More Actionable Tips for Boosting Last-Minute Web Sales Nov 30, 2005 6:52 PM
JobZone
Search and post jobs for the Multichannel Merchant. Including jobs for brand & agency marketers, e-commerce, catalog marketers, ops & fulfillment, direct marketing and more.
There are still more than three shopping weeks till Christmas, which means there’s still plenty you can do to increase online sales. The folks at e-commerce technology provider MarketLive (www.marketlive.com) have a dozen suggestions:
1) Include information about your gift services and gift cards throughout your site, from the navigation bar to the shopping cart.
2) Make it easy for visitors to find your guarantee, your cut-off dates for holiday delivery, and information about your delivery options.
3) Dedicate one page to detailing why visitors should purchase from you, rather than from a competitor.
4) Offer gift suggestions, organized by price and by potential recipient.
5) Get creative when organizing your merchandise assortments—try creating collections based on themes such as “stocking stuffers for her.”
6) Create lists that help simplify the selection process, such as list of your best-sellers or your most-requested items.
7) This is the season of free shipping. Consider offering it in some form—say, with orders of at least $100—as an incentive.
8) Offer daily specials or limited-time-only promotions to create a sense of urgency.
9) Don’t be afraid to e-mail your opt-in customers more frequently to tell them about on your promotions and new products.
10) After someone orders, be sure to e-mail him a prompt thank-you—and while you’re at it, offer them a thank-you promotion, such as a discount or free shipping on a subsequent order.
11) Include in your order shipments bounce-backs with a discount or other offer to encourage repeat business.
12) Don’t stop marketing just because your cut-off date for holiday delivery has come and gone. If you have brick-and-mortar stores, send e-mail messages to customers to drive last-minute shopping traffic.
