As an online retailer knows, the holiday season is a crucial time of year. Not only are sales typically higher during this period, but shoppers are also more likely to purchase outside their usual routines. As a result, it’s important to ensure that your eCommerce campaigns are properly aligned with seasonal trends. By qualifying for these trends now, you can ensure your campaigns are as effective as possible when the time comes. This blog post will confer 10 of the most influential seasonal e-commerce trends to watch out for. We will also furnish tips on how you can take advantage of these trends to boost your sales!
Increased Mobile Activity
With the holiday season approaching, retailers are preparing for the increased mobile activity that comes with it. Shoppers will be looking for great trending deals on gifts and using their mobile devices to find them. This presents a significant opportunity for retailers to reach their target audience with enhanced campaigns that take advantage of seasonal eCommerce trends. For example, area rugs are a popular item during winter, so retailers can use this trend to create targeted ads when shoppers search for area rugs or related keywords.
Gift Guides
The gift-giving and taking season is upon us, so it’s time to start thinking about your holiday marketing strategy. If you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry – we’ve covered you. Here are four can’t-miss seasonal eCommerce trends that you can use to enhance your campaigns and drive more sales this holiday season.
- First, this is the perfect time to get creative with your social media marketing. Use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to create festive posts and compelling graphics that will grab attention and encourage people to shop with you.
- Second, take advantage of email marketing. Send personalized emails with exclusive discounts and coupons to encourage people to shop with you.
- Third, don’t forget about SEO. Ensure your website is optimized for holiday keywords so people can easily find you when searching for gifts online.
- Finally, consider using retargeting ads. These ads follow people around the web after visiting your site, reminding them of your products and encouraging them to return and make a purchase.
More Shipping Options
Another trend that’s becoming more popular is offering shoppers more shipping options. In particular, shoppers are looking for free shipping and same-day delivery options. This movement is driven by the fact that shoppers are increasingly doing their holiday shopping online and want to receive their purchases as soon as possible. To take advantage of this trend, retailers should consider offering free shipping or same-day delivery on their campaigns.
Flash Sales and Discounts
Flash sales and discounts are always popular ways to drive traffic and sales during the holiday season. However, businesses should be careful not to overdo it with too many discounts and sales. This can make customers feel like they are being bombarded with deals and promotions, overwhelming them and eventually tuning out the message entirely.
Extended Hours and Customer Service
The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, so businesses should be prepared for the increase in customer traffic and inquiries by extending their hours and ensuring they have adequate staff on hand to assist. This includes having enough customer service representatives available to handle increased call volume and ensuring sufficient sales associates in the store to assist shoppers.
Personalization
As eCommerce has become increasingly competitive, online retailers have had to get creative to stand out from the gathering. One pathway to do this is by personalizing the shopping experience for each customer. This can be done in several ways, such as tailored recommendations based on previous purchases or offering discounts for first-time shoppers. Another trend that has been gaining traction in recent years is seasonal eCommerce. This involves offering special deals and promotions during major holidays, such as Black Friday Sale and Cyber Monday. By taking advantage of these trends, businesses can create a more customized and enjoyable shopping experience for their customers.
Free Shipping Thresholds
November and December are key shopping months for many retailers, so it’s important to ensure your eCommerce campaigns are well-optimized to capitalize on this holiday spending. One path to accomplish this is by utilizing free shipping thresholds, which can be a powerful motivator for customers. Free shipping thresholds typically refer to the minimum order amount needed to qualify for free shipping. For example, a retailer might offer free shipping on all orders over $50. By establishing a free shipping threshold, you can motivate customers to spend more to save on shipping costs.
New Product Releases
The release of a new product is an exciting time for any business. However, it can also be a time of high stress and anxiety. After all, there is always the risk that the product will not live up to expectations. To help ensure that your new product release is a success, it is important to have a plan in place. One way to do this is to take advantage of seasonal eCommerce trends. For example, consumers are more likely to seek gifts during the holiday season. As a result, it makes sense to release a new product during this time. By capitalizing on seasonal trends, you can ensure that your new product gets the attention it deserves.
Cross-promotions
As the leaves transform color and the days extend shorter, retailers across the country start gearing up for one of the busiest times of the year: the holiday shopping season. Smart retailers are turning to cross-promotions to enhance their e-commerce campaigns. By teaming up with complementary brands, retailers can reach new audiences, drive additional traffic to their sites, and boost sales. For example, a fashion retailer might partner with a jewelry brand to offer customers discounts on both items when purchased together. Or a store that specializes in gourmet foods could team up with a local winery to create a holiday gift basket.
Increased Competition
Increased competition from online and brick-and-mortar retailers has made it more important for businesses to stand out for their customer service. To pause ahead of the competition, businesses must be aware of the latest trends in eCommerce. By keeping up with the most delinquent trends, businesses can ensure that they provide their customers with the best possible experience. One way to do this is by offering unique and personalized products that cannot be found elsewhere. RugKnots is a great example of a business offering unique, hand-crafted rugs made to order. This type of customization is not only appealing to customers, but it also helps to create a sense of loyalty and connection between the business and the shopper.
Conclusion
As a business owner, knowing which seasonal eCommerce trends will affect your industry is critical so you can make the necessary adjustments to your online presence and campaigns. By understanding how customers shop during specific times of the year and using this knowledge to enhance your campaigns, you can maximize ROI and stay ahead of the competition. What other season-specific e-commerce tips would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
