your homepage,” she says.&nbsp;<h3>5. Communicate over delivery times</h3>Since the pandemic, customer expectations around delivery times have risen - and the issue of delivery will only become more important, the closer it gets to Christmas.Bush says that retailers should start speaking to delivery partners now to identify shipping cut-off dates. These dates should then be communicated clearly on your website to avoid any customer disappointment.<h3>6. Keep a close eye on inventory</h3>Don’t forget to monitor your website throughout the holiday season, adds Bush.&nbsp;Make sure you’re promoting items and prioritising products that have a lot of stock availability. “One thing with Christmas is you don’t want your front page filled with really popular items that aren’t available.”&nbsp;<h3>7. Don’t forget about customer service&nbsp;</h3>Good customer service is critical at this time of year, so make it easy for shoppers to ask questions, advises Bush. “Don’t hide phone numbers and live chat,” he says. “Make it really easy to access and then make sure your customer service team is happy. They’ll be stressed, but make it as fun as possible for them, because they’re going to carry the weight.”&nbsp;More people than ever will be sending presents to each other this year, says Winter, so online retailers must start preparing now to make the most of every opportunity.&nbsp;“All signs are indicating that this festive season is going to be massive for online retailers,” she says.&nbsp;“We predict that online sales over the coming festive season will be the highest ever recorded.” *Source: Australia Post, ‘Inside Australian Online Shopping’ e-Commerce Industry Report, 2023

Learn how to prepare your e-commerce site for the festive season with tips from top brands.

Learn how to prepare your e commerce site for the festive season with tips from top brands on Afterpay Access