With all the snow we've had so far this winter, those of you who did your Christmas shopping early were undoubtedly relieved that you got it all done ahead of time. Indeed, figures show that online Christmas shopping started earlier in 2010 than in the previous year, with September gift sales seeing an increase of more than 70%, according to IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. What this shows is that online shoppers are getting more savvy: by doing their shopping earlier they can spread out the cost of Christmas and find better deals rather than resorting to last-minute impulse-buying as Christmas approaches.

what does this mean for online retailers?

First and foremost it means that online retailers need to be prepared. Stock should be ready for shipping well in advance, ideally by September or so. Products should be photographed, product descriptions written, and pricing – particularly special offers or sale pricing – finalised around the same time.

If you’re a smaller online retailer, it’s all too easy to let the Christmas shopping season sneak up on you; this is particularly true if you are busy or understaffed or just trying to keep up with the demands of running a small business. However, if considered and prepared for properly, Christmas sales promotions can give a much-needed boost to your end-of-year sales figures and revenues without greatly increasing your workload.

January is a great time to take a look at your Christmas sales and think about what you can do to improve when next Christmas rolls around. Planning should take your marketing strategy into account, from SEO campaigns at the start of the year to email marketing campaigns at regular intervals throughout the year.

You already know your existing customer base wants to shop with you. All you need to do is remind them that you are there and are thinking about their needs. Winning new customers requires a bit more work, but this can be achieved through SEO and targeted marketing campaigns throughout the year. Customers who purchase from you earlier in the year are more likely to come back again for their Christmas shopping. Even something as simple as giving customers a percent-off discount on their next order or setting free delivery days in the run-up to Christmas can work well, whether you’re targeting new or existing customers.

If you’re interested in doing a post-Christmas recap of your business, or want to start planning ahead for this year and don’t know where to start, just give us a call. Our team of online marketing and e-commerce pros can give you whatever level of guidance you need to make sure your next Christmas season is a commercial success.

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