Fa, La, La... 30 Last Minute Tricks to Maximize Holiday Selling

Transcription

Fa, La, La...
30 Last Minute Tricks to
Maximize Holiday Selling
An Intelligent Selling ® whitepaper from MarketLive ©
>> www.marketlive.com
A proprietary report by the e-tailing group, inc.
October, 2012
>> www.e-tailing.com
Fa, La, La... 30 Minute Tricks to Maximize Holiday Selling
Fa, La, La...
30 Minute Tricks to Maximize Holiday Selling
the e-tailing group
the e-tailing group is a niche e-commerce consultancy that helps merchants to deliver
the right customer experience on their websites and across all of their channels while
adeptly assisting technology companies to create and execute go-to-market strategies that
simultaneously educate the retail community and deliver cost-effective thought leadership
and lead generation. For more background about our research or for additional information
on the e-tailing group, inc. please contact Lauren Freedman, President the e-tailing group inc,
via email at LF@e-tailing.com, by phone to 773-975-7280 or visit the e-tailing group website
www.e-tailing.com.
MarketLive, Inc.
MarketLive incorporates time-proven eCommerce acumen, technologies and services to over
160 retail websites generating over $2 Billion in sales annually.
Since 1995, MarketLive, Inc. has focused exclusively on providing eCommerce solutions
that successfully sell goods and services online. These technology, service, and professional
service solutions form the basis of strong retail businesses. We understand that the intelligent
way to sell online is to create a path to purchase on consumer behavior and preferences.
Our proven Intelligent Selling methodology guides retailers through marketing and
merchandising principles that reflect this approach. With MarketLive, retailers build and
maintain sites that deliver a rich shopping experience, form brand loyalty, optimize revenues,
and overall business performance. This is MarketLive Intelligent Commerce.
For more information about this whitepaper, contact MarketLive, Inc.
www.marketlive.com
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Fa, La, La... 30 Minute Tricks To Maximize Holiday Selling
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MarketLive, Inc. 2012
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Fa, La, La...
30 Minute Tricks to Maximize Holiday Selling
FOUR KEY THEMES SET THE TONE FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING
The Holiday 2012 shopping season is upon us and all signs indicate that eCommerce will once
again grab market share from traditional retail. In order to put the season in perspective, we once
again joined forces with MarketLive to conduct our fourth annual consumer research survey:
Mindset of a Multi-Channel Merchant consumer shopping research survey. The results suggest
four timely themes that will ring true throughout the holidays.
1. CONSUMERS CRAVE SHOPPING ONLINE, ALLOCATING MORE DOLLARS AND MORE ATTENTION
TO THE CHANNEL
A quick glance at a few holiday forecasts shows only slight growth in retail sales (3.3%) up from
2.8% in 2011 according to ShopperTrak. Online shoppers in the U.S. however will spend $54.47B
this holiday season, up 16.8% from $46.63B in 2011 per eMarketer. Our findings are in agreement
with industry pundits that predict a strong online shopping season where grabbing market share
from retail is a foregone conclusion.
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2. VALUE IN VOGUE
However, this flat and unpredictable economy means shoppers will be spending about the same
as last year, seeking value at every turn.
How do you see the current economic climate impacting your overall holiday spending; will
you be spending more, less or about the same amount than last year on holiday gifts?
We were struck by the number of times “good value” was cited as being important to the
consumers surveyed. Getting a good value - including actual price - is top-of-mind when selecting
a retailer of choice. Customers are more challenging today because over the years the definition
of good value has fluctuated as shoppers balance time constraints, convenience and compelling
offers when making their final selections. To see “good value” as the #1 answer, rating higher than
the actual price and more important than broad assortments or the “everyday low price” being
touted by a number of retailers, means that price is now just one of several indicators. It is about
a total package in the consumer’s mind as so many more elements go into their final choice of
merchant.
How important is each of these PRODUCT/PRICE factors when making choices about
which merchants you wish to do business with? (Top-2 Most/Somewhat Important)
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Value does not always mean the lowest price but is likely a combination of a fair price along with
a free shipping offer. Free remains top-of-mind and merchants must look hard at how they can
profitably compete. Last year there was an emphasis on daily deals and limited-time sales as one
in five shoppers bought a holiday gift from sites with these tactics according to comScore. We fully
expect that trend to continue.
