Don't fret, the holiday shopping season isn’t over yet. By December 1st, 94% of U.S. shoppers still have gifts to buy, with 64% still making decisions on these gifts. It’s never too late to start planning! There are still plenty of opportunities to reach your end-of-year sales goals.
Reflect
With Black Friday behind you, it’s time to reflect on the results of your previous plan. What items worked or didn’t pan out?
Our previous blog offered a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the busiest holiday shopping weekend: Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Our checklist included:
- Planning: Start research, set deadlines, and create a plan for BFCM
- Analyzing: Assess inventory levels, customer searches, and top-selling products
- Testing: Confirm your site and mobile app are up to speed
- Marketing: Create a detailed and diverse marketing campaign for effective customer communication
- Support: Offer multiple payment options and increase support staff for swift customer response
Take time to look through each of these phases and find advantages and disadvantages you may have experienced. By reviewing your Black Friday strategy, you can tailor items to help make the remainder of the shopping season successful. Reflect on previous holiday shopping trends, especially for December, and what helped your sales grow.
Consider the customers you gained over the holiday weekend. These can be critical shoppers to keep in touch with to grow your business year-round and add to your recurring customers. Keep them engaged with emails for reviews, or consider specialized deals as a thank you for shopping during the holiday. 60% of shoppers say they sometimes get prompted to buy even when they aren’t actively shopping. Staying in touch with your new and existing customers means staying at the top of your customer’s mind.
Accelerate
The holiday shopping season extends far beyond BFCM, and numerous opportunities remain to keep your sales moving forward. Maximize your end of season sales by including a calculated game plan for the rest of the year.
While you plan for the rest of the shopping season, consider these two studies by Google. Last year, Google found searches for “last minute Christmas gifts” grew globally by over 700% in the week before December 25th. Additionally, searches for “holiday returns” spiked on Christmas Day. As online shopping grows in popularity, more people will search for items and deals over a more extended period. That means more chances for you to connect with potential customers.
How you can stand out: Organize a plan that offers multiple gift options, easy return processes, and updated promotions.
Promote
Whatever your marketing plan is for December, consider the power of the holiday promo. 55% of holiday shoppers plan to hold off on buying gifts until they are on sale. Various offers or deals could be rolled out for the remainder of the year and into the new year. Remember your customers from Black Friday weekend and consider ways to prompt their return for the remaining holiday season.
Outside of holiday sales, promote alternative options to intrigue customers. 81% of U.S. shoppers appreciate when brands reach out to them in personalized ways, so utilize holiday shopping tips and guides directed at your current customers. One popular option is to provide a holiday shopping guide for your store, including trending gifts or customer favorites.
Shipping also plays an integral role in holiday shopping decisions. Google found that 75% of holiday shoppers will shop with stores that offer free shipping. Be clear on your shipping options and time frames so customers know how long they can postpone purchasing.
Offering digital gift cards is another great way to boost holiday sales. Google has found that search interest in “gift cards” consistently peaks the week before Christmas. So get ahead by marketing your gift cards a little before then. The most significant benefit of offering gift cards is that last-minute shoppers can feel at ease knowing they can grab a gift right before the holidays (without worrying about shipping times). By providing a gift card option, you can ensure that even the last-minute shoppers have a positive holiday shopping experience.
Also, with all shopping, returns happen. With the holiday season continuing on into 2023, be clear on your return policies and ensure the process is smooth. A simple returns process means happier return customers.
Manage
Managing your inventory is essential year-round but is hypercritical during this high sales season. According to SymphonyAI, 65% of retailers consistently stock out on fast-moving categories and products, and 63% have too much inventory in slow-moving categories and products. Avoid out-of-stock headaches by having the tools to manage your inventory.
One tool that is worth looking into is an inventory management system. Inventory software can help you stay on top of inventory levels, tracking, and so on. Zenventory makes it simple to maintain a reliable and accurate inventory across all sales channels. Track, sync, and fulfill your orders all in one place.
Conclusion
The holiday shopping season doesn’t need to end with Black Friday. With these tips in mind, your sales momentum has the potential to extend through January.
Zenventory is the one-stop app to support your holiday shop. No more worrying about managing your inventory during this busy season. Instead, spend your time on more important tasks like fulfilling orders.
Explore Zenventory and see if it can help you this holiday season >>>
.png)