Holiday Preparations

With the holiday rush and Black Friday right around the corner, there are numerous areas to take into consideration with the expected rush of online traffic.  If you haven’t already begun preparing for the online holiday rush, it’s not too late to put these last minute tips into effect.

Promote a shipping incentive for the holidays.  To stop your potential customers  from looking elsewhere, offer an incentive that is simply just to good to pass up.  Who isn’t looking to save a penny these days?  Promote an enticing shipping offer that is hard to beat.

Make sure you have your top products in stock.  If you offer “hot” products that are in high demand, or are pushing a great deal on a particular product, make sure you have enough in stock to meet your customers’ needs.   Check the sales trend on your popular items over the last couple months and note the inventory you have on hand.

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Be available to answer customer questions about your website, products, pricing, shipping, etc. If you expect an increase in calls during the holiday time, make sure your staff is available and well-informed of questions that may arise. A friendly service and attitude can lead to a repeat customer for the future.

Begin to circulate a newsletter or email offering a holiday incentive.  State the urgency of ordering now to receive a percentage off your purchase or provide a coupon code  that can be distributed to a friend.  If you have not circulated past newsletters or email blasts, word-of-mouth can be just as effective.  Spread the word about your website and holiday promotions you are offering to friends, family, neighbors and so on.

You never know what to expect with online holiday shoppers but it never hurts to do a little preparing, even if it is last minute!