Text Wrap

Text messages have come a long way.When SMS, or text messages, were first introduced in the late 1990s, cellphones were the size of bricks, emojis hadn’t been invented, and most people used their mobile phones for texting and calling – and nothing else.&nbsp;Fast-forward to today, and SMS is one of the most widely used data services in the world. An estimated<a href="https://techjury.net/blog/sms-marketing-statistics/#gref" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 23 billion text messages are sent every day</a> (that’s 270,000 every second), and<a href="https://www.tatango.com/blog/90-of-text-messages-are-read-within-3-minutes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 90 percent of texts are opened within three minutes</a> of being received.Not surprisingly, text messaging is increasingly seen as a powerful channel for businesses to communicate with their customers.&nbsp;“Brands began experimenting with SMS messages a few years ago, but I think we started to hit an inflection point around the time of the COVID-19 outbreak,” says Josh Siegel, vice president of SMS at<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo</a>. During the 2021 Christmas sales period, the marketing automation platform experienced more than a 10-fold increase in the number of messages it sent on behalf of clients.This new form of mobile marketing sees businesses send a variety of texts to its customers: welcome or opt-in messages; sales alerts; appointment reminders; birthday messages; product launches; abandoned cart reminders; and customer service follow-ups.The potential to engage with customers via SMS is high, given that texts have an estimated open rate of 98 percent, compared to 20 percent for <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/marketing/what-is" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a>. According to research from Klaviyo, more than one-third of <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/operations/customer-service-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">consumers</a> choose SMS messages as their preferred channel to hear from brands. For younger <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/customer-service/customer-centricity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">consumers</a> such as Gen Z or millennials, that number is even higher, at 50 percent.

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Over one third of consumers choose SMS messages as their preferred channel to hear from brands.

“SMS is going through that curve of wild adoption, but because it is a new marketing medium, many businesses don’t know the rules around using it and how to set themselves up for success,” says Siegel.Follow this guide to nail your SMS strategy.<h3>1.	Get the basics right</h3>To start, you’ll need to sign up to a marketing automation provider, such as<a href="https://www.klaviyo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Klaviyo</a>,<a href="https://www.attentive.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Attentive</a> or<a href="https://www.smartrmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> SmartrMail</a>. These platforms will allow you to send text messages in bulk – generally from an online SMS dashboard – and will manage your data and permissions.Costs will vary, with many SMS marketing platforms offering tiered pricing, whereby you can send a specified number of messages for a monthly fee.With SmartrMail, sending 1000 contacts one SMS of 160 characters costs roughly $USD35, says Nicolas Vibert, the company’s growth manager.<a href="https://marketerhire.com/blog/sms-marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to MarketHire</a>, sending one SMS campaign per week to a list of 10,000 subscribers would cost around $USD400.By comparison, sending your customers <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/platforms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">marketing emails</a> via a basic automation platform can cost as little as a few dollars per month (with Mailerlite, you can get free plans for up to 1000 subscribers, while if you have 10,000 subscribers, sending unlimited emails costs around $USD45 per month.Keep in mind, though, that the costs associated with executing an SMS marketing campaign are lower than that of an email campaign – with no need to pay for a designer or long-form copywriter.<h3>2.	Secure customer consent</h3>Before you start sending texts, customers need to agree to receive messages from you.In the United States and much of Europe (including the UK), consent to receive SMS messages must be expressly received rather than inferred. This means customers have to check a box stating that they’re happy to receive SMS marketing texts. Laws vary from state to state and region to region, so it’s worth working with a provider to make sure you’re complying with the relevant legislation.You can collect permissions during the checkout process or through a landing page or form that appears on the website. Consider giving the customer a compelling reason to join the SMS list, such as VIP membership or an exclusive offer.

"It's a bad customer experience to send SMS messages to customers who don’t want to receive them.”&nbsp;

<h3>3.	Set your goal</h3>Next, consider the motivation behind your SMS marketing. With each text, are you seeking to welcome new customers, alert them to a promotion, invite them to an event, or re-engage with lapsed customers?Remember, every text message is an opportunity to engage with your customer and work toward converting a sale. According to Anup Khera, vice president and general manager of international at SMS marketing provider<a href="https://www.attentive.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Attentive</a>, a recent customer survey found that 63 percent of respondents who subscribed to a brand had made a purchase based on a text message exchange.See some examples of different types of texts below.The Welcome SMS:

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The Sales Pitch:

The Lure-Back:

<h3>&nbsp;4. Keep it brief</h3>As illustrated above, briefer is better when it comes to SMS marketing.&nbsp;One reason for this is cost – if you exceed the 160-character limit, you’ll pay for it. A message of 200 characters, for example, will incur the cost of two SMS messages; a message of 500 characters will be priced as three messages.Short and snappy texts are also preferable from a user perspective. “Clear, brief messages tend to perform well," says Siegel. “People glance at their phones quickly, so you have to capture their attention and it has to make sense. If you push the call to action too far down, it can be lost.”<h3>5. Experiment with images, videos and emojis</h3>“Using a picture [in a text] can be effective, but be careful what you choose,” says Siegel. “Test to see what works for your audience. The research on the use of emojis is mixed… Some people don't like it – it depends on the context and the type of business.”&nbsp;Adding emojis, images and videos to your messages will also incur extra costs. And with the current tech, a video can only be sent via a link, rather than embedded in the SMS message itself.<h3>6. Get personal</h3>Avoid a generic blast. The most common mistake made by merchants is overlooking the personalization that an SMS marketing strategy requires.“It’s really important to tailor the message, as opposed to [sending out] a blanket offer,” says Vibert. “Many merchants think that they can simply export a list of phone numbers that they accumulated over the years through their in-house booking system and just blast them with an SMS campaign every week. It will simply not be effective.”Khera agrees, adding that there is no need to use guesswork in targeting different segments via SMS. “For marketers, text messaging stands out as a channel that’s uniquely data-informed and measurable,” he says. “Its immediacy allows brands to segment and personalize messages in real time to [turn] browsers into buyers.”A partner like Attentive, LoyPal, Klaviyo or SmartrMail can pull in multiple data sources to set up segments. For example, you could group together the customers who have purchased before and are interested in the same category – then send them a relevant offer.&nbsp;“Leverage the data that you've got to tailor the message,” says Vibert. “Don’t just shoehorn <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a> content into an SMS script. Even a little bit of personalization will go a long way.”

“Clear, brief messages tend to perform well."

