Making operational, tactical and strategic digital commerce plans

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Dear Thinkers, Builders & Runners,

We are approaching the end of the year. Time flies. I’m full with customer work and engaging with prospects. This is the situation I’d like to be in: make customers happy and attract more customers to make happy. We are also going to talk about and celebrate our customers, and also showcase our work for them. Be sure to give Neortus a follow on LinkedIn or check-out the website as we will be updating it regularly.

As 2024 is almost over we are making plans for the next year. We are currently reconsidering are brand position: value proposition, ideal customer profiles, personas, communication, and such.

Of course you are looking forward to next year too, right? If not, it’s already a bit late, but never too late to start planning for the short and long term growth of your business. So, in this edition, I’d like to share some tips, tools and insights to make actionable plans on different levels: operational (map peak sales moments of 2025), tactical (make an plan for the digital shelf) and strategic (craft a 3-year digital commerce roadmap).

Happy planning!

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Meeting customer expectations in 2025

The next year is going to be challenging. With 69% of shoppers planning to cut back on spending, winning their loyalty will take extra effort. Understanding consumers’ evolving shopping habits, preferences, and expectations around personalization is key to building trust and driving conversions.

Today’s shoppers seek a “just right” experience. For nearly half (49%), this means a balanced blend of online and in-store shopping. Salsify’s data shows that preference for this hybrid experience is strong across generations.

Modern customers navigate a complex journey with three main phases: awareness, consideration, and decision. Is your strategy ready to meet them where they are? A seamless, multi-channel experience is essential to keep them satisfied and engaged.

Find the full report and recommendations for a successful holiday season and 2025 here.

Drive sales on key moments in 2025

One of the key tasks to plan for 2025 is to make an overview of peak sales moments in 2025. Making a peak sales calendar is more than just marking dates—it’s about strategically positioning your brand to capitalize on high-demand periods. Here’s how to get started:

1. Identify key sales dates: Start by listing well-known dates like New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. These dates are widely recognized and expected by consumers, so planning promotions around them is a must. Also, look at global sales events like Singles’ Day (November 11), which is increasingly popular outside of China, or Diwali if your audience includes South Asian markets.
2. Pinpoint industry-specific events: Think about moments that resonate specifically with your audience. For example, if you’re in fashion, back-to-school season and wedding season (spring/summer) are huge. If you’re in the fitness industry, early January (New Year’s resolutions) and summer are peak times. Knowing these moments helps you focus your efforts on relevant dates instead of stretching your resources too thin.
3. Look for unique, emerging sales opportunities: Get creative with newer, niche holidays like “National Small Business Day” or “Earth Day.” For example, brands that focus on sustainability could run promotions around Earth Day to tap into consumers' environmental interests. These unique days can help you stand out from the competition and connect with your audience in a meaningful way.
4. Plan for lead-up and follow-up: Don’t just mark the sale date itself; plan for the days before and after. For example, if you’re promoting a Valentine’s Day sale, start your marketing two weeks early to build anticipation, and consider post-Valentine’s “treat yourself” offers to extend engagement. The lead-up builds awareness, and follow-up keeps the conversation going with customers who may have missed the initial sale.
5. Set up a content plan for each date: For each peak date, list out the specific marketing actions you’ll take—email campaigns, social media ads, influencer partnerships, or blog content—and assign deadlines for each. For instance, if Black Friday is a key date, plan early teasers, countdowns, and exclusive early-bird offers. This structured content plan keeps your team aligned and ensures a consistent message across all channels.
6. Ensure resources are ready: A successful sales calendar depends on having the right resources in place, so make sure inventory, logistics, staffing, and budgets are ready for each peak. Double-checking resources ahead of each major date keeps your team prepared to deliver a seamless customer experience and maximize sales.
7. Review and adjust quarterly: Markets shift quickly, so revisit your calendar each quarter. For instance, if a new event gains traction (like Amazon Prime Day, which shifts dates year to year), adjust your plans to take advantage. Regular reviews keep your calendar dynamic and allow you to pivot quickly when needed.

