Selling online is a great subject to write about as it is constantly changing and evolving. Each month new start-up businesses bring in new ideas. There are lots of opportunities to improve your online business for B2B or B2C.
If you have any questions about eCommerce try our FAQs and Ideas Center or just send us a comment or email.
"Yeah OK, but there's still 50 days till Christmas so don't hassle me!" Is this what you're thinking? What impact will COVID have on Christmas and the holiday period sales?
Holiday sales normally start to really ramp up as we get closer to Christmas but there are definite peaks along the way. That can mean great opportunities for online retail. It starts early and builds up until we've exhausted our bank accounts in early January. But this year sales have been booming for most online retailers and stock supplies have been a major issue. So planning is more important than ever.
"Yeah OK, but there's still 100 days till Christmas so don't hassle me!" Is this what you're thinking? If so then you better change your mind quickly or risk missing out on this important sales period. Holiday sales start to really ramp up as we get closer to Christmas but there are definite peaks along the way. That can mean great opportunities for online retail. It all starts early September and builds up until we've exhausted our bank accounts in early January.
It is just 55 days left until Christmas at the time of writing this post. Online merchants who leave the preparations for the Holiday sales and Christmas to the last minute risk missing out on holiday sales and an opportunity of gaining new customers. Christmas is the biggest retail sales period of the year for the vast majority of businesses. Sales increases related to holiday spending start in late September and peak late November to early December. There are plenty of issues to think about so start early and be prepared!
This year it is expected that the latest that you will be able to order online and expect delivery before Christmas will be Friday 21th December for most Australian deliveries. Australia Post have already provided some advice to merchants regarding deliveries during the Christmas and Holiday season.
Every year we hear of stories about retailers who leave the preparations for the Holiday sales and Christmas to the last minute and then wonder why they don't do well. Christmas is the biggest retail sales period of the year for the vast majority of businesses. Sales increases related to holiday spending start in late September and peak late November to early December. There are heaps of issues to think about so start early and be prepared!
This year it is expected that the latest that you will be able to order online and expect delivery before Christmas will be Wednesday 20th December for most Australian deliveries. Australia Post have already advised for the international sea-mail cutoff dates however they have yet to announce the Australian dates.
Every year we hear of stories about retailers who leave the preparations for the Holiday sales and Christmas to the last minute and then wonder why they don't do well. Christmas is the biggest retail sales time of the year for the vast majority of businesses. Sales increases related to holiday spending start around late September and peak late November to early December. There are heaps of issuses to think about so start early.
This year it is expected that the latest that you will be able to order online and expect delivery before Christmas will be Tuesday 20th December for most Australian deliveries. Australia Post have already advised for the international sea-mail cutoff dates however they have yet to announce the Australian dates.
Our advice to make the most from the opportunity of great retail holiday sales is to plan and prepare now. How long does it take you to pick, pack and ship? That will determine the last date for selling online and delivering by Christmas. Remember there may be backlogs in delivery so check with your shipping agent. What are the peak number of orders that you can handle each day and still get the deliveries out? Maybe you need some temporary staff to help you get through the holiday rush.
Being prepared is as simple as asking a few simple questions about your business.
Every year Christmas is the dominant retail sales period in Australia and New Zealand if not worldwide. Worldwide trends have been favourable for online shopping and the latest can provide some new confidence for online sellers. The trend is for more people to buy online being driven by many factors and this is unlikely to slow.
It might be a good time to review your overall eCommerce strategy and to look at how you can develop a more successful online business.
You can take some time to consider how you will deal with;
Spending a little time developing your plan and strategy can deliver better short and long term sales results and higher margins. It might also be a good time to look at promotional micro-sites to target the Christmas traffic.
Buying online for Christmas starts as early as September but the real peak starts from late-November. This year we will expect to see a busy and a longer buying period. The after Christmas, New Years sales, will still be important to sell off overstocked items at bargain prices.
Simple strategies to improve sales and conversions:
Check you website on your mobile
Over 50% of your potential buyers will come via a mobile this year. That might mean you can get more sales and more profit if those visitors can find and buy a product on a mobile. Don't expect your website to look the same on a mobile as a laptop or tablet. Your website needs to be mobile friendly. eCorner websites are mobile friendly but if you have not checked and optimised your content for mobiles it might need some work.