September is here, and that means holiday shopping is right around the corner. As a critical shopping season for merchants, now is the time to prepare your inventory, promotions, and festive campaigns ahead of the holidays.
On the heels of COVID, many retailers are asking themselves how this winter holiday shopping season may be different from years past because of the pandemic and the changes to consumer behavior that came along with it.
To answer that question, the Afterpay team recently consulted with Martin Newman, a globally-renowned expert on retail and the consumer experience to dive into the latest insights to help merchants prepare. As online shopping will undoubtedly continue to explode, optimizing your website ahead of the holidays is a surefire way to ensure the best possible experience.
Here are best ways to prepare your store or brand’s website for the upcoming holiday shopping season:
1. Start holiday promotions early
With store capacity limitations and social distancing rules, Newman predicts that shoppers will want to get a head start on their shopping to ensure they cross everything off their lists with time to spare. With that, expect holiday promotions to begin earlier than usual. Big box retailers including Target and Macy’s have already announced they will begin holiday promotions in October as shoppers continue to avoid crowds.
Per Bloomberg, “Options under discussion include limiting opening hours on Black Friday to help control crowds, especially in the wee hours when lines usually form. Adding security to enforce social distancing, mask-wearing and one-way aisles could also work. Given that many shoppers want a contactless experience, it’s also critical to enhance curbside pickup. And retailers could bring some products off the shelves and set up temporary displays under tents in their parking lots.”
2. The online experience will be critical
Perhaps the biggest change to prepare for? Black Friday may as well be “Cyber Friday.” Last year, 14% of the $1 trillion in holiday spending went online, up from 10% in 2016. Even on Black Friday, more shoppers shopped online last year than visited stores, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation. Merchants who typically host big Black Friday sales in-stores should prep for the day as if it’s Cyber Monday, with ample online support staff to handle the potential spike in site traffic and questions.
According to Newman, the good news here is that COVID has made shoppers more comfortable with buying online, a trend set to continue in the years ahead. And of course, more online shopping means increased site traffic. Not only should merchants plan to increase support staff, but they should consult with IT teams to ensure backend infrastructure can handle increased visitors. Also consider auditing your inventory systems to ensure your site reflects proper stock labels, descriptions, sizing, and more. A dark site and closed store could risk low sales on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
3. Get the online basics right
The online customer experience often falls down when retailers fail to nail the basics—from the checkout experience to when and how orders are delivered. A great way to perform a “pressure test” on your customer experience is to “mystery shop” your own website.
Questions that can make or break the customer experience:
How easy is it to search for what you want — or browse for a gift?
How seamless is the checkout process?
Can you have your items gift wrapped, with a personal message included?
Does the gift receipt exclude prices?
What’s the return policy for gifts?
Can you ship one order to multiple addresses?
4. Infuse the online experience with the holiday spirit
Though you may think of your online experience as more static than in-store, merchants should make a conscious effort this year to make online shopping (almost) as festive as shopping in person. Bring some of the magic of gifting to your site by thinking through the shopping experience. You likely already have product categories on your site, but do you have gift categories? Are there options for adventurous types as well as those that like snuggling up on a couch?
Think through personality types and traits, or develop themes that align with your brand to make the browsing experience a bit more fun and inspiring. Incorporate those elements into your overall digital marketing approach, including sending personalized emails or targeted social ads to your customers. Merchants can go above and beyond by offering personal shopping support, either via video chat with an in-store employee, or via chat or phone call.
5. Communicate well and often
When it comes to servicing your customers online this holiday season, communication will be absolutely essential. Driven by COVID, the move to online shopping this year will be even more pronounced, and the holiday season will test even the most prepared retailers. Be clear with your customers about shipping policies, timing, and any potential inventory or supply chain issues, and keep them updated on their order status throughout the process--they’ll appreciate the peace of mind knowing their gifts arrived safely, and on time.
One thing you won’t have to worry about this holiday season: integrating Afterpay. Whether you’re a current partner or thinking about offering Afterpay, our team is ready to provide support and insights throughout the holidays. Email us today at [email protected]
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