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BFCM (Black Friday, Cyber Monday) trends have been particularly dynamic over the last few years, between Covid, supply chain issues and high levels of inflation, consumers were understandably nervous. This year however we are looking forward to a much more optimistic outlook.
Our Customer Success Team have put together the following Peak Trading Guide 2023 to help you prepare for a successful peak trading period and beyond ! We have also recorded a Peak Trading Webinar , grab a coffee and take a few mins to watch our Prepare for Peak Trading Webinar, you will find links to all the support articles mentioned in the Webinar and many more in the Guide below.
Be Prepared
Planning is key to a successful peak trading period. Do you know what product ranges you want to push, have you sufficient stock, what discounts to offer, what campaigns to run, what channels to use and do you have the assets and resources in place to make the magic happen.
Also don’t forget to record your numbers and take the time during the peak trading period to review what is happening and be prepared to pivot if necessary
Create a Buzz
Use email marketing and social media to tease your customers with sneak peaks of your upcoming product launches and discounts.
Optimise Your Product Detail Page
- Use Icons on product details page to captivate customers attention, Exclusive, Selling Fast, Free Shipping will all help to grab the attention of a busy shopper.
- Take every opportunity to upsell and feature related products, this is a fantastic way to encourage your customers to increase their basket value. For more detail see Related Products and Upselling functionality
- Employ Out of Stock email alerts so you never miss an opportunity to convert a sale when you restock.
- Drive demand and boost conversion with Advanced Stock messages like Only 2 Remaining, Low Stock Buy Now.
- Encourage customers to increase their basket value by displaying how much more they need to spend to get free shipping “Spend another X to get free Shipping”
- For multi outlet retailers allow customers to view Instore Stock Availability across your store network from the product detail page. Offer them the control to select home delivery or the option to collect from their local store.
Convert, Convert, Convert
- Shine a light on high priority products using the Dynamic Merchandising Widget which provides the capability to position an automated panel of products across various pages throughout your site based on an analytics algorithm set and managed by the Retailer.
- Increase your conversion rate by optimising your search results so that the correct products appear first for the appropriate keywords. Remember the AB Commerce Search module offers Search as you Type functionality to enhance the overall customer experience.
- For the reluctant shopper make it easy with Gift Guides like Gifts for Mum and Gifts for Teenagers etc, Gift Hampers and Online Gift Vouchers will also help those shoppers who have run out of ideas.
- Ensure you are optimising any third party personalisation functionality, now is the time to review and enhance.
- For high ticket items like TVs, gift hampers, expensive brands, why not offer the option for the customer to pay in instalments with Humm.
Stand out from the Crowd with Superior Customer Service
Superior customer service will bring customers back to your online store long after the peak trading period. Everything from their first interaction with you, to transparent and fair delivery and returns policies are crucial in developing long lasting relationships with your customers.
Surprise your customers, add free samples with orders, allow your customers to add gift messages, go above and beyond with customer service, or offer a discount on next purchase.
Time is of the essence during the peak trading period so take the stress out of your customers shopping experience and reassure your customers that their purchases will arrive on time and that you will deal with any issues that might arise without delay. Use Live Chat to bring that gap between the instore and online experience. Consider using a Countdown Widget to advertise delivery deadlines and create a sense of urgency.
Resources to help you prepare for a Successful Peak Trading Period
Discover the following “How to Guides” to Supercharge your Online Store
Use these videos to guide you on how to optimise your online store for the busy period ahead. Should you require any assistance don’t hesitate to contact helpdesk@magico.com
AB Commerce blog 