Making The Last Two Weeks Before Christmas Count

We’re just about two weeks away from Christmas Day! Undoubtedly, retailers all over Canada are hoping that the next two weeks will be their most successful of the year. There will be a lot of last minute shoppers out there and many of them will be making buying decisions right up until the 24^th. The key to welcoming as many customers to your store as possible, however, will lie in how strongly you advertise between now and then.

Don’t rest on your laurels and just assume that your store will enjoy continued heavy traffic. To truly make the last two weeks before Christmas count, you have to reach out to members of your target audience.

Email your loyal customers.

It’s a well-known fact all throughout the retail world that the customers who are most likely to support your brand are the ones who have already done so in the past. Focus your energies on your current customers. Email them to confirm they are happy with their recent purchases and use the opportunities to inform them of further discounts they can enjoy by returning to your store before Christmas.

 “Use welcome emails, purchase confirmation emails, and shipping confirmation emails to get customers to shop with you again by including a special offer for their next purchase,” advises Rieva Lesonsky on TSheets.com,“Don’t forget to send cart abandonment emails that contain a small incentive —such as 10 percent off — that can get customers to pull the trigger.”

Address your online store’s abandoned carts.

There are tons of consumers who go online with the intention of making purchases, only to fill their virtual carts without going through the checkout process. On LiquidWeb.com, Erika Jolly Brookes explains that the average abandonment rate is 69.36 percent. That’s huge! There must be a way to get your online store’s customers to complete their purchases.

“Be completely transparent about all costs, like shipping, taxes, and fees,” Brookes suggests, “That way, consumers are not taken by surprise when they get to the payment page. If you can, offer free shipping during the holidays as a special promotion. It is also worth noting that transparent business practices play a powerful role in earning the consumers’ trust.”

Highlight your last-minute shipping policy.

For those who wish to make their last minute purchases online, be sure they are aware of how quickly you can promise their deliveries. Being able to get your products shipped to your customers in time for Christmas is an excellent way to make them choose your store over its competitors. Lesonsky agrees that you should promote your last minute shipping policy.

“Not free last-minute shipping, of course,” she reminds us, “But as the holiday shopping season draws to a close, desperate gift-seekers will gladly embrace extra shipping charges and thank your business for saving the day. Just be sure to clearly state the deadlines for last-minute shipping on your website, so no one is disappointed.”

Are you working with a safe and secure e-commerce solution? If not, Canadian POS can get you all set up! For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-748-2884 or email us at info@localhost.