<h3>7. Ensure you meet content regulations</h3>In the US and Canada, SMS marketing content relating to<a href="https://smsbump.com/knowledge-base/view/prohibited-content-sms-marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> SHAFT</a> – sex, hate speech, alcohol, firearms and tobacco – is either entirely permitted, or requires an age-gate. See the<a href="https://www.wmcglobal.com/hubfs/CTIA%20Short%20Code%20Monitoring%20Handbook%20-%20v1.8.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> CTIA Handbook</a> for specific guidelines.Content restrictions around topics such as alcohol vary across the globe. Wine merchants often fall foul of this because they simply do not realise they are contravening the rules, notes Vibert.&nbsp;<h3>8. Give customers the option to opt out</h3>Always ensure there is an option to unsubscribe at the end of your texts – across the world it’s mandatory to send an opt-out message upon sign-up. In subsequent texts, it’s widely considered best practice, and is a legal requirement in some jurisdictions. Check specific regulations with your SMS marketing provider.“Aside from getting banned by the provider, [not giving customers the option to opt out makes for] a bad customer experience,” says Julian Casson, co-founder of SmartrMail. “It's such a highly personalized channel. If you're invading people's space, it will be viewed very negatively.”<h3> 9. Set and forget with automation</h3>Automated text messages can spur revenue growth by promoting flash sales and sending re-engagement messages and prompts following cart abandonment. It is preferable to run this in tandem with related email messages, but be mindful about a disjointed experience for the customer. SMS messaging can be particularly powerful for targeting customers who haven’t made a purchase for a long time (whereas an email is more likely to stay unread in the promotions folder).However, it’s important to find the sweet spot in terms of frequency when setting up automated SMS campaigns; sending text messages too frequently will lower the open rate as customers begin to disengage.“You probably don't want to send a SMS message more than once a week,” says Siegel. “If you push that further, you have to really understand the audience and be careful about your content strategy.”

"If you're invading people's space, it will be viewed very negatively.”

<h3>10. Allow for a two-way exchange</h3>SMS was never meant to be a one-way channel. So, what happens if a customer writes back to your text, seeking more information on a product or deal? Your SMS provider platform will likely be equipped with basic features that let you text directly with customers. You could also consider implementing auto-reply keywords, which let customers receive more information by sending a one-word reply (for example, ‘Text DEAL for a discount code’ or ‘Text INSTA to check out our feed’.)<h3>11. Think outside the box</h3>While many merchants stick to sales promotions and order confirmations for SMS marketing, online artwork retailer<a href="https://bluethumb.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Bluethumb</a> has utilized a more creative marketing strategy. Post-purchase, they send every buyer an SMS with a photo tile of the artwork they purchased, which can be shared on social media.“With a couple of thumb clicks, the buyer can share it on their social sites: it’s quick and seamless and it plays to the strengths of SMS with a personalized message,” says Casson, who founded Bluethumb as well as SmartrMail. “The tiles are branded [with our logo], which drives awareness for Bluethumb. It’s been a game changer.”<h3>What does the future hold for SMS marketing?</h3>When Apple recently released the iOS 16 software update in the United States, it introduced a promotions tab for SMS, just like the promotions tab for emails.As a result, are business SMS texts more likely to be left unseen and unread? “It could make SMS marketing less effective,” notes Siegel. “However, that is not necessarily going to be the case. What we're seeing with email is that people are less likely to unsubscribe if the email stays in the promotions folder, because it isn’t annoying them every day. They can shop around in the promotion tab on their own accord.”He adds that there is a lot of mileage for businesses who are doing SMS marketing right, and likens the current period of SMS marketing to the early days of online sponsored ads, which delivered huge sales for brands. He foresees SMS marketing becoming more sophisticated – with the possibility to even complete purchases via text – before saturation point is reached, and new mediums emerge.

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This powerful form of mobile marketing is a huge, but often underutilized, opportunity for business sales. Text for success with these 11 steps. 

A guide to SMS marketing during the festive season, featuring tips and advice on how to drive sales. 

How SMS marketing can drive sales during holiday season

How to use SMS to drive sales

How to use SMS to drive sales US

On Black Friday last year, American shoppers spent $8.9 billion, followed by $10.7 billion on Cyber Monday.And that was just the beginning of shopping season, which ramps up as Christmas approaches.&nbsp;Every year, sales season offers online merchants and brick-and-mortar stores alike the opportunity to drive up cart size, boost revenue and secure new customers.But without careful consideration and thoughtful execution, sales can be a missed opportunity. This holiday season in particular, merchants will be dealing with the continuing effects from inflation, interest rate increases and supply chain shortages, with experts predicting that shoppers will soon start tightening their purse strings.To prime your business for success, get familiar with these 10 sales season missteps – and how to avoid them.<h3>1. Failing to… prepare your website for an influx of traffic&nbsp;</h3>The season’s major shopping events, especially those occurring online, like Cyber Monday (November 28), can bring a surge of visitors to your e-commerce store.&nbsp;For context, in November 2019 the top 100 global shopping sites saw<a href="https://www.similarweb.com/corp/blog/ecommerce/retail-insights/the-numbers-are-in-2019-black-friday-cyber-monday/#:~:text=Traffic%20Gains%20%E2%80%93%202019%20Shopping%20Season,-As%20a%20whole&amp;text=Cyber%20Monday%2C%20the%20second%20day,of%20112%25%20over%20the%20baseline." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> average daily visits increase by 22 percent</a>, including a 137 percent spike on Black Friday.This is good news, but is your website equipped to handle the extra load? “You need to make sure that your site is easily accessible even when traffic is high,” says Roger Simpson, retail consultant and CEO of<a href="https://theretailsolution.com.au/?doing_wp_cron=1660789989.1983830928802490234375" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> The Retail Solution</a>. Find out how many requests per second your content management system (CMS) can handle before the load time is affected. Is your website optimized for multiple devices? And does your checkout work well on both desktop and mobile?Fixing glitches and increasing your website’s speed can bring about real and tangible results. The<a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ie/Documents/Consulting/Milliseconds_Make_Millions_report.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Milliseconds Make Millions</a> report found that even a 0.1-second improvement in site speed saw retail customers spend almost 10 percent more at the checkout.

“You need to make sure that your site is easily accessible even when traffic is high."

