The holiday season isnât just about celebrations â itâs a prime opportunity to drive significant revenue. If you donât believe it, take this: US eCommerce retail generated $253.71 billion.
Christmas is coming fast, and the competition for holiday shoppers' attention is fierce. Racking your brains, looking for ways to stand out? Our 9 powerful holiday sales strategies will make this your most profitable holiday season yet!
As we discuss this topic, our team has rounded up the best recommendations for eCommerce brands like yours. Check them out:
- Review BFCM sales performance
- Run BFCM extended promotions
- Decorate the website with holiday-style
- Launch early-access deals for loyal customers
- Offer special holiday collections
- Provide holiday bonus gifts
- Deliver personalized shopping experiences
- Run retargeted paid ads
- Launch post-holiday promotions
- Provide gift certificates
With these holiday sales strategies, youâll not only maximize profits but also create a stronger connection with your customers. Get ready to make this your most successful season yet!
Review BFCM sales performance
Now that the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) dust has settled. If you are wondering how to get more sales on Shopify during the upcoming holiday season, it's time to dive into the treasure trove of data left in its wake. Think of it as a post-BFCM gift â the insights that will shape your holiday success. Understanding the importance of this analysis is like having Rudolph guide your sleigh through a foggy night â itâs a game-changer.
Key Areas to Analyze
1. Conversion Rate & Sales Trends
Unwrapping the magic starts with understanding how many window shoppers turned into merry buyers. Analyze your conversion rate and sales trends to spot patterns, opportunities, and areas that need a little holiday magic.
Critical metrics: total sales, conversion rate, average order value.
đ„Â Related Article: Top 5 BFCM Marketing Ideas to Drive Sales During the Holiday Season
2. Marketing and Promotionsâ Dos and Donâts
Santa checks his list, so you should check your sales and marketing strategies twice. Identify what worked wonders and what could use a touch-up. Was it the social media campaigns, email newsletters, or maybe a special promotion? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is the secret sauce for a successful encore.
Critical metrics: website traffic, social media traffic, email click-through rate, ROI on influencer marketing.
3. Customer Feedback and Satisfaction
In the land of sugarplum fairies and satisfied customers, feedback is king. Dive into customer reviews and satisfaction scores. What delights them, and where do they wish for more? Customer feedback is your guide to making the holiday experience even merrier next time.
Critical metrics: product rating, customer lifetime value, net promoter score.
View a full list of critical eCommerce metrics and KPIs for success.
Equip Yourself with the Right Tools
Gaining data and analyzing them is quite hard work unless you have the right tools. Since you are an eCommerce entrepreneur or a Shopify store owner, letâs first think about Google Analytics and Shopify Analytics. They are widely used and will give you almost everything you want to dive deeper into your business performance.
For instance, utilize Google Analytics to track overall website performance and user interactions, while relying on Shopify Analytics for in-depth examinations of product-specific metrics and the intricacies of your store's sales funnel.
By harnessing the synergy power of that combo, you can explore the root driver/cause that boosts/slows up your business performance.
Whatâs Next?
Make Improvements Based on Analysis and Report
The sleigh journey doesnât end with data collection. You must utilize those data to craft your best holiday sales strategies. To get to the answer, it's time to put on your elf hat, roll up your sleeves, and jump into work.
Did a particular marketing channel perform exceptionally well? Double down on it! Identify pain points in the customer journey and smooth them out.
Or did a particular channel perform significantly worse? Dig deeper on the data to find out the real reason. Whether it's a lack of compelling content, ineffective targeting, or a suboptimal user experience, addressing these issues can help bring the channel up to par with the more successful ones.
For those grappling with the common issue of "having traffic but no sales," a holistic approach is necessary. Leverage insights from both Google Analytics and Shopify Analytics to understand user behavior, identify drop-off points, and refine your sales funnel.
Remember, continuous improvement is the key to staying ahead in the holiday game.
đ„ Learn more:Â How to Transform eCommerce Marketing Data into Profits in 2024
Set Goals for Christmas and New Year Sales
With BFCM insights in hand, set your sights on the twinkling lights of Christmas and New Year sales. What revenue targets are you aiming for? How can you surpass the success of BFCM? Like planning Santa's route, setting clear and achievable goals will keep your sleigh on track and your team motivated.
When defining your eCommerce strategy for the holiday season ahead, the post-BFCM analysis is your North Star. Follow it, and you'll find yourself on the path to a holiday season filled with soaring sales and satisfied customers.