3. MEGA MOBILE EMBRACE
Our third key finding from the research is not likely to be a surprise for any merchant, namely, the
embrace of mobile by shoppers to both research and purchase. From smartphones to tablets,
customers will seek out devices and channels that are most convenient at any given time. With
22% of shoppers having already made a mobile purchase this year, the industry is on track to see
exponential use of mobile throughout Holiday 2012. Survey results indicate that almost twice as
many shoppers plan to purchase gifts via mobile devices this year versus last as usage escalates.
Do you plan to purchase gifts via your mobile devices this holiday season?
4. AMAZON DOMINATION
One would be hard-pressed not to recognize the importance of Amazon as they nip at the
heels of every retailer. Their mastery of delivering a personalized experience, logistical prowess
and retention tactics that are second to none mean all retailers must be on guard. Amazon will
continue to garner a greater share-of-wallet as 57% plan to make at least one-fourth of their
holiday gift purchases on Amazon while 29% intend to purchase more than one-half their gifts on
the site. Just when one might expect consumer interest to be capped it appears that spending on
Amazon knows no boundaries -- at least in the near term.
What percent of your online holiday gift purchases will be spent at Amazon?
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS START HERE
Your shoppers are as agile as ever as they look to make their shopping lists in anticipation of
the upcoming holiday season. Now is the time to complete a last minute review of your gifting
experience from onsite to mobile to ensure that your tactics are timely, your execution flawless
and that the choices consumers crave are accessible. Knowing that there is still time to get it right,
we are serving up 30 recommendations to help ramp up your holiday performance.
SURVEY OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
Survey Objective
We created the survey to find the consumer voice regarding their proposed online, mobile and
social shopping behavior as it relates to gifting and Q412 holiday shopping, including tactics that
resonate with them and untapped merchant opportunities.
Methodology and Sample Summary
1,136 consumers completed an online questionnaire in September 2012. The sample was 50%
female/50% male; participants had shopped online four or more times in the past year, typically
spending $250 or more online annually.
What is your age?
Which of the following best represents your combined
annual household income before taxes?
What is the highest level of education
that you have completed to date?
How many children 18 years of age or younger do you
have living at home with you?
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ECOMMERCE GARNERS GREATER ATTENTION
GENERAL GIFTING PLANS
The projected boost in buying sets the stage for our forthcoming recommendations:
• 36% plan to spend more than $800 on family/friends vs. 27% last year
• This holiday season consumers surveyed will purchase 10-12 gifts on average while 37%
intend to buy 16 or more
• Cross-category consumption is seen with books/music, gift cards, clothing and accessories,
consumer electronics and toys/video games seeing strong purchase likelihood
WHERE AND WHY THEY BUY: CHANGING CHANNELS
eCommerce continues to reap growth rewards with one in three respondents intending to do all
or most of their shopping on the Internet.
It is exciting to see the trajectory of mobile rise with 16% vs. 3% last year taking advantage of
mobile devices to do a majority of their shopping.
For your overall gift buying this holiday season, how much of your shopping do
you intend to do in each of these channels? (Top-2 All/Most Shopping)
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OUR 30 CAN-DO RECOMMENDATIONS
Our hope is that this repository of best practices will contain inspiring ideas for 2012 as we
believe there is still time to execute onsite, via email, mobile and social means.
1. CREATIVELY GUIDE SHOPPERS TOWARDS CONVENIENT SOLUTIONS
With competition fierce, it will be essential to go the extra mile to acquire and retain shoppers.
An understanding of shopper holiday behavior can provide insights to suggest messaging and
merchandising that will resonate with potential customers.
Saving money, searching out hard-to-find products and saving time top the reasons shoppers buy
gifts online.
Rate the reasons you buy gifts online from 1-5 with “5” being the most important
reason and “1” the least important. (Top-2 Very/Somewhat Important)
Many retailers will attempt to tap into “savings” messages by putting forth value propositions
to lure consumers. Shoppers have short attention spans as consumers spend on average 6
minutes/54 seconds on a site with page views down from 12 to 6.7 (IBM). Under such time-starved
circumstances, retailers must get creative to guide shoppers. During this harried period, spell
out the choices to save those “lazy” shoppers time as the irreverent Moosejaw did in one of our
favorite holiday emails. They wisely display navigation with price-point segmentation, reinforcing
free two-day shipping on all orders over $75 and have social links present for their sociallyminded shoppers.