<h3>2. Failing to… order enough stock</h3>An “out of stock” sign on a product won’t just lose you a sale, it can leave a bad impression on new potential customers who are visiting your store for the first time during the sales. Follow these steps to manage inventory effectively and get in your Christmas orders as early as possible.-&nbsp;Calculate how much stock you need. Examine your sales reports and consider trends from the past few years.-&nbsp;Communicate with your suppliers or vendors. Check if there are changes to lead times during the holiday season, and if they’re offering any promotional or discount prices. Also, are they taking time off over Christmas?-&nbsp;Place orders. The earlier, the better. Consider ordering enough stock to last until mid-January, to see you through the sales season.-&nbsp;Create contingency plans. Draw up a plan of action in case a product is over or understocked. For the former, will you slash the prices – and when and by how much? For the latter, you’ll need to create a waiting list or reorder swiftly from your suppliers.<h3>3. Failing to… strategically target prospective customers</h3>The holiday season is a prime time to attract new customers and win back old ones, but the cost of advertising on social media is concurrently at a year-round high, as competition drives up the cost per click (CPC).<a href="https://leadsbridge.com/blog/ads-cost/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> According to one study</a>, the average CPC on Instagram is $0.80 in the first quarter of the year, spiking at more than $2 in late November/early December.Therefore, your advertising and marketing campaigns will need to be tactical.-&nbsp;Get in early. Invest in social media advertising at least a few weeks before Black Friday. This will be more economical than waiting until the last minute and it will also generate interest with prospective customers while they’re writing their shopping lists.-&nbsp;Target lookalike audiences. These are shoppers who have similar purchasing patterns to your existing customers. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook use data to find these prospective high-value customers, and serve them targeted advertising.-&nbsp;Remarket to last year’s shoppers. Re-engage with past customers who’ve already done business with your brand. Examine 2021 data and reach out to customers who shopped from you during the last Black Friday Cyber Monday (BCFM) period or holiday season; <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/how-to-build-an-email-list-from-scratch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a> is the best platform for this, particularly personalized and targeted EDMs.

The holiday season is a prime time to attract new customers and win back old ones.

<h3>4. Failing to… hire enough additional staff</h3>Major sales can attract large volumes of eager customers ready to snap up a bargain. Will your current staff be able to handle the influx and provide the same attention to detail? “Make sure you have enough staff in store to cope when it’s very busy,” says Simpson. While hiring in advance is important every year, it’s especially pertinent for the upcoming Christmas sales season as restaurants and retailers struggle to find seasonal staff due to “very limited overseas students and visitors. Retailers need to try and over-employ if they can,” he continues.“There will be a lot of competition for the best Christmas seasonals. They need to be fully trained by mid/late November as shoppers tend to shop earlier to avoid stock issues.”Amid labor shortages, you’ll need to stand out from the crowd to attract the right staff. Consider implementing an employee referral program as well as offering incentives to work for you (such as staff training, flexible schedules and company events).<h3>5. Failing to… utilize the power of SMS campaigns&nbsp;</h3>SMS marketing (or texting) is a relatively new way to connect with customers, but according to numerous studies, you can use it to promote and publicize your sales with significant cut-through, according to studies.According to Lexer’s<a href="https://www.lexer.io/lp-2022-retail-holiday-guide" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Retail Strategies To Maximize 2022 Holiday Sales</a> report, SMS campaigns have a 97 percent average read rate just 15 minutes after delivery.<a href="https://www.attentive.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Attentive</a>, an SMS marketing provider, facilitated more than 18 billion texts between retailers and customers last year, with retailers making an average of $USD55 dollars for every $USD1 spent on SMS marketing.Note that before sending marketing texts, your customers will need to explicitly opt-in. You can drive signups by providing an incentive, discount or exclusive reward. Once your list grows, SMS will become a valuable communication channel for your brand. Read our full guide to SMS marketing here.<h3>6. Failing to… provide a range of delivery options</h3>During the sales season, competition is fierce – and for some shoppers, free or fast delivery might be the deciding factor when choosing where to make a purchase.&nbsp;Simpson suggests that retailers provide a range of delivery options, including store pickup. Free shipping is an enticing option (high shipping costs are widely regarded as the number-one reason for cart abandonment) and can help increase average order value. But if it’s not cost-effective for your business, you could offer it as a one-off promotional tool on peak sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday –&nbsp;or offer it to customers who spend a certain amount.

SMS campaigns have a 97 per cent average read rate just 15 minutes after delivery.

<h3>7. Failing to… amp up your customer service</h3>As<a href="https://tbhskincare.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> tbh Skincare</a> has learned, more customers equals more questions.“There have been times [in the early years] where we’ve struggled to keep up with the level of customer service tickets during a sale period, especially across weekends and out of hours,” explains founder Rachael Wilde.“This is something we’ve worked on over the past 12 months to manage as we really value our customers' experience and feedback. If people are shopping during a sale, they want fast customer-service assistance.”Now, tbh Skincare offers online customer support 24/7 for the duration of major sales.Your customer support staff can cover everything from responding to emails to social media messages and pop-up web chats. Today, some businesses are opting to elevate their e-commerce offerings with virtual personalized shopping experiences, where shoppers can connect with the customer service team via text, <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/marketing/what-is" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a> or video and receive personalized product recommendations.<h3>8. Failing to… create a landing page</h3>When a potential customer clicks through to your e-commerce store from an <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/platforms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a> or digital ad, where do they land? Chances are, they’re taken to your homepage, which provides a general overview of your business. But this is a lost opportunity. Studies show that if you have a specific, short-term goal – such as promoting a sale or a particular product or department on sale – a dedicated landing page can help increase your conversion rate.Why? Because while a homepage is filled with countless messages and images – creating a “paradox of choice” for the shopper, while a landing page has one clear call to action: “20% off for Black Friday,” for example. Some businesses create a landing page in the lead-up to a sale with a countdown clock and urge visitors to sign up to their EDM to stay informed. Once the sales event starts, the landing page can lead shoppers directly to the products they’re interested in.An effective landing page will have…-&nbsp;A clear and compelling CTA&nbsp;-&nbsp;A clutter-free design-&nbsp;One main headline-&nbsp;An engaging image-&nbsp;Concise copy that emphasizes the value of the sale or deal-&nbsp;Minimal navigation – strip the page of menus and buttons that allow to the shopper to click away (unless it’s a CTA to Shop The Sale or Shop Gifts, which will link through to your product pages)-	Promotion of Afterpay as a way to buy now, pay later. (Visit <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/resources/marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Afterpay’s marketing resources centre</a> for tips and examples.)9. Failing to… nail your pricing strategyAs a business owner, your aim is to sell. And against a backdrop of inflation, financially squeezed shoppers are seeking out value deals this season.But significantly dropping your prices isn’t always the smartest sales strategy. If you price a product too low and the deal is too popular, you’ll miss out on revenue and put pressure on already struggling supply chains; the consequent delays and unfulfilled orders have the potential to override your sales success.Think creatively and experiment with tiered discounts – where the more a customer spends, the larger their discount – or bundle sales, where you package complementary products together to drive up sales and reduce surplus inventory.10. Failing to… think beyond the single saleDuring peak sales periods, your business will likely experience an a surge in traffic. So, make some noise while there are additional eyes on your brand&nbsp;As part of its 2021 Black Friday sales event, tbh Skincare released a new product: pimple patches. Wilde explains, “Not only were our customers super excited because this was a new product, but [as part of] our Black Friday offer [they were] free with any purchase over $80.“This was a great value add for our customer, wasn’t a huge discount in terms of margin for us, and it kept basket sizes up across the sale period.”&nbsp;Similarly, consider how to transform first-time customers into long-term loyal fans. Ensure you have a strategy to drive retention and repeat purchases, whether that’s via retargeting, for example, or a content series that introduces them to your brand.=

It’s the most profitable time of the year – as long as merchants avoid these potential pitfalls

Avoid these common retail mistakes during the festive period, from not preparing for an influx of traffic to not offering multiple delivery options

10 common retail mistakes to avoid during holiday period

10 mistakes retailers make every sales season 

10 mistakes retailers make every sales season US

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Experts reveal how consumers will shop, spend and save – so you can get ahead of the curve and maximize sales.

