{"id":2065,"date":"2018-06-06T04:25:08","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T04:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stagingfront.smartrmail.com\/blog\/?p=2065"},"modified":"2024-02-24T01:38:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T14:38:50","slug":"get-your-store-ready-for-ecommerce-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartrmail.com\/blog\/get-your-store-ready-for-ecommerce-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Your Store Ready for e-commerce Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Holiday Season<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s no secret that shoppers love a good deal. It\u2019s why concepts like coupons, factory outlets, and holiday sales all exist. But as a business owner, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide what sales to participate in. Do you ensure your email marketing covers all and hope some stick? Or do you focus on a few specific to your brand? While the second option might jump out at you, it\u2019s easier said than done. With that in mind, SmartrMail has created a guide to what your e-commerce store can do now to prepare for the holiday season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One question you might have is \u201cmy business is doing fine already, do I even need to participate in these sales?\u201d. The short answer is that holiday sales represent opportunities to draw in price-sensitive customers at a time when they are more likely to be open to spending money. Once they make a conversion, the roots are established, and you can utilize your expansive knowledge of email marketing to keep them coming back. It\u2019s also not as scary as one might think, with data suggesting that Amazon\u2019s massive market share actually decreases between November and January<\/a> due to competitors.<\/p>\n

So when is the \u2018holiday season\u2019? Typically, it runs from Black Friday<\/a> (Cyber Monday for eCommerce) in late November until just after the New Year. While this period may appear at the outset to be one giant shopping opportunity, it, in fact, represents multiple discreet holidays, each with its own pros and cons.<\/p>\n

Prioritizing Holidays<\/h2>\n

Not all holidays are created equal, and what generates the most sales for your business will be determined based on how relevant the sale is to your customers. Does your woolly-sock business operate in the USA? Chances are Cyber Monday will see a lot of customers taking advantage of your sales to prepare for winter. On the other hand, a Japanese antique business probably isn\u2019t going to see profits explode from a 4th-of-July sale simply due to a lack of relevance.<\/p>\n

Global Holidays<\/em><\/h3>\n

If you have a business that operates or ships to multiple countries and makes products for all walks of life, the main holidays to take advantage of are Christmas (and its lead-up), Boxing Day, New Year’s, and Easter. These holidays are relevant to nearly all Western countries and, therefore, have the widest reach. In recent years, there has been a trend towards stretching Christmas sales to up to two weeks before the 25th and stretching Boxing Day sales for the period of time between the 26th and New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n

Whilst Black Friday is a day of brick-and-mortar sales right after Thanksgiving in America, there is a growing trend of global eCommerce stores joining in on the opportunity with \u2018Cyber Monday<\/a>\u2019. By having a day of online sales directly after the Thanksgiving weekend, shoppers are able to grab a bargain without the stress of Black Friday hordes and the guilt of not spending the long weekend with family. In 2016, online U.S. shoppers alone spent $2.67b USD on Cyber Monday compared to $1.97 USD on Black Friday.<\/a><\/p>\n

Country-Specific Holidays<\/em><\/h3>\n

If your business has already segmented its mailing list based on country, then holding country-specific sales should be a no-brainer. Many country-specific holidays fall outside the main holiday season and are therefore a fantastic opportunity to see a boost in sales in an otherwise regular period. Some examples include:<\/p>\n