We are in Q4 of 2020, and the holiday season is fast approaching. Consequently, millions of online sellers are working day in and day out to get their marketing plan, inventory, and fulfillment ready in time before the holiday rush sets off. Like every year, the question playing on everybody’s mind is, “Who will hit the jackpot this year and walk away with high sales?” well, it may seem like a jackpot, but the real truth lies in the fact that most sellers and brands who generate high conversions and revenue during this period start their preparations well in advance. To further dive deep into the preparations and help you hit the sales ‘jackpot’, we recommend four crucial e-commerce tips that you must follow in the build-up to the festive season sales.
1. Stock Up Early
Maintaining a sufficient level of inventory is a must for sellers looking to earn a substantial amount of revenue in the holiday season. Usually, most suppliers are caught up meeting the rising demands during this time, which means that you could struggle to get items manufactured, private labeled, or shipped in time. To avoid such a scenario, talk to your suppliers in the months leading up to the sales about their plans and workload to know whether they will be able to deliver desired stock levels well before the peak holiday months.
It would help if you also consider stocking up higher quantities than you usually would deliver with ease, even when there is a surge in demand. This is certainly true in the current times of COVID-19, which has seen Amazon’s revenue go up by 40% to $88.9 billion in the Q2 of w2020 year-over-year. Additionally, you can also try to negotiate for buybacks with your supplier. This way, you can minimize the risk associated with stocking up seasonal items in bulk.
If you are a seasoned seller, you must make use of previous years’ sales data to forecast the stock levels for the upcoming sales and predict when you’ll run out.
If you need assistance for efficiently managing your inventory, you can also look at Sellryt’s Amazon FBA Outsourcing services
2. Optimize Product Detail Page
Your product detail page is arguably one of the most important areas that impact consumer behavior and conversion rates. When buyers eventually land on your product page, you should look to make the most out of the opportunity. To ensure this, take a good amount of time to curate and submit an informative product description and include high-quality product images to build trust, reliability, and relevance around the product you are looking to offer.
Also, don’t neglect the importance of backend search terms. They are crucial for your product’s visibility on Amazon and directly influence the conversion rates. Think and decide what your target audience might search for and work with synonyms and different combinations of search words accordingly.
Other product page optimization tips that can help enhance your sales are:
- Enrich relevant keywords in the title, description, and bullet points of the listing to boost visibility
- Ensure that you categorize and sub-categorize your product accurately
- Consider including Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) to present your brand story in a visually appealing manner.
3. Plan Marketing Strategies In Advance
As we move towards the festive time of the year, you should already be thinking about your brand’s marketing strategy. It is important to start prepping early so that you have enough time to plan the strategy and execute it perfectly when the holiday season finally arrives. While strategizing, analyze previous years’ data to determine what has worked well in the past and how you can build upon it this year. Also, identify and focus on your high-rank keywords and successful products, then update your bids and budgets strategically to achieve desired results.
While you are at it, don’t forget to engage on social media for cross-promotional purposes. It can help enhance your brand’s recall significantly, which can, in turn, lead to improved conversion rates during the sales period. You can make use of both organic and paid channels such as social media posts, ads, website banners, etc.
Get in touch with Sellryt’s Amazon PPC outsourcing experts to gain more insight into Amazon Advertising!
4. Build a Robust Customer Service Plan
The holiday season is often busy and stressful. That’s why, having a dedicated, well-staffed support team that responds and answers to all consumer queries is essential. Because, even when something goes wrong, a positive customer service experience can convert an agitated shopper into a brand loyalist.
To take your customer service experience one notch above, you should also keep the FAQ section active and provide answers to common questions. This will not only build trust with new buyers but also reduce the workload on your customer service team.
Also, ask for reviews from customers. You can simply drop them an email asking about their experience with the product or service. It will help you obtain customer testimonials and bring more value to your business. You can maybe incentivize them to drop a review by offering a special one-time discount or free shipping too.
However, if you already have your hands full with the on-going preparations, Sellryt’s Ecommerce outsourcing experts will be more than happy to devise a structured customer service plan for you.
Conclusion
This year, both consumers and brands are waiting for the holiday season to arrive more than ever. Many buyers will be looking to purchase gifts to send to their families and loved ones they haven’t met the entire year. E-commerce sellers would also be looking to sell higher quantities and end the year on a positive note. Incorporate our essential e-commerce tips in your festive season preparations, and before you know it, you will be catering to a broad set of customers with added ease.
Have questions, queries, or require assistance leading up to the holiday sales? Get in touch with our Ecommerce Outsourcing Agency experts today!