If you’re anything like us then you probably haven’t quite finished (or started) your post-summer holiday ironing (or washing) but with less than 73 sleeps to go, you’ve got the perfect excuse to put it off for even longer because you need to be getting Christmas ready. But don’t panic – the Expandly team have put together their top tips for getting you tip-top for the Christmas Season so let’s step into Christmas:
1. Review your website and e-stores
You’re going to experience increased website traffic over the coming months, so now it the perfect opportunity to ensure that your website is in perfect condition, specifically:
– Reviewing your content – is it up-to-date, relevant and correct
– Checking for broken and outdated links
– Ensuring browser compatibility, especially with the new Chrome changes
– Ensuring device compatibility – more than half of online sales are made on mobile devices – if your website doesn’t work, you will lose out
– Reviewing your search ranking on online marketplaces (such as Amazon and Etsy) and optimising your listings accordingly (handy guides here and here)
2. Categorise your items
Online shoppers will become a lot more giving over the festive season, meaning that they’ll be searching for other rather than themselves (ok, maybe a little present from me to me). It’s a great idea to offer shopping the opportunity to quickly find the gift they’re after by allowing view products by recipient and categorising your products accordingly.
– Perfume: Perfect for Mum
– Whiskey: Dad’s name on it
– Watch: Made for the other half in mind
– Chocolates: Destined for the Expandly team…sorry did we type that out loud?
A review of what sales channel(s) you’re on is also critical, making sure that you appear on the big four (Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Wish and Wish) as well as your own website/shopping cart (such as WooCommerce, Shopify and Zencart).
Multichannel management software, such as Expandly, integrates over 30 shopping carts with Amazon, eBay, wish and Etsy, making multichannel selling at Christmas time easy, available and affordable for all.
3. Check your listings and photographs
Now is also an excellent excuse to conduct an audit of all of your listing descriptions and images. Are there errors, are they optimised, are your images professional? Luckily checking, editing and perfecting your listings is quick and easy through the Expandly multichannel management dashboard. Simple.
4. Market like you mean it
You know it’s Christmas; your customers know it’s Christmas; but do they know you know it’s Christmas?
Christmas = marketing. Get in their early to let your customers know that you’re ready and waiting to have Christmas covered for them.
5. Stock up
Good inventory management is important all year round, but with an increase in items coming in and out from your website, eBay, Amazon, Wish and Etsy, it is especially important during the holiday season.
– Look at last year’s inventory reports, via the Expandly multichannel management dashboard, to plan what stock you need more and less of
– Keep a tight check on your stock levels to ensure nothing is over-sold or out of stock
– Ensure that stock is flowing in and out, improving your cash flow
Inventory management tools make this whirlwind a breeze. Read more about it here (TLDR: in a nut(cracker)shell inventory management is Christmas come early).
6. Shipping
Dates, delays and deadlines are vital at Christmas and getting these wrong can result in unhappy customers, bad feedback and brand damage. Clearly display your cut-off dates and, to be the flavour of the month, make them as late as possible, while also ensuring that everything arrives in time for the big day. The Royal Mail’s 2018 Christmas posting dates, which are all here, are:
Second Class: Tuesday 18 December
First Class: Thursday 20 December
Royal Mail Tracked 48: Thursday 20 December
Royal Mail Tracked 24: Friday 21 December
Special Delivery: Saturday 22 December
7. Returns
We’ve all been there unwrapping a pair of pyjamas identical to the ones you unwrapped less than five minutes ago. Make sure your returns policy is clear to understand, easy to find and favourable. We know it’s not your fault, but generosity in this area leads to good customer vibes, which can lead to positive feedback and return customers. Don’t be a Scrooge.
8. Step into…Discounts
Black Friday (23 November), Cyber Money (26 November), Just Because Tuesday….discounts are a’plenty around the holiday season and if you miss these, you miss out. Tell people in advance and use it as an opportunity to move slow moving, get people to spend more and get people to spend early.
9. Help – I need somebody
Customer service and quick response times will set you apart from your competition. Consider increasing your hours of availability to handle queries promptly and effectively and update your website to let customers know response times may be a little longer.
10. A Time for feedback
All this extra spending can mean a lot of extra feedback – it is the season of goodwill after all. Offering gift wrapping, speedy delivery, returns, excellent customer service and all at a low (or even free) cost, will help you reap the rewards in excellent customer feedback.
11. January
December’s overshadowed sibling deserves some love too, and you should spend time now planning and preparing for January sales – you’ll thank yourself later.
12. And on the 12th day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me:
Relaxing time! Getting prepped for Christmas now, will not only make the holiday season much easier but come the big day, you’ll be able to relax and have a bit of holiday time for yourself. Enjoy – you deserve it.
Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la
About Expandly
Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.
From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small eCommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.
Find out more about Expandly Multichannel Management software