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Moosejaw: 12/13/2011
Subject Line: Moosejaw’s Lazy Gift Guide Thing + Free Hoody
2. REINFORCE TACTICAL AND SERVICE DIFFERENTIATORS
It is no longer enough to simply have features in place; messaging to the conveniences shoppers
seek and tactics they have come to expect is mandated. Overlaying Giggle’s brand personality
via Ali’s Top 10 holiday favorites seals the deal. Other winning tactics include free shipping and a
reminder of their complimentary gift wrap.
Giggle: Onsite Gift Center
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3. STAND OUT IN A CROWD
Reputation impacts where most shoppers choose to do business; the ease of finding merchants
and past experience also merit attention. It cannot be emphasized enough that in our “Google
culture” consumers need to be able to easily find your store via search. Therefore, merchants must
continually monitor their presence and ensure that natural search rankings are strong across-theboard.
How important is each of these MERCHANT/BRAND factors when making choices about
Nordstrom always comes to mind as a merchant with one of the best reputations in the business.
They excel from assortment to service. Taking care of the customer in an omni-channel world is
core to their success and their status. The importance of retaining shoppers should also be noted
as it is much more costly to acquire a new customer than to retain one you already have. Rewards
points are an ongoing area of focus for this retailer and many others as 67% of the 100 merchants
surveyed by the e-tailing group (EG100) last holiday season had a program in place, up from 57%
the prior year.
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4. VISUALIZE YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION
It is no longer sufficient to rely on the status quo; like L.L Bean you must remind customers of your
value proposition. We selected this email example for its visual appeal that combines everything
shoppers are looking for from time-savings to convenience. Great gifts and the ever popular gift
card serve as the perennial favorites along with always-in-demand free shipping. Topping off this
execution is reinforcement of the “easy factor” along with Bean’s 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
promise. The bottom-line is that it will be risk free to shop with L.L. Bean this holiday season.
L.L. Bean
Email: 11/1/2011
Subject Line: Five Ways to Happier Holidays
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5. NAIL THE BASICS
It has long been known that timely delivery of the goods may be more important than the
product itself. The ability to ship coupled with guaranteed on-time delivery severely impacts
merchant choice as the chart below indicates. Convenience associated with a flexible return
policy and free returns is significant as well.
How important is each of these CUSTOMER SERVICE factors when making choices about
Zappos built their business on this vision and continues to support the model even today. They
have showcased as part of navigation their 365-Day Return Policy. A header tout for next day
delivery for orders placed before 1PM highlights these points of differentiation.
Zappos: Onsite Brand Building Holiday Best Practices
6. BE THERE WHEN CUSTOMERS NEED YOU
Customer assistance is all about “being there” based on customer preference. With so many
new potential touchpoints, retailers must evaluate which options best suit their business. As this
chart indicates, monitoring mobile and chat will be more important than ever for the holidays
and heading into 2013. eBags puts forth a help center that allows shoppers to quickly find their
concern and make the necessary connections.
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Thinking about a website’s CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, rate each feature from 1-5 with “5” being
the most important and “1” the least important when buying gifts online. (Top-2 Most/Somewhat
Important)
7. ACCELERATE GIFT GIVING CAPABILITIES TO MEET CONSUMER DEMAND
The importance of gifting conveniences starts with traditional gift cards, followed by the
efficiencies of multiple ship-to and standard gift messaging. Overall gifting tools increase in value
among shoppers year-over-year, setting a high benchmark for merchants to meet.
Thinking about a website’s GIFTING TOOLS, rate each feature from 1-5 with “5“ being the most
important and “1” the least important when buying gifts online. (Top-2 Most/Somewhat Important)
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8. TURN UP THE DIAL ON GIFT CENTERS VIA EDITORIAL EXCITEMENT AND CREATIVE
EXECUTION
Revisit gift centers onsite and those promoted via email to ensure you put a fresh spin on an old
favorite. Sundance uses a standard treatment that thoughtfully incorporates all the necessary
customer service details for a one-stop example. Net-A-Porter directs their customers via a gift
list that cleverly highlights recommended favorites.