Now, letâs get to the most awaited part - your playbook for the ultimate holiday sales strategies to seize the season's spirit!
9 Best Holiday Sales Strategies to Boost Your Christmas and New Year Revenue
Pre-Holiday Sales Strategies
1. Run BFCM Extended Promotions
Even though the Black Friday rush subsides, many shoppers still havenât done on their holiday shopping lists. Capitalize on this untapped need by prolonging your biggest sale event into the first week of December.
Dubbed "Cyber Monday Week" or "Extended Black Friday", these promotional periods are a powerful way to maintain shopping momentum while welcoming last-minute patrons. Offering your deepest discounts of the year for a full seven days encourages stragglers to finish tasks before the craze of the Christmas sales season starts.
Take Rei as this sales strategy example. Rei is going to launch a Cyber Week instead of just a Cyber Monday. By doing so, the brand will have more time to engage with customers on its promotions and drive more sales.
Image source: Rei
The benefits are twofold. First, it serves customers who want to complete purchases in early December rather than compete with the crowds. Second, it's a tried-and-true technique to motivate purchases from those still on the fence. After all, who can resist that perfect gift at an unbeatable price?
A quick tip for you here is customers respond best to the perception of an enhanced "limited-time" offer. Communicate the promotion heavily through email, social media, and digital ads to capture those who missed the initial deals. You can also utilize mobile-friendly on-site banners and pop-ups for some extra nudging.
By continuing your superstar sale for just a little longer, you'll keep sales climbing throughout the early holiday season. It's a simple eCommerce strategy to propel your business forward in a big way.
2. Decorate the Website with Holiday Style
94% of first impressions are related to your siteâs web design. Therefore, before executing any Christmas marketing ideas and deals, you have to refresh your online storefront with a holiday aesthetic. Decorating your digital space builds goodwill by eliciting positive emotions surrounding this special time of year.
Start by optimizing your website design and then incorporate festive elements seamlessly. Fun additions like blinking lights, falling snow, holiday music, or scrolling "Christmas sales" messages draw eyes with whimsy. Interweaving themes of gifts, food, family, and more creates a cozy ambiance shoppers will want to linger in.
And if youâre considering personalized offerings to boost customer engagement, a small but impactful step can be to create a holiday photo card online. These cards not only highlight your eCommerce brand but also connect personally with shoppers, demonstrating attention to detail and creativity.
Letâs take a sales strategy example from Kylie Cosmetics. Last year, the brand incorporated Christmas decorations and the falling snow effect in its hero section to draw shoppers' attention to the bundle offerings right when they visit the website.
Kylie Cosmetic holiday sales strategies using a festive web design. Image source: Kylie Cosmetics
Most importantly, don't forget to leverage imagery fully. Tasteful holiday photos create enticement while displaying products wrapped or in use provides real-world examples. Your store is sure to delight shoppers and cultivate feelings of warmth, joy - and, of course, better conversions!
As a pro tip, consider smart tools like Foxify Smart Page Builder to help you with an efficient holiday design. Foxify is the holiday elf that helps you effortlessly build an online store with a festive look. With a user-friendly one-click editor and 150+ high-converting templates, Foxify is your ticket to creating a digital storefront that not only showcases your products but also immerses visitors in the magic of the season.
3. Launch Early-access Deals for Loyal Customers
In the spirit of giving, why not kick off the holiday season with a special treat for your loyal customers? Launching early-access deals is not just an eCommerce strategy - it's a way of saying "Thank you for being a part of our community."
Amongst countless Christmas marketing ideas, this simple brand-building technique boosts engagement while allowing you to test demand. If exclusive deals move at a brisk pace, scale codes out to acquire new subscribers accordingly. And of course, stock will be better predicted ahead of the seasonal rush.
To execute this festive eCommerce strategy seamlessly, start by sending personalized emails to your loyal customers. Treat it like writing letters to your closest friends â warm, personal, and filled with holiday cheer. In these emails, unveil the early-access deals or share an exclusive discount code. Make them feel like they're unwrapping a special gift just for them.
As a sales strategy example, letâs take a peek at Moxielash. This cosmetics brand has mastered the art of early-access deals for loyal customers. It sent an email to only VIP customers, in which they are allowed to check out the latest collection of Moxielash before anyone else. This sales strategy creates an exclusive shopping experience for their most devoted patrons.
During-Holiday Sales Strategies
4. Offer Special Holiday Collections
Give shoppers one-stop options to complete their lists by bundling complementary items into curated collections. Especially for the holidays, ready-made gift sets boost average cart value and revenue by up to 30%.
