It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is nearly here. December has a way of creeping up on all of us, but thankfully it also happens to be one of the best times for those of us in retail. The festive season, coupled with the summer school holiday period generally make consumers more eager to shop. Retailers need to ensure their online stores are prepped and ready for the December vacation period. Take a look at Payflex’s foolproof strategies for getting your online store December-ready!
Getting Your Online Store Ready for The December Vacation Shopping Period
Optimize your website for mobile
Research from Deloitte has shown that over 60% of consumers in South Africa use their mobile phones for shopping. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile layout, you could potentially be driving away a large number of customers. Run a Google-Mobile Friendly Test and make any changes to your site layout that Google recommends.
Put your shoppers in a December vacation state-of-mind
Visual cues and reminders on your website will help to convert more online sales. Consider adding a Christmas-themed banner to your home page announcing your holiday season sales. You can guide buyers along by including a link that leads to your store’s special offers and discounts.
Offer multi-payment methods
Don’t exclude potential customers by only accepting credit or debit card payments. Instead, offer a variety of different payment options that will attract a wider audience of shoppers. On top of regular card payment methods, you can also offer QR code payments and instant EFT. Flexible payment options, like buy now, pay later, also consistently prove to be popular among shoppers.
Battle cart abandonment
Shoppers adding items to their cart but then abandoning the cart or clicking away account for a lot of lost revenue. Set reminder emails targeting shoppers who’ve abandoned their carts reminding them to come back and complete their purchase. Push notifications and retargeted advertising can also help to lure back lost customers and win you more sales.
Make it urgent
Nobody likes the feeling of FOMO, especially shoppers. Creating a sense of urgency on your website can push customers into making a purchase more quickly. Add countdown clocks, show actual stock numbers for best-selling items and use phrases like “limited time offer” to drive those urgent feelings home.
Run a holiday-themed giveaway
The holiday season is all about giving, after all. Nothing motivates people more than winning free things, so use it to encourage shoppers to buy to enter a give-away competition. A great way to get more shoppers to enter is to ask each entrant to share the competition with a friend as a part of the entry rules.