By creating a detailed, strategic sales calendar, you’ll not only maximize sales but also give your team a clear roadmap, ensuring that everyone is prepared and aligned to hit your goals in 2025. Make your calendar today!

How to make a short term action plan for the digital shelf

How your products appear online makes or breaks your brand. The Digital Shelf is no longer just a "nice-to-have"—it’s where consumer decisions are made. Are you sure your digital presence is working as hard as it could be?

Managing the digital shelf includes many factors:

• Governance (customers, channels, ownership, people)
• Processes (product life cycle, breaking down silos)
• Content & Media (visibility, conversion, quality, compliance, execution)
• Technology (system of choice, integrations)

The scope of Digital Shelf Management is strategic, tactics and operations. So how do you assess your maturity, discover your pain points and make an action plan?

Usually you start doing a discovery: with workshops, interviews and desk research you try to excavate the as-is situation and pain points. You assess KPI’s, processes, content & digital asset management, data models, channels and system integrations. Then you process your outcomes. Based on your expertise you identify challenges or actions and you plot them on an impact & effort matrix. This classifies actions into four categories: big projects, quick wins, fill-ins, and thankless tasks. Now you have an action plan.

But that process takes a lot of time. How can you do it quicker? I’m here to help! I’ve already crafted a list of common challenges so you only have to indicate their relevance to your case to get an action plan.

Here’s how it works:

1. Complete the survey: Answer a set of questions about your digital shelf experience (it takes about 20 minutes).
2. Get personalized insights: Me and my team of Digital Shelf Specialists will analyse your responses and create a custom action plan.
3. Improve your strategy: We’ll reach out to present your plan and discuss next steps to elevate your brand's digital presence.

Ready to take control of your Digital Shelf? Fill out the survey today!

Planning for long term: making a digital commerce strategy

Planning for long term is also important. Making a sound plan allows you to get the whole organization on board. You need support from management and peers. You need financial and personal commitment. That’s easier when people have something to say “yes“ to. This is what you want to achieve:

• Vision: develop a shared roadmap for the next three years.
• Ambitions: clearly articulate digital goals to inspire people and create support for digital initiatives.
• Resources: create a shared understanding of the required systems and solutions, the organization, the FTEs and the budget.

But crafting a digital strategy needs a lot of groundwork. It requires a lot of talking to people and a lot of research. It takes many conversations and iterations to create something solid. Here are a few tasks:

• Interviewing internal stakeholders
• Market research
• Competitor research
• Gathering input from customers
• Canvassing business models, value propositions and service blueprints
• Reviewing and documenting business processes
• Assessing the technology stack and integrations

You know you are done with research once you notice that you are stumbling more on information you already know, and discover less and less new things. Then it’s time to work out your strategy: from vision to action.

1. Describe the market position and the challenges of the markets and company
2. Define strategic goals
3. Make a vision and/or mission statement
4. Identify key topics (themes)
5. For each theme, describe the current state and the future state
6. For each year, define a high-level ambition and actions
7. For each year and theme, define projects
8. Plot the projects on a timeline
9. Plot the themes on a timeline
10. Work out project descriptions

The above steps we have put into a template, to structure your digital roadmap.

Download the template

Viva Mexico: Día de los Muertos, a vibrant celebration of life and memory

Two weeks ago, as every year from October 31 to November 2, Mexico City came once more alive with the vibrant colours, sounds, and aromas of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It’s far from a sober event. This celebration joyfully honours the lives of loved ones who have passed, welcoming their spirits back for a short reunion filled with music, food, and festivity.

In Mexico City, the holiday takes on a particularly grand scale. One of the highlights is the Día de los Muertos parade, where elaborate costumes, towering skeleton puppets, and colourful marigolds (cempasúchil) fill the streets. Families set up beautiful ofrendas (altars) decorated with candles, photos, and favourite foods of the departed to guide their spirits home. You can find these stunning displays across the city, from homes to public spaces, including iconic locations like the Zócalo and the canals of Xochimilco, where traditional trajineras (colorful boats) carry celebrants down the water.

It’s a time to celebrate life, family, and the continuity of memory—a beautiful reminder that in Mexican culture, those who are remembered are never truly gone.