To elevate your holiday sales strategies during the season, consider the creation of product bundles tailored specifically for the holiday season. Think of it as offering customers ready-made gift sets, simplifying their holiday shopping experience, and adding a delightful touch to their purchases.
For a seamless execution, consider using FoxKit All-in-one Sales Boost. Beyond being a mere tool, FoxKit becomes your holiday assistant, simplifying the creation of product bundles and ensuring that your special collections shine.
Take this sales strategy example from Lulus as an inspiration. This clothing brand has created holiday-themed collections for its dresses, shirts, shoes, etc. By clicking on them, shoppers can find their suitable items during the holiday season without putting too much effort into searching.
Image source: Lulus
5. Provide Holiday Bonus Gifts
Beyond bundles, incentivize purchases by including complimentary extras alongside regular orders. These low-cost perks go a long way in delighting customers during their festivities.
Providing holiday bonus gifts carries a sleigh-load of benefits, primarily focused on increasing shoppersâ satisfaction and fostering brand loyalty. According to research from Retail Touchpoints, 90% of consumers say bonus gifts will increase brand loyalty. So, think of it as sprinkling a bit of extra magic into every purchase, making your customers feel appreciated and valued.
Rather than just selling products, consider other advanced Christmas marketing ideas such as offering free add-ons with purchases. These unexpected extras act as delightful surprises, elevating the shopping experience and leaving a positive impression.
Take it a step further by creating value-added packages or gift sets. This not only simplifies the decision-making process for customers but also showcases the thoughtfulness and care your brand puts into curating the holiday experience.
Communication is key. Clearly convey the benefits and value of the bonus gifts to your customers. Whether it's through product descriptions, marketing materials, or personalized notes, make sure your customers understand the added value they receive with their purchases.
LancĂŽme Paris is a perfect sales strategy example for providing holiday bonus gifts. This cosmetic brand lets shoppers choose a free gift (value up to $136) when purchasing during the holiday season. This strategy has eventually turned each purchase into a festive celebration and fostered brand loyalty.
Image source: LancĂŽme Paris
6. Deliver Personalized Shopping Experiences
Personalization is the secret sauce to happy customers and loyal brand advocates, as it is attractive to 74% of Gen-Zers, 67% of Millennials, 61% of Gen-Xers, and 57% of Baby Boomers - reported by Salesforce. By tailoring the shopping experience, you're showing customers that you see them as individuals, not just order numbers.
On your website, take the plunge into personalization by offering personalized products. Think of it as giving your customers the ability to add their own touch to the holiday magic.
Additionally, a product recommendations section should be utilized to guide customers to items that align with their preferences and purchase history.
Learn other expert ideas to leverage personalization on your website.
Extend this personalized touch outside your website by sending personalized messages. It's like writing a heartfelt letter to a friend. Whether it's through email marketing, social media interactions, or personalized notes in shipped packages, let your customers know that you value their unique presence.
For a real-world sales strategy example, look no further than Pura Vida, a bracelet brand on Shopify. It has delivered personalized shopping experiences through the Recently Viewed Products and Recommended Products section. By looking into those sections, shoppers can find needed products more easily.
Image source: Pura Vida
Overall, see clients as multi-dimensional individuals - not mere transactions. Approaching them and your work with empathy, integrity, and compassion will do more for satisfaction and loyalty than short-term sales and marketing strategies ever could. Focusing first on service versus profit yields sustainable growth benefiting all.
Also, consumers today shop across a multitude of devices, from desktops to smartphones. Nearly 73% of shoppers utilize multiple platforms for their purchases.
To maximize sales and satisfaction, store owners must deliver shopping experiences tailored to each platform. Foxify Smart Page Builder allows you to set custom breakpoints to fine-tune your design. By utilizing this feature, you can ensure that your online store looks and functions flawlessly on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
7. Run Retargeted Paid Ads
To reach new customers and increase Shopify sales after the busy season starts, paid media plays a key role. Retargeting past site visitors on Google or social platforms maintains visibility when they're actively shopping elsewhere.
On Facebook, you can serve enticing reminders to add popular items still sitting in abandoned carts. For search, Google Ads display products relevant to past inquiries. Advanced retargeting lets showcase bundles and discounts specifically for returned traffic.
A few professional tips for effective campaigns include starting small budgets and monitoring daily for optimizations. Targeting cold audiences broadens reach while remarketing nurtures Christmas sales from warmed leads. Testing creativity like carousels versus single images provides invaluable learning too.