Amid a pandemic, war and economic turmoil, we’re living in unique times. <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/operations/customer-service-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Consumers</a> are being hit by the rising cost of living, while businesses are navigating supply chain delays, shipping issues, and rising costs of materials and commercial rent.But it’s not all bad news.In the U.S., recent<a href="https://coresight.com/research/us-survey-update-consumers-continue-to-return-to-shopping-centers-select-findings/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Coresight Research data showed</a> that more than 75 percent of consumers feel ready to shop, and only a small minority are avoiding shopping centers and malls since the pandemic.That said, 2022’s unique circumstances set the stage for a unique sale season in many ways. Here, experts weigh in on the current retail landscape – and share how merchants can adapt and thrive this holiday season.<h3>1.	Christmas will come early</h3>With inflation rising, budget-conscious shoppers are likely to be anxious to get in early to beat the crowds and avoid price hikes and shipping delays. This means merchants need to be well-prepped for the season in October, if not before – <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/smarter-discounting/bfcm-checklist" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">read our small business checklist for the sales season here.</a>While Black Friday falls on November 25 this year, many businesses are rolling out sales earlier and earlier, even in October. This pull-forward strategy might help merchants stand out from the crowd. Of course, if you go too early, you’ll miss out on shoppers who are holding out for a better deal.&nbsp;The secret may be “leaking deals” through your EDMs and social media in October, teasing customers to drive excitement for your November sales, and even doing the random flash sale on a particular product or line. Plus, you’ll want to keep an eye on when competitors go on sale.

With inflation rising, budget-conscious shoppers are likely to be keen to get in early.

<h3>2.	Shoppers are ‘trading down’</h3>As inflation bites, shoppers will start to see their spending power falter. “Retailers will have to work harder to show both the quality and value of their goods,” says Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium. “Many households are already finding themselves ‘trading down’ – buying the cheaper ranges of goods – meaning that retailers must either show the value of higher-end brands, or expand their existing affordable ranges."&nbsp;The Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) and pre-Christmas periods are an opportunity for merchants to cater to cautious or cash-strapped shoppers with slashed prices.But between sale days, not every business can afford to be the cheapest on the market, especially when competing against retail giants. One way to retain customers in this landscape without constant <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/growing-with-afterpay/drive-more-sales-with-afterpay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discounting</a> is to look to offering exclusive products. “Offering exclusive products makes price comparisons difficult,” explains Marie Driscoll, Coresight Researcher. “Exclusives, limited editions and collaborations with exciting brands drive shopper engagement and traffic.” Another option is a free gift with purchase [link]<h3>3.	Shoppers' loyalties are changing</h3>Research suggests that, worldwide, we’re in the midst of a “loyalty shakeup” with more <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/customer-service/customer-centricity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">consumers</a> switching to different brands in 2022 than in 2021 or 2020,<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/how-us-consumers-are-feeling-shopping-and-spending-and-what-it-means-for-companies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> according to McKinsey research</a>.Hold on to your high-value customers by granting them early access to sales events or special <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/smarter-discounting/7-smart-retail-sales-tactics-that-can-work-at-christmas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discount</a> codes – and think about how to take advantage of customers’ willingness to try new brands. How can you encourage consumers who haven’t shopped with you before to purchase with you for the first time? Make sure the path to purchase is as smooth as possible – that your website is fast, customer service is on hand and that you offer a buy-now-pay-later service like Afterpay.

“Retailers will have to work harder to show both the quality and value of their goods."

<h3>4.	Consumers are craving positivity</h3>A few years ago, a sale banner or <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/smarter-discounting/sales-promotion-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discount</a> <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/marketing/what-is" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email</a> might have been enough to land a transaction, but customer behavior and desires have changed. Today’s financially squeezed shoppers need more – including a reason to feel good.“If you go right back to why it is that people shop, it’s never just about getting a product; it’s the way that it feels when they [shop],” says retail expert Ingrid Maynard, director of<a href="https://thesalesdr.com.au/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> The Sales Dr</a>.“How do we make sure that at every step along the way, however [customers] choose to purchase, they have a positive experience? This year, in particular, it’s about linking spending money [with positivity], instead of triggering stress.”Consider how to communicate the benefits of your products (via signage, social media, EDMs). Value is an obvious one, but think beyond this – for example, how will shopping in your sales make your customers’ lives easier? Can they check off their Christmas list early? Enjoy free or fast shipping? Or feel less overwhelmed as the calendar turns to December?Bob Phipps, a U.S.-based retail educational specialist who helps businesses better understand customer behavior, emphasizes that this year, merchants shouldn’t be too pushy with their sales. Cramming customers’ inboxes with discounts and coupons throughout the holiday season could be overwhelming for shoppers, plus it teaches them to always wait for a better deal.<h3>5. ‘Wow experiences’ will attract shoppers and drive sales&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>Online retail has been growing consistently for more than a decade, but it was the pandemic-induced lockdowns of 2020 that saw the explosion of e-commerce.The upshot is that brick-and-mortar stores have their work cut out for them, and they will need to create environments and experiences that customers want to try in order to lure them off the couch and into stores.“With the COVID scare abating, we’ve seen consumers returning to stores showing a pent-up demand for the social side of shopping, which includes in-store events as well as occasion-driven promotional activity,” says Driscoll, who recommends creating a “festival-like” atmosphere around BCFM sales.In-store offerings to entice and delight shoppers include access to experts in-store (such as brand founders or <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/social-media-tips/influencer-marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">influencers</a>); free product demonstrations (especially for beauty products); gift-wrapping facilities; personalization for leather goods; and frictionless pay, including the option to buy now and pay later.

"We’ve seen consumers returning to stores showing a pent-up demand for the social side of shopping."

