Last minute preparations for E-Businesses in the 2022 holiday season

The holiday season is coming and with that come a lot of preparations. While it is never truly possible to predict the direction in which the flux of sales will be heading, one thing is for sure; the number of online purchases will increase. That said, it is important for all online retailers to prepare for an increase in shop visitors and sales volume.

So, whether you’re new to the online retail market, you’re looking to change it up, or optimize your store, here are a few tips that will help you with that.

Shopfront preparations

First impressions are very significant when it comes to turning a potential client to a buying one. That is why information such as images, aesthetics, product descriptions are vital. All shop systems offer website templates, so we suggest taking advantage of that offering and then personalize them. Adding small design details that are holiday related is also attention grabbing and leads to more clicks.

Traffic

Holiday shopping equals increased page traffic. Test your site speed beforehand: check page load times for every element on your site. Reach out to your technology provider as they can help you with website performance. Make sure to have all your plugins updated to avoid site outages.

Inventory

Increased shoppers lead increased inventory needs. To avoid long wait times and frustrated customers finding out their must-have gift if out of stock or on back-order, check in with suppliers now to make sure you’re appropriately stocked, especially for likely gift items.

Reliability

Your site needs to have the scalability and stability to handle increased demands on your web infrastructure. Your site needs to be up when you need it despite increased levels of traffic. Check with your ecommerce provider on current stats, so you know how covered you are.

Customer satisfaction

It is common knowledge that a happy customer is a returning and loyal one. That is why customer experience is key in turning one-time customers into loyal customers and simple consumers into brand ambassadors and proper “fans.”

Customer reviews

Customers love reading reviews. The majority of consumers base their purchase decisions on what others have had to say, and many even trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Besides helping to drive sales, reviews can help build your store’s reputation and even help with SEO efforts. The simplest way to start gathering reviews is by asking customers to leave them and making it easy for them to do so.

Payment flexibility

Once a shopper is interested in your product, that product will be added to the cart. Flexibility in payment is crucial as customers like having options when they pay. Besides the norm – credit and debit cards, PayPal, digital wallet payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay and cash apps, as well as BNPL providers are also gaining popularity, especially with younger shoppers, increase your chances of making a sale.

Payment optimization

Having all of your checkout-related forms on a single page makes the process easier and quicker for customers. Waiting for a single page to load, vs multiple pages (especially when using a mobile device) can be a make-or-break-deal for customers.

Conclusion

Prepare for the holiday season in advance to enjoy the fruit of your work. Make sure to optimize your shopfront and keep customer experience in mind for that.

Happy Holidays!

More relevant tips from last year’s article here: https://ideatarmac.com/2021/12/02/e-commerce-tips-midway-of-the-first-ever-holiday-season-without-a-play-book/?