Moreover, ensure ads reach shoppers on relevant channels throughout their journey by linking analytics for on-site actions and conversions off-site. By attracting qualified traffic and retargeting considerately, you can increase brand awareness while driving crucial holiday revenue.
Post-Holiday Sales Strategies
8. Launch Post-Holiday Promotions
Once the Christmas and New Year sales period ends, continue courting patrons with promotions to move excess products. Launch a "Last Chance Sale" providing one final opportunity to benefit shoppers from savings before the prices rise again.
Letâs see this sales strategy example from Bose. After the end of the sales season, the brand still offered their email subscribers a chance to receive $50 off when purchasing a hot product - QuietComfort noise-canceling headphones. By emphasizing that this is a flash sale as well as the last chance to get the promotion, shoppers are motivated more to spend their money.
Image source: Really Good Emails
Post-holiday promotions come with a doubled benefit.Â
Firstly, they offer a practical solution to clear out excess inventory. By presenting enticing deals on remaining holiday stock, you transform surplus items into sought-after treasures, creating a win-win scenario for both you and your customers.
Secondly, these promotions serve as a remedy for cart abandonment during the holiday rush. Shoppers who hesitated during the bustling holiday season now get a second chance to make those desired purchases. It's akin to extending an olive branch, reminding them that the festive deals are still available and encouraging them to revisit their abandoned carts.
9. Provide Gift Certificates
As the echoes of holiday festivities fade, keep the spirit of giving alive with a thoughtful eCommerce strategy â providing gift certificates. Since 17% of American wants to receive gift certificates during the holiday season, this approach goes beyond transactions. It's a gesture that not only helps you increase Shopify sales and boost brand loyalty, but also creates opportunities for future sales and marketing strategies.
Encourage customers to not just receive but to return and redeem their certificates. Make it a seamless and rewarding experience. Whether it's a discount on their next purchase or a complimentary gift, ensure that redeeming the certificate feels like unwrapping another present.
Every transaction builds trust in reliable service and quality products. Gift cards keep customers within your ecosystem with low loyalty yield high returns over time. It's a simple tactic for sustainable future growth.
Learn how to set up a high-converting Shopify gift card.
A shining sales strategy example of effective gift certificate implementation can be found at Shapermint. This store has provided a $10 gift card with no expiration date when shoppers purchase any products. By doing so, Shapermint will enhance brand loyalty and create ongoing opportunities for future sales and marketing strategies.
Holiday Sales Strategies for Christmas and New Year - FAQs
- How can I increase my Christmas sales?
To increase your sales during Christmas, you may want to consider these practices:
- Offer free shipping
- Create gift bundles
- Run flash sales
- Personalized gifts
- Add countdown timers
- Highlight bestsellers
- Simplify checkout
- Use stock scarcity
- Run retargeting ads
- Offer last-minute digital gifts
- Promote Buy More, Save More
Do you have ideas adding to this list? We'd love to hear you out!Â
- What is sold the most during Christmas?
đ Best-selling categories during Christmas
- Clothing & Apparel: Ugly sweaters, family pajamas, and festive outfits.
- Gift Cards: Perfect last-minute gifts for all ages.
- Toys & Games: Classic toys, STEM kits, and collectibles.
- Books & Video Games: Bestsellers, childrenâs books, and new game releases.
- Food & Treats: Chocolate boxes, gourmet baskets, and holiday snacks.
- Christmas Decor: Stockings, wreaths, garlands, and festive lights.
đ Specific popular products
- Christmas Stockings: Essential for holiday traditions.
- Advent Calendars: Daily countdown fun with treats or toys.
- Matching Family Pajamas: Perfect for holiday photoshoots.
- LED Christmas Lights: Energy-efficient, colorful decor essential.
These items cater to holiday trends, family traditions, and seasonal gifting needs.
Run Your Holiday Sales Strategies and Supercharge the Season
As we wrap up our journey through the ultimate holiday sales strategies, it's time to fuel your festive success. From post-BFCM analysis to pre-holiday promotions, personalized shopping experiences, and post-holiday deals, each eCommerce strategy is a note in the symphony of your brand's holiday success.
Arm yourself with insights and a touch of holiday magic! Remember - it's not just about transactions but also about creating unforgettable moments. Get ready to power up your holiday season, making it merry, bright, and filled with satisfied customers. Here's to a season that goes beyond the ordinary, becoming a cherished chapter in your brand's story! đ„