<h3>&nbsp;6.	Customers will expect multiple delivery and return options</h3>Whether your business is online, brick-and-mortar or both, offering a range of delivery and collection options will be essential this year. Store pickup, for example, was normalized during pandemic lockdowns and is now widely expected by shoppers (especially those who leave their shopping to the last minute).&nbsp;Driscoll believes that businesses should provide a “consumer-centric omnichannel strategy” through which customers can receive their orders in multiple ways. Examples include BOPIS (buy online, pickup in-store); curbside pickup; and buy online and return in-store.&nbsp;Another option is the “find in store” function, where online shoppers can check stock levels for a particular product online, and then go to a store and view it or try it on in person.&nbsp;Each of these methods creates a “crossover experience between online and in-store,” Maynard says, not only making the customer’s life easier, but reducing shipping costs, minimizing online returns, increasing foot traffic and driving up cart size. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, more than <a href="https://www.icsc.com/news-and-views/icsc-exchange/icsc-finds-over-half-of-americans-use-click-and-collect?utm_source=Triggermail&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Post%20Blast%20%28bii-e-commerce%29:%20Consumers%20want%20to%20use%20BOPIS%20%7C%20Amazon%20push" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">half of adult shoppers use store pickup</a>, with 67 percent of them adding additional items to cart when they know they can pick them up immediately.

Experts reveal how consumers will shop, spend and save – so you can get ahead of the curve and maximise sales

Experts share how holiday season 2022 will be different - including how shoppers are spending - so you can get prepared.

Retail sales trends 2022: How holiday season will be different

6 Ways Retail Will Look Different This Sales Season

6 Ways Retail Will Look Different This Sales Season US

We’ve made a list (and checked it twice) to help streamline and simplify the holiday season for merchants.

The countdown to Christmas is a time of festivities and frivolity for most people, but for retailers it means one thing: the biggest and busiest period of the year.“On average more than 30 percent of all retail sales are done in the November to January period,” confirms Brian Walker, CEO and founder of<a href="https://retaildoctor.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Retail Doctor Group</a>. “It’s a huge opportunity for retailers to make record sales, and it’s also an opportunity to sell through stock, increase cash flow, and continue to build a loyal customer database.”Last year, holiday shoppers spent<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/salesforce-data-reveals-global-digital-sales-surpassed-1-trillion-during-2021-holiday-season-301459450.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> $USD1.14 trillion online worldwide</a>, with<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/salesforce-data-reveals-global-digital-sales-surpassed-1-trillion-during-2021-holiday-season-301459450.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> the majority of shopping occurring early and late in the holiday season</a>, coinciding with sales events. Cyber Week (in late November) accounted for 23 per cent of global online holiday spend, followed by another sales rush between December 18 and 31.The takeaway? The holiday shopping season is a huge opportunity for merchants, whether you’re an e-commerce business or bricks-and-mortar store. But there’s a lot to consider, including inventory, staff onboarding, markdowns, marketing and more.To streamline and simplify the sales season, we’ve compiled a detailed checklist for retailers, covering both the lead-up to the sales (which kick off in late November) and the final countdown to Christmas. Consider this the 12 weeks of retailing Christmas.

“On average more than 30 per cent of all retail sales are done in the November to January period.”

Unordered Highlight List

<h3>JULY - OCTOBER</h3><h3>24-12 weeks until Christmas</h3>Assess inventory and ensure all supply orders have been made.Choosing and ordering products to sell during the holiday season should be completed as early as possible – up to six months before sale season begins.Use reports from your e-commerce software to find out which products sold well in 2021 during the same calendar period and ascertain what quantities you’ll require. Remember, an “out of stock” message on your product page will mean missed sales and could leave a bad impression on potential customers.Generally, ordering stock for Christmas involves some calculated risk. It’s probably safe to increase order quantities on year-round best-sellers, but if you overstock a festive or Christmas-themed product, you’ll be left dealing with storage and cash flow issues.&nbsp;<h2>Decide on your markdown strategy</h2>Discounts are a major sales driver during the holiday sales period, but small businesses need to be strategic in the promotions and deals they offer.Jane Magoffin, head of e-commerce at global retail marketing agency<a href="https://www.reloadmedia.com.au/?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Reload Media,</a> suggests defining your business’s holiday season objectives before creating a markdown strategy.&nbsp;“Are you trying to target new customers or retain a certain amount? Or are you targeting a certain amount of spend per customer? Do you have a set revenue figure you want to hit this year? Knowing this will dictate what kind of sale or promotion you run during sales season. Is it a bundle? A product launch? A standard percentage discount?”When marking down products, your aim is to find a middle ground between attracting customers, staying competitive and being profitable. Tiered discounts – based on how much a customer spends or how many items they buy – are a clever way to increase your average order value, while attractive holiday bundles will help get rid of unsold stock. But there are plenty of other ways to discount.&nbsp;

<h3>Amp up your visibility online</h3>There is a steady increase in customers searching for “Christmas gifts” from late August onward, which means it’s important to be visible from this month. “They’re not necessarily buying yet, they’re… taking note of the brands who have what they want,” says Magoffin.Use this time to test and assess marketing tactics and start driving more shoppers to your e-commerce store. Your aim is to capture leads, showcase your products and plant the seed for future sales.Some strategies to try:&nbsp;-&nbsp;Supercharge your <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/seo-tips/how-to-improve-seo-ranking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SEO</a>Searches for gifts and products will surge over the sales period, so it’s worth taking the time to<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/seo-tips/how-to-improve-seo-ranking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> improve your website’s SEO ranking</a>. Get specific and utilize seasonal keywords like “personalized Christmas gift ideas,” “Christmas gifts on a budget,” “fast shipping for gifts” or “holiday discount code” for your best chance of success.-&nbsp;Invest in social media ads“Ad costs are increasing and the closer you get to sales season, the more expensive it gets to gain customers’ attention - and there will be more advertisers competing for the same space,” says Magoffin. As such, if you’ve allocated budget to social media ads over Christmas, aim to get in early.-&nbsp;Send engaging EDMsAccording to<a href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/data-driven-holiday-predictions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> data from Salesforce</a>, 68 percent of shoppers pay more attention to <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/marketing/what-is" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emails</a> from companies during the Christmas period. Throughout October, make sure you’re sending regular EDMs that engage your audience, show off your product offerings and keep your brand top of mind, so that audiences are primed to spend when sales season begins.&nbsp;Read more tips on acquiring<a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/customer-acquisition/strategy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> new customers here</a>.&nbsp;

“Ad costs are increasing and the closer you get to sales season, the more expensive it gets to gain customers’ attention - and there will be more advertisers competing for the same space”

<h3>10 weeks until Christmas</h3>Optimize your websiteSales season means an enormous surge in customers shopping online, with e-commerce sites likely to see increases of between 22 percent to 110 percent in traffic. That’s why it’s crucial to ensure that your website is (literally) up to speed.Make sure you’ve fixed any bugs, tested the load speed across all devices and optimized the customer checkout experience (this applies to brick-and-mortar stores, too). For example, is your gift-card redemption system set up, and will you be accepting flexible payment options like Afterpay?&nbsp;Next, streamline usability and optimize your website’s design. “Popular items should be clearly displayed and easy to find,” notes Walker. “Be thorough in terms of your layout so that buying from you is an enjoyable experience.”You may also want to create some seasonal banners and website assets that capture the holiday spirit – the equivalent of visual merchandising for an e-commerce store. These will go live in November and December (find free, printable templates on<a href="https://www.canva.com/en_gb/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Canva</a>). Or take a look at Afterpay’s <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/resources/marketing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">marketing resources center</a> for more templates and tips.

“Popular items should be clearly displayed and easy to find.”

Recruit new staffThe busiest time of the year naturally comes with an increased demand for staff – both working the store floors and behind the scenes.“You’ll have an influx of people [asking questions] in your direct messages and sending comments and queries — so make sure you have enough hands on deck for that,” says Magoffin. “Equally, warehouse and logistics staff will be integral. Recruit now [in October] if you need more resources.”The catch? Amid a global labor shortage, recruiting is notoriously difficult. To attract a larger pool of candidates, streamline the application process, highlight your strong company culture, offer benefits and perks, and allow as much flexibility in the role as possible.

<h3>NOVEMBER</h3><h3>8 weeks until Christmas</h3>Re-engage with potential customersAs you move into November, it’s time to <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/customer-acquisition/funnel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nurture the leads</a> you’ve already attracted and start getting potential customers excited for sales season.“Engage with those customers who found your brand when they were building their wish list weeks ago,” advises Magoffin. “Retarget them on social media and launch your [holiday sales] <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/platforms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">email marketing campaign</a> – let your customers know whether you’ll be putting products on sale, so they know what to plan for and look forward to.”Set your shipping strategyA convenient shipping and delivery policy could be the difference between securing a sale and losing it.Review your shipping methods and pricing and revisit whether the strategy is working for both the business and for your customers. Consider comparing your shipping policy to that of your competitors (as your customers are likely to do). Then, communication is key. Display your shipping policy on your website, at checkout and in order-confirmation <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emails</a>, and be realistic with customers about when they should expect their deliveries. Also emphasize the cutoff date for shoppers to receive orders before Christmas.

“Engage with those customers who found your brand when they were building their wish list weeks ago."

<h3>7 weeks until Christmas</h3>Finalize creative assets and continue online marketingAt this point, the start of sale season (Black Friday) is just three weeks away. “By now, you want all of your sale season assets finalized – that is, creative for your EDMs, social ads and even physical stores – with your sale proposition super clear,” says Magoffin.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can also start dialing up your paid ads and increasing ad spend to retarget customers who have previously engaged. Your EDM campaign should start to include strong sales and Christmas messaging, and you might want to send teaser <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/email-marketing/how-to-build-an-email-list-from-scratch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emails</a> hinting at your upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions, or themed gift guides.Onboard new staff“The bugbear of many consumers during sales season is that staff in physical stores don’t know a lot about the product,” says Walker. “Ensure your staff are well set up and coached in your product and how best to deliver it. By mid-November, you want them trained and ready to go.”Training should also be complete or nearly complete for any new customer support and warehouse staff.

<h3>6 weeks until Christmas</h3>Go live to VIP customersChristmas might still be more than a month away, but it’s less than two weeks until Black Friday. Use this time to reward your most loyal and valuable customers. “Make sure they feel important and valued,” says Magoffin, who recommends offering VIPs exclusive access, early-bird offers or added value around two weeks before Black Friday.“As they are already your most engaged customers, you have an even greater chance of converting them with a ‘beat the rush’ style offer. If you can find a way to personalize it, even better.”Ensure your store looks enticingBy mid-November, your physical storefront should make people want to step inside. Your decorations or festive theme should be apparent, and your promotional offers should be clearly posted.“Merchandising adjacency is also hugely important – increase the average spend by placing similar items together, like socks next to shoes, for example. This is very valuable for online retailers, too,” says Walker.&nbsp;Offering in-store add-ons, such as gift wrapping, can also enhance customer experience.

"Make sure [customers] feel important and valued."

Incentivize staffSales season is an important time for retailers – and it can be a stressful one. “Keeping staff engaged and motivated is really important,” says Walker, who suggests introducing incentives to help gamify the experience and drive them to exceed targets.Ensure you’re strongly promoting your top performers during the busiest periods - and encourage everyone to have fun. “It’s Christmas, after all,” adds Walker.<h3>5 weeks until Christmas (and 1 week until sales season!)</h3>Go live with your salesWhile Black Friday falls on Friday, November 25 this year, Magoffin suggests launching your sales one week earlier. As the saying goes: the early bird catches the worm.“If you wait until Black Friday to launch your sale, you’re going to lose so many customers,” she says. “Brands are going live earlier and earlier each year. One week before is the strongest time as it’s close enough to the sales season that customers won’t be holding out for a better deal, but early enough that they won’t already be overwhelmed.”

"If you wait until Black Friday to launch your sale, you’re going to lose so many customers."

<h3>DECEMBER</h3><h3>4 weeks until Christmas</h3>Test and assess your sales strategyBy now, you’re in the thick of sales season. Amid the frenzy, take some time to examine the market, size up your competitors and review your own promotions.Says Magoffin, “After the first big bang, you’re testing the efficacy of your campaign… What is more effective for your customers, EDM or SMS? What’s going to move the needle? When you have high volumes of traffic like this, you can gain valuable information quickly – and make better decisions faster.” <h3>2-3 weeks until Christmas</h3>Refine your sales strategyAfter the Black Friday and Cyber Monday mayhem have settled, make any necessary changes to your strategy for the upcoming pre-Christmas rush.&nbsp;“During the sales season you’re assessing and refilling your shelves as much as your stock will allow,” says Walker. “Look at what’s been moving quickly, and what you’d like to move faster. Ensure your store is looking pristine once more and re-merchandise if you need to.”Consider whether you can add extra value to your customers, such as free express shipping. Is there any way you can incentivize last-minute purchases?

"Ensure your store is looking pristine once more, re-merchandise if you need to."

<h3>1 week until Christmas</h3>Lure last-minute shoppersThis is the time to promote last-minute purchases, such as gift cards, and to cater to shoppers who are time-poor and will welcome suggestions for extra gifts.“Ensure you’ve implemented merchandise adjacency,” says Walker, who explains that retailers can identify any stock they want to clear and discount it as part of a gift bundle.&nbsp;Give customers a reason to buy from you againThe final sales rush will flow into Christmas – a day of reprieve for retailers. But your sales strategy doesn’t stop here. “The sales season brings such an influx of new customers — don’t let it go to waste,” says Walker. “Now that you have them in your database, you can nurture the relationship and encourage them to come back and ultimately retain them as loyal customers.”

We’ve made a list (and checked it twice) to help streamline and simplify the holiday season for merchants

Get ready for Black Friday Cyber Monday with this small business BFCM checklist outlining everything you need to be prepared.

BFCM checklist: your small business countdown

Your small business countdown to sales season

Sales time checklist US

And why it’s effective as a sales strategy.