9.
Sundance
Onsite gift center
Net-A-Porter: 11/12/2011
Subject Line: The gift hit list
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HEIGHTEN VISIBILITY FOR GIFT CARD PLACEMENT
Knowing that one in four of our respondents will rely on gift cards for 26% or more of their holiday
purchases means retailers must ensure they are strategically placed onsite and via all available
channels. The ability to customize and personalize with redemption across all channels is optimal
since mobile and social dynamics will push more shoppers to look for eGifting as the holiday
clock winds down. Over the years we have seen strong placement at the home page, category
page and gift center. Both traditional and eCards deserve last minute messaging. They are perfect
for merchandising in customer service, post-order communication and retail locators given the
high level of traffic seen for each of these destinations.
What percent of your online holiday gift purchases will be spent on gift cards/certificates?
10. THINK GIFTER BUT MESSAGE TO PERSONAL CONSUMPTION AS WELL
Gifting execution includes multiple ship-tos, messaging and seizing wish list opportunities. It
should also be noted that three out of four shoppers plan to purchase “deals” beyond gifts this
holiday season. Ensure that you reinforce those opportunities as seen in this American Eagle
Outfitters example that incorporates shop by price and wish list.
American Eagle Outfitters:
Onsite Gift Center
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11. TRY A TWIST ON THE TRIED-AND-TRUE
New products and top sellers have long been standards of year-round selling. Retailers must now
move beyond the basics to find success with shoppers. Creative messaging for an old favorite
may be just the oomph needed to move the needle as seen in redEnvelope’s call out of new gifts
and Tory Burch’s twist on the date 11/11/11.
redEnvelope: 10/18/2011
Subject Line: The new gifts are in!
See what’s new for every occasion. Save 15%
Tory Burch: Onsite promotion
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12. TOUT YOUR CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN AUTHENTIC SELL
User-generated content has become one of the most powerful selling strategies for retailers
as consumers embrace content from both friends and retail employees. While basic execution
prevails, elevating reviews resonates with shoppers. Harry & David goes local by sharing the
purchase preferences of customers near you while the strength of The Container Store associates
pervades their employee favorites’ presentation.
The Container Store: 11/08/2011
Subject Line: Trust our employees to pick great gifts
Harry & David: 11/01/2011
Subject Line: Top-rated gifts from customers near you
13. SEGMENT TO BETTER REACH TARGET AUDIENCES
Targeting unique audiences allows for a more focused message as seen in this example
showcasing Home Depot’s “Gifts That Work.” They introduce their gift card and build the theme
around navigation cleverly introducing it into the visual scheme.
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Home Depot: Onsite Gift Center
Brooks Brothers, a stronghold in the apparel market, positions many products likely to be on the
holiday wish lists “his and hers” customers. They adhere to the rules of providing customer service
information and services while reminding customers that they should visit one of their nearby
stores.
Brooks Brothers: 11/07/2011
Subject Line: Introducing our
Holiday Gift Guide
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14. THINK PRECISION REGARDING PROMOTIONAL PLAYS
Making precise promotional plays can make or break a season with severe impact on margin and
the bottom-line. According to our research, one in three shoppers will not pay full price. A perfect
present, hard-to-find product, typically full price items or those tied into a free shipping promotion
spur full price purchasing.
What will it take for you to pay full price for gifts this holiday season? Check all that apply.
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Savings start with free unconditional shipping while dollars off and online sales also see traction.
A look at the range of promotions and how they will likely resonate with with shoppers can serve
merchants well as they put the finishing touches on promotional strategies and delivery cadence.
Take note, when asked why they do not intend to purchase more gifts online, 43% cited shipping
charges being too high.
Which of the following types of awould you be most likely to take advantage of when
shopping online this holiday season? (Top-2 Most/Somewhat Likely)
15. FREE FINDS FOLLOWERS
Explore the many ways to
position “free” particularly
as not all retailers are in a
financial position to extend
unconditional free shipping
to each and every customer.
Target starts with their
REDcard and references
everyday free shipping that
is extended along with their
easy in-store returns. Black
Friday comes early as Things
Remembered tees up many
ways to say free with BOGO
and free monogramming
while tossing in free shipping
on orders over $50.
