‘Tis The Season for Strategy: How To Advance Your Ecommerce Efforts This Holiday Season

Two of the largest shopping days of the year are finally here: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Businesses worldwide wait for this day, and it’s no wonder. Some estimate that shoppers will spend $36.4 billion over the holiday weekend, and it’s expected that the total amount spent will grow year over year.

While spending grows, the way people shop has shifted. We all know that in-store purchases were limited last year due to the pandemic, but retail taking place predominantly online is not a passing trend. So how does this affect Holiday shopping in 2021 and beyond?  

This shopping season brings in as much as 30% of businesses’ yearly sales and revenue, so it’s no wonder that holiday marketing and e-commerce trends rule the minds of many companies during this time. But 2021 presented its own unique challenges, like record inflation and continued COVID restrictions. Effective marketing for this season is top-of-mind across industries to combat these issues.

U.S. consumers were already starting their Christmas shopping well before Thanksgiving, but this year brings an added complexity—the global supply chain crisis. These supply chain issues put many shoppers in a conundrum and limit the guarantee of last-minute purchases arriving at their designated doorstep on time. 

We are seeing increased prices at gas pumps and shortages of everyday items in stores nationwide. With this in mind, how can marketers prepare for this pivotal season? Here are a few tips.

Change Your Delivery Expectations 

It’s likely that businesses will avoid the typical “last minute shopping” message in its entirety. Due to the current supply chain issues, some businesses are specifically flagging that they are unable to promise fulfillment times, especially as we approach the beginning of December. This will likely prevent the typical “free two-day shipping” or “last day to order” promotions we often see after Cyber Monday. That normal three-week safety window to get your packages before Christmas most likely won’t exist this holiday season. 

If you haven’t already, begin to weave this important shipping information into your social media posts, website banners, email alerts, and more. When in doubt, over-communicate! Urge shoppers to order now, and encourage them to opt for the extra shipping and handling fee. It could make a big difference in getting what they want on time.

Maintain Your Momentum and Offer Incentives 

If you’ve already started your seasonal campaigns, don’t let Cyber Monday’s end deter you. Maintain your momentum by offering a post-Black Friday sale for those who missed it. This could be as simple as a one-day promo (after Cyber Monday) encouraging shoppers that there’s still time to spend.  

While we’ve seen a decrease in in-person shopping over the past decade, physical stores will likely see an unexpected boost in sales, especially as we get closer to Christmas Day. If your company has a physical location, consider offering an incentive for holiday shoppers to purchase in stores. 

Stay Close to Your Target  

Maximize your digital marketing and stay close to your target audience during the holidays. It can be easy to adopt an “anyone and everyone” approach, but in a world full of so much noise, consider how to best speak to your most loyal audiences. 

We live in a world where competition has never been steeper for brands across industries. While there is always a huge push to reach as many consumers as possible in order to find new customers, your most loyal customers are key to your company’s success. AdRoll’s 2021 Ecommerce Holiday Marketing Trends Guide highlights the importance of mapping to your target audience. Their advice? Find your repeat customers and loyal brand advocates and market specifically to them. If you have a loyalty program, send them a specific email campaign to increase sales. If not, develop one and offer a percentage discount as a bonus for signing up.

While this holiday shopping season may seem different, certain factors remain the same. You know customers are going to spend more money during this time—it’s just a matter of when and where. Find your customer base, target them with effective campaigns that highlight this year’s challenges while providing them with a solution, and you’ll be ringing in the New Year with success!