Who doesn’t like being given a free gift? Very few people - and that stands true when the giver is a brand just as when it’s a friend or loved one. Gifts with purchase are one of the most popular promotions retailers can run when done well, and are used frequently by fashion and homeware retailers as well as beauty brands, such as Clinique and Lancome.But it’s not just big, global brands that succeed with free gifts with purchase (GWP).A recent <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/afterpay-day-unlocked" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">survey</a> by Afterpay Australia found that shoppers love gift with purchase promotions, and that a huge majority (85%) are especially interested in gift with purchase promotions held by small businesses.The survey found shoppers are willing to spend up to $USD180 to secure a gift.<h2>What are the benefits of a free gift promotion?</h2>Retail strategy consultant Catherine Erdly, who has more than two decades’ industry experience and runs<a href="http://www.resilientretailclub.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Resilient Retail Club</a>, says that offering a gift with purchase is a premium offer from a brand, especially compared to <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/growing-with-afterpay/drive-more-sales-with-afterpay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discounts</a>.“Free shipping, free gift wrapping, spending $50 and getting a $5 gift voucher and gifts with purchase are all premium promotions,” she explains. “Gift with purchase is especially effective because it feels nice for the customer and can appear to be a reward for their loyalty.”By comparison, deep <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/smarter-discounting/7-smart-retail-sales-tactics-that-can-work-at-christmas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discounting</a> can cheapen a brand, particularly if discounts are run too frequently.<h2>Tips to run a successful gift with purchase promotion...</h2><h3>1. Choose your frequency.</h3>Some businesses choose to offer gift with purchase promotions several times a year. Others – especially some skincare and beauty brands – offer them almost constantly.Whatever approach you take, ensure that gift with purchase promotions are planned out and included in your 12-month marketing strategy.Keely Parsons, founder of wax melt brand <a href="https://www.clearpay.co.uk/en-GB/for-retailers/access/success-stories/sassy-shop-wax-keely-parsons-interview" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sassy Shop Wax</a>, which offers Clearpay (the British arm of Afterpay) as a method of payment to customers, usually has a gift promotion running. “One of our main points of difference is our wide range, so by giving away two free wax melts with every purchase, people get to try more variety,” she explains. “The promotion also improves our conversion rate.”&nbsp;Remember that gift with purchase promotions can work particularly well on key gifting occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas, as shoppers can buy a present for their loved one and receive a small treat for themselves.<h3>2. Pick your price point with care.</h3>When it comes to planning your gift with purchase strategy, start by looking at your average order value.“If your average order is $50, then running a promotion where you give a gift with every $50 spent is a mistake,” Erdly explains. “It doesn’t nudge up the average purchase, or basket size, at all.”&nbsp;She suggests setting the minimum spend for a gift with purchase at 10 to 20 per cent higher than your average order value.<h3>3. Double check your margins.</h3>Not all gifts with purchase work positively for brands. Erdly says: “The key thing is that you make sure that the value of what you’re giving away isn’t too great - you don’t want to make less money.”The vacuum cleaner company Hoover ran a promotion in the nineties that serves as a cautionary tale to all retail brands.In 1992, the UK branch of the company offered two free round-trip flights to the US to any customer who spent over £100 ($USD120). The promotion was intended to boost dwindling sales. Instead, it was a deal far too sweet, with the flights worth £600 ($USD720) – which was six times the price of the minimum spend to qualify.Hoover made two assumptions: firstly, the brand hoped that customers would far exceed the minimum spend, offsetting the price of the flights. And secondly, it believed that only a small proportion of customers would redeem the offer post purchase.Neither was correct. The clamor for £119.99 ($USD145) Hoover vacuum cleaners from department&nbsp;stores led<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/258781614/?terms=hoover%2Bfree%2Bflight" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> The Observer</a> to write: “If left uncontrolled, Britain could soon be knee-deep in Hoover Turbomaster Uprights.” Though the company generated around £30m ($USD36m) in gross sales from the promotion, the cost of flights was - at a conservative estimate - more than £100m ($USD120m).<h3>4. Choose your gift carefully.</h3>Quite simply, the more desirable gift, the better impact the promotion will have, Erdly explains.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Make sure consumers appreciate the gift,” she says. “One of the big clothing retailers I worked with would offer a free necklace if a customer spent over £100. It felt like a treat for the shopper. Sometimes, they would take a slow seller, and instead of <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/smarter-discounting/sales-promotion-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">discounting</a> it they would give them away. If you know you want to clear stock anyway, this can be effective, but beware, if it’s something that no one wanted anyway it’s not going to be most exciting gift.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clearpay.co.uk/en-GB/for-retailers/access/success-stories/sassy-shop-wax-keely-parsons-interview" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sassy Shop Wax</a>’s Keely Parsons says: “Try to craft an offer that not only is attractive for your customers but supports your brand’s unique selling point, or positioning.” So, for example, it’s common to see brands that offer a signature scent across different products, from perfume to body lotion, bath oil and candles, choosing a gift that is likely to extend a perfume customers’ use of the range.&nbsp;<h3>5. Promote your promotion.</h3>Once you’ve decided on your gift with purchase, start planning how you will promote it. “Market the promotion as a real bonus for customers,” Erdly advises. “Make sure you tell everyone about it: use social media; write to your email list; create a banner or pop up on your website.”

And why it's effective as a sales strategy.

Considering a gift with purchase promotion? Discover the benefits of this strategy and read tips on how to run a successful promotion, from pricing to frequency.

How to create a smart gift with purchase strategy

How to pull off a gift with purchase promotion

How to pull off a gift with purchase promotion US

There’s no denying that e-commerce sites are more important than ever in the lead-up to Christmas. That’s because the global pandemic <a href="https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/coronavirus-impact-online-retail/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accelerated the shift toward</a> online spending. “The potential for online retailers is amazing,” says Megan Winter, of online strategy advisory&nbsp;<a href="https://unstoppableecomm.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unstoppable eCommerce</a>. “However, on the other side of the coin, large retailers are focusing their attention on e-commerce as well, so it’s really important for online retailers of all sizes to be prepared.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Here’s how to optimise your website this holiday season:</h2>

<h3>1. Don’t underestimate the user experience</h3>Your website is your shop, sales assistant and cash register, so make sure it’s ready, advises Winter. “The biggest mistake people make is sending traffic to a website that isn’t ready for it,” she says, adding that investing in marketing campaigns, including Facebook ads, is pointless if your website is difficult to navigate or unappealing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Think about your website in the same way you would a real shop, she says. “When people walk into your brick-and-mortar store, they can use all their senses to check out your products and decide if they want it,” says Winter. “They can pick it up, try it on, touch it, feel it, smell it and/or taste it.”To replicate the in-store experience as closely as possible, ensure that your images are top-quality and your product headlines attract attention, and that you’ve answered any frequently asked questions – for example, relating to returns, sizing or shipping – as clearly as possible.Just like a brick-and-mortar store, make sure your products are laid out nicely and your website makes it easy for people to find what they are looking for.<h3>2. Start planning now</h3>Take the time to plan out key promotions and offers immediately, says Winter. “Get those Christmas props out and have a <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/product-photography/product-photos-iphone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">photoshoot</a> now, so that you’ve got festive images handy.”&nbsp;This is also the time to prepare for extra traffic, says e-commerce strategist Nathan Bush, who adds that although the days of websites crashing due to too much traffic are mostly over, there are plug-and-play monitoring systems, such as Pingdom or UptimeRobot, that will notify you of any issues. “Have the alert set up, so it alerts your phone if anything’s in trouble,” he says. After all, even a few hours of being offline could mean lost revenue during the peak shopping season.<h3>3. Simplify your checkout&nbsp;</h3>Before consumer spending really ramps up, Bush recommends doing “a few test orders yourself” to evaluate the customer experience. Now is your chance to work out any kinks in the system.Pay close attention to any unnecessary or complicated steps during the checkout process, says Winter. “Remove as many barriers to purchase as possible…. Have payment options available, such as Afterpay, which will make it easier for customers to spend money with you.”&nbsp;Bush agrees, advising that retailers check that all their payment methods are working and promoted onsite. “So, if you’ve got Afterpay, make sure it’s promoted clearly,” he explains. This means ensuring that Afterpay is visible on the product page and checkout.&nbsp;Shipping costs are one of the top reasons that people don’t buy from an online store, points out Winter. “This is especially true for items that are small in size or low in price,” she says, explaining that free shipping – or the appearance of free shipping (where costs are factored into the total price) – is best. “Or, have a free shipping threshold where people have the option of qualifying for free shipping if they spend over a certain amount.”&nbsp;<h3>4. Create a follow-up strategy for new shoppers</h3>At Christmas, retailers can expect more first-time visitors to their website than usual – especially during promotions, says Bush.This year, with the enormous growth in online shoppers, “the big opportunity is to grow your database,” says Bush who recommends capturing customer details through a newsletter or VIP club. This can mean the start of a relationship that will hopefully generate more revenue over time.&nbsp;Winter says that it’s also important for retailers to install a Facebook pixel, which allows them to retarget customers based on the individual actions they’ve taken on your site. “For example, if they have window-shopped but left your site without making a purchase, you can target those people with a different message to someone who only visited your homepage,” she says.&nbsp;<h3>5. Communicate about delivery times</h3>The pandemic has already caused substantial delays in delivery times, thanks to a reduction in air-freight capacity, a significant increase in parcel volume and social-distancing requirements among postal workers.&nbsp;“It’s only going to get crazier at Christmas,” warns Bush, who says that retailers should start speaking to delivery partners now to identify shipping cutoff dates. These dates should then be communicated clearly on your website.<h3>6. Keep a close eye on inventory</h3>Don’t forget to monitor your website throughout the holiday season, adds Bush.&nbsp;Make sure you’re promoting items and prioritizing products that have a lot of stock availability. “One thing with Christmas is you don’t want your front page filled with really popular items that aren’t available.”&nbsp;<h3>7. Don’t forget about <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/operations/customer-service-examples" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customer service</a>&nbsp;</h3>Good customer service is critical at this time of year, so make it easy for shoppers to ask questions, advises Bush. “Don’t hide phone numbers and live chat,” he says. “Make it really easy to access and then make sure your <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/for-retailers/access/customer-service/customer-centricity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">customer service</a> team is happy. They’ll be stressed, but make it as fun as possible for them, because they’re going to carry the weight.”More people than ever will be sending presents to each other this year, says Winter, so online retailers must start preparing now to make the most of every opportunity.&nbsp;“All signs indicate that this festive season is going to be massive for online retailers,” she says.&nbsp;“We predict that online sales over the coming holiday season will be the highest ever recorded.”

Text Caption

Learn how to prepare your e-commerce site for the festive season with tips from top brands.

Learn how to prepare your e commerce site for the festive season with tips from top brands on Afterpay Access

7 Essential Holiday Preparations for Ecommerce | Afterpay

How to prepare your e-commerce site for the festive season

How to prepare your e-commerce site for the festive season 2

‘Tis the season to plan your holiday sales strategy. And we’re here to help.

As the countdown to holiday season begins, we’ve prepared this guide — packed with advice, tips and insights — to steer you through the most wonderful time of the year.The good news? Early economic forecasts suggest that holiday season 2021 is shaping up well. Despite a tumultuous year, and the curveball of the Delta variant, retail experts are predicting strong sales, particularly in e-commerce.Download our guide, below, to make the most of holiday season. Here's what you'll find inside...

Discover smart discount tips to help retailers plan their holiday sales strategy

Smart discount tips: how retailers can plan their sales strategy this holiday

Smarter discounting holiday guide

Want smart retail discounting strategies that won’t damage your brand? It is possible.

Any shopper will tell you that getting a bargain feels good.In fact, buying an item on sale even produces a neurochemical reaction, flooding the brain with dopamine, according to<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/brain-wise/201510/shopping-dopamine-and-anticipation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> scientists</a>.It’s no secret that retailers love sales, too. Discount promotions are a tried-and-true way to drive conversions, free up cash, re-engage lapsed shoppers, attract new customers and inspire customer loyalty.But while lowering prices might deliver short-term benefits, it’s important to be strategic and smart in your approach; there’s little point in sacrificing margins just to make sales.&nbsp;It’s also critical to ensure that the type of discount you’re offering matches your products, customer base and objectives. A great way to ensure sales breed success is by developing a laser-focused retail discounting staregy.

<h2>The dangers of discounting</h2>Businesses considering launching a discount need to weigh the potential pitfalls before they start slashing prices.Brand dilutionDiscounting may seem like a straightforward way to boost sales, but too much discounting can tarnish your brand. Constant discounting – or discounts that are too big or seem too good to be true – can undermine perceptions of your brand or of the quality of your products.Training customers to wait for salesSome brands always seem to be on sale, to the point where customers may well be waiting for the next sale to begin before purchasing. This means those retailers miss out on selling products at full price – and on bigger margins.Bringing in conditional shoppersThe ideal customer is one who spends a lot and spends often. That’s because a customer base of loyal, regular shoppers means less investment in customer acquisition. However, sales and discounting can attract conditional shoppers, who are only looking for the cheapest price, rather than shoppers who are likely to become regulars.

“Once you have determined the outcome you want, you can choose a discounting strategy that will also be healthy for the bottom line of the business.”

<h2>How to stay profitable while discounting</h2>Any retail discounting strategy should be used in combination with data-driven marketing, exceptional customer experience and a high-quality product to drive customer loyalty.However, the first step when considering a discount promotion is to understand what the initiative means for the business.Set your discount objectives﻿“Once you have determined the outcome you want, you can choