Last minute selling tips for your online store this Christmas!
Yikes we only have 7 sleeps until Christmas Day and 8 for boxing day sales!
Christmas shopping started earlier this year with big sales such as Black Friday (Predicted $1M spend in Australia) and Cyber Monday offering great prices online with high volume sales in electronics, health and beauty, toys and jewellery.
With the lead up to Christmas lunch and more people entertaining over the holidays there is a rise in demand for retailers selling specialty food, alcohol, home and gift-wares online.
.. its not too late to make sales and to deliver on time (JUST!)
Here are my last minute tips for retailers to sell effectively online during this busy and demanding time. These best practices can be used all year round and will help you grow your business online.
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Buy a product from your own website (Ruslan Kogan does it) and review processes and experience. If something doesn’t work properly make improvements ASAP! Yes this means pay for it and have it delivered as well.
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Talk to your website host and see if they can handle an influx of visitors to your website at any given time… especially if you are running a marketing campaign this Christmas. If your using Shopify you can relax as they are self hosted and pride themselves on being able to run the platform reliably and fast during busy sales periods after all they are powering both Camilla’s and Kylie Cosmetics (Kylie Jenner’s) websites. Maybe the Royal Australian Mint should talk to them after their website crashed during the sale of limited edition ACDC coins, some of which where “Thunderstruck” with man made lightning at Canberra’s Questacon.
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Check you stock: Make sure you have enough stock and staff to fulfil orders.
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Check delivery cut-offs for Guaranteed Delivery – talk to your shipping providers and see when their cuts off times are for guaranteed delivery. Australia Post have more than 16,000 additional vehicles on the road, extended trading hours and weekend delivery. They can deliver on time via Express Post if your package has been sent before the 21st December. Sendle last delivery pickup is tomorrow (19th December) for delivery within the same metro areas such as Surry Hills to Bankstown in Sydney or Footscray to St Kilda in Melbourne.
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Setup a holiday notice on your website, eBay Store and social media accounts that lets customers know your opening hours/ closures and expected delivery times/delays.
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Make a toast and thank your to your staff, partners, families and customers for their commitment, support and hard work during this stressful time! A little bit of gratitude is priceless and brings out the best in people.
Congratulations you have innovated and survived another year in retail!