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16. MIXING UP OFFERS MAKES FOR COMPELLING SHOPPING
REI takes a theme-based approach that appeals to the adventurer in us all by putting forth a
coupon for 30% off any one REI-brand item. Their free two-day shipping offer is also compelling
because it reassures shoppers that their gifts will be on the way in a timely fashion. Bath & Body
Works can be counted on to pack a series of gift giving ideas into their gift center. That includes
highlighting products by price-point to reinforce “value” shopping, along with stocking stuffers
and the ability to view their holiday gift guide.
Bath & BodyWorks
Online Gift Center
REI: 12/16/2011
Subject Line: Gift Guide + Free shipping + 30% off
one REI-brand Item
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FOUR KEY THEMES SET THE TONE FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING
17. REVIEW YOUR EMAIL CADENCE AND CONTENTS
Email has not lost its luster and weekly receipt is still favored though some merchants have
managed a much more aggressive stance where 20% of respondents find daily or multi-week
promotions acceptable. Beyond traditional promotions, offers that deliver immediate savings are
still the most desirable. Mobile/social emails see strong year-over-year growth so ensuring that
you have added those channels to your community strategy is ideal.
Please rank the types of email content that you would be most likely to respond to
from your favorite retailers this holiday season where “5” is the most likely and “1”
the least likely. (Top-2 Most/Somewhat Likely)
18. UPGRADE CONFIRMATIONS TO RETAIN CUSTOMERS
Confirmations are an excellent opportunity to bring your customers back for more. There are a
multitude of possibilities that start with reinforcing gift card strategies, highlighting free shipping
provisions like L.L. Bean and even allowing customers to “Win their Wishes” as American Eagle
Outfitters does so well in the example below. Lowes knows that last-minute purchases either result
in gift card selections or lead to a store visit; accordingly this dynamic duo rounds out their order
confirmations. A sidebar: positioning social links and encouraging email signups can help bolster
one’s base for marketing in the coming year.
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CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS VIA MOBILE
One of the most prominent changes seen year-over-year in our research is the growing role of
mobile in consumers’ lives. Factoring in the power of phones along with a customized experience
presented to shoppers will be essential as consumers will work across channels to research
and buy based on convenience. This holiday season, 20% of retail site visits will originate from
mobile devices where 13% will have a sale associated with them (IBM). One in five of our survey
respondents had already made a purchase in the past 12 months and they are poised to buy even
more this holiday season.
19. MAKE IT A MOBILE CHRISTMAS
It will certainly be a mobile Christmas as core categories see greater mobile interest in the
coming months. Category consumption is comprehensive with clothing (48%), books/magazines
(47%), computer hardware/software (43%), consumer electronics (41%) and gift cards (37%) all
seeing purchasing from at least one in three shoppers. HSN does a wonderful job of visualizing
merchandising core to their business model to inspire shoppers to make an array of purchases via
their mobile devices.
20. CREATE MOBILE DESTINATIONS FOR GIFT GIVING
Almost twice as many shoppers plan to purchase gifts via mobile devices
this year versus last year so taking advantage of gifting favorites as well
as easy access via price-point and recipient greases the path to purchase.
Gift cards are expected to be a large part of mobile purchasing and
should also be presented as Coach does in their mobile gift center.
An overwhelming 82%
of mobile shoppers
plan to use retail apps
for purchasing gifts this
holiday season making
reminders in this regard
valuable as well.
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21. EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMERS TO YOUR MOBILE OFFERINGS
It is not enough to be mobile, you must also remind shoppers that they can access your brand via
their favorite mobile device. Crate & Barrel has dedicated real estate on their site to let you know
they are now accessible via mobile.
Mobile devices gain ground for coupon redemption, researching – and purchasing. Knowledge of
current consumer behavior patterns should be kept in mind as development efforts are evaluated.
Thinking about the following ways you might interact via mobile
phone or related devices this holiday season, how likely are you to
partake in the following behavior? (Top-2 Very/Somewhat Likely)
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22. TEXTING MAKES SHOPPING IN AN INSTANT MORE POSSIBLE
To date, 46% of consumers have shared their phone number with retailers to receive promotional
texts, a 12% increase over 2011. The ability to quickly reach consumers along with mobile
subscriber base growth bodes well for Holiday 2012 outbound reach. Cabela’s shares the benefits
of signing up then presents easy three-step instructions for shoppers to receive their instant alerts.
User experience and security concerns will keep some shoppers from purchasing gifts via mobile
devices therefore making sure you deliver a device-optimized experience is imperative. This
should include crisp merchandising, clear images and a checkout experience that is streamlined
for these time-starved shoppers.
Price checking drives incremental usage of phones prior to store visits along with accessing store
details and products. Based on these year-over-year increases shoppers will be armed more than
ever via mobile phones to check for sales (42%), look for competitive pricing at Amazon (41%),
gather store information and browse their favorite stores (37%).
There will be similar growth in mobile phone usage in-store as well since at least one in five are
frequently/often using their smartphones as point-of-purchase shopping tools. Retail investment is
warranted to embrace this evolving omni-channel behavior.
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PRIOR TO VISITING a physical store this holiday season, how likely are you to do each
of the following activities with your smartphone? (Top-2 Frequently/Often)
23. SIZE UP SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND GET IN THE GAME
The opportunity to connect with holiday shoppers is a once a year event that should not be
overlooked. Our survey indicates twice as many respondents made a purchase from a social
networking site in the past 12 months vs. 2011. While interest is still relatively low, more plan to
participate in commerce-related social activities than last year so now is the time to take a look at
onsite social opportunities from reviewing to sharing products as a means of capitalizing on visits
and the viral nature of social shopping online.
How often do you expect to PARTICIPATE in each of the following activities over the
holiday season? (Top-3 All the Time/Very Often/Sometimes?
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The quest for savings is channel-agnostic extending to social networking as shoppers report that
free shipping offers (41%) would be the greatest influencer to making a purchase on a social
networking site this holiday season while rewards/loyalty points (35%) and exclusive discounts
follow closely behind (34%) and daily deals (32%). It is interesting to note that year-over-year gains
are significant indicating that shopping and social are coming together more than in the past.
What would influence you to complete a purchase on a social
networking site this holiday season? (Top-2 Very/Somewhat Likely)
Move beyond the mundane to reach shoppers. Blogs are one opportunity to talk to customers
and campaigns can be effectively introduced for capitalizing on merchant traffic like Belk and
Ross-Simons have done so effectively.
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CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS VIA MOBILE
“The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing,” according to Joshua Harris in I Kissed
Dating Goodbye. With this in mind it is certainly insightful that one in three shoppers may start
early but most procrastinators plan to hold out until December to finish their holiday shopping.
This means there will always be significant dollars in play in December. Messaging must be timely
and address the mood and mindset of that shopper at that given moment.
When do you typically start and finish your holiday shopping?
Start
Finish
SEP OR
BEFORE
36%
6%
OCT
NOV
DEC
23%
5%
34%
19%
7%
70%
Bed Bath & Beyond: 12/20/2011
Subject Line: The perfect size gift is 2” x 3”
24. READY PROMOTIONS FOR ALL KEY HOLIDAYS
A look at shopper behavior on key holidays reveals that almost one in two shoppers will take
advantage of online holidays and their associated deals. Even those recently created holidays
such as “Free Shipping Day” warrant attention as they are recognized by many shoppers seeking
promotions from a cross-section of their favorite retailers.
Do you expect to shop online during any of the following holiday
promotional days? Check all that apply.
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25. SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN MEANS TESTING EARLYBIRD BEHAVIOR
Encourage early-bird purchasing and follow in the footsteps of eBags who shares a bonus coupon
with potential buyers. Reinforcing their gift giving with confidence also sends a strong message
for new customers.
eBags: 11/03/2011
Subject Line: 25% Off Holiday Preview Coupon expires tomorrow!
26. ZERO IN ON KEY HOLIDAYS
Taking note of the top selling days in last year’s holiday season provides indications for the 2012
performance pattern. Starting with Cyber Monday, shopper spending surged followed by Green
Monday as many retailers cut off ground shipping close to this date. Any and all of these should
be on every retailer’s radar screen; evaluating year-over-year offers and exploring new ways to
capitalize on customer favorites.
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Apple’s simple Black Friday message resonates with shoppers onsite and promoted via email.
Consistency in execution counts as shoppers are reminded not to miss out on this all-important
event.
Apple: 11/25/2011
Subject Line: Today only. Special shopping event
Sephora takes advantage of Black Friday by highlighting exclusives and calling out “free” to entice
visitors to download their mobile app and receive a complementary chic sleeve and receive a
complementary chic sleeve. Crutchfield extends perennial free shipping for a limited time to
encourage shoppers to take advantage of deals before December promotions kick in.
Sephora: 11/24/2011
Subject Line: Black Friday
Crutchfield: 11/27/2011
Subject Line: Ending soon: Great holiday deals that end 11/28
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Tease up the holidays with a touch of humor around Thanksgiving as both Bounce and King
Arthur Flour do in their clever creative treatments. This is especially important as in boxes will be
stuffed and shoppers discriminating relative to merchant and product selection.
Bounce: 11/26/2011
Subject Line: Post-Turkey Impact-Shop
for Support!
King Arthur Flour: 11/11/2011
Subject Line: Beyond the bird – Thanksgiving
sides
27. MAKE A CROSS-CHANNEL CONNECTION
Merchants with a brick and mortar presence should use email and onsite messaging to remind
shoppers to visit their retail stores. Encourage checking product availability and in-store pickup
which is both convenient for customers and efficient for all parties. Ideally shoppers will then
spend more time and more money when they are enjoying the spirit of the season within the
retail confines.
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Crate&Barrel: 11/22/2011 Subject Line: Last-minute Thanksgiving essentials.
Shop online and pick up in stores.
28. SERVICE STARTS WITH THE REINFORCEMENT OF DELIVERY TIMES
Every communication with customers from Thanksgiving and times thereafter suggests an
opportunity to remind shoppers of shipping cut-off dates. This tactic is universally displayed on
91% of the EG100 sites we review each holiday season and should be mandatory for keeping
customers informed. Gap outlines their shipping schedule onsite while EBGames has built out a
“Holiday Survival Guide” destination that serves as a one-stop guide for customer service hours
and shipping deadlines along with messaging that drives customers to retail while highlighting
gift cards for no-brainer gift giving.
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29. CROSS-CHANNEL TACTICS COURT LAST MINUTE BUYERS
Both Coach and Home Depot note the role of buy online and pickup in-store. Coach’s messaging,
consisting of “Fast, Faster, Fastest,” lets the customer know which choices are available then they
can decide what suits them at any given moment while Home Depot emphasizes the “today”
opportunity.
Coach: 12/23/2011
Subject Line: There’s still time to get the perfect gift.
The Home Depot: 12/22/2011
Subject Line: Buy Last-Minute Gifts Online for Pickup at Your
Local Home Depot
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30. HAPPY NEW YEAR
Too often retailers forget about readying messaging for the New Year. Here CWDkids is ready to ring it in
right with markdowns and new products for more productive selling.
CWDkids: 12/19/2012
Subject Line: Save $20.12 - Hurry Offer
Expires January 1, 2012!
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HO, HO, HO: LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY REFLECTIONS
The time is now and the clock is ticking so we hope you consider these eight last-minute
reflections as you put the finishing touches on your holiday season.
1.Give customers the confidence to buy more through stellar execution,
differentiated assortments and exemplary service.
2.Ensure your site is comprehensive where product and category information
support researching dynamics.
3.Elevate onsite gifting experiences by taking a twist on the standards while
at the same time encouraging self-consumption.
4.Ensure you have a plan in place for free shipping while mixing up
a series of promotional tactics that will resonate with your shoppers.
5.Revisit your holiday calendar marketing cadence to take advantage
of seasonal spending patterns and be prepared for last minute shoppers.
6.Evaluate email strategies as last minute revisions are more realistic.
7.Think mobile and ensure that you have optimized user experiences
for smartphones and tablets to enable purchasing and omni-channel connections.
8.Get in the social game by testing marketing initiatives,
factoring in the always favored discount for fans.
www.marketlive.com
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www.marketlive.com
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For more information:
www.marketlive.com
HEADQUARTERS:
MarketLive, Inc. • 617 B 2nd Street
Petaluma, California 94952
Main: 1-877-341-5729 • E-mail: info@marketlive.com

Fa, La, La... 30 Last Minute Tricks to Maximize Holiday Selling

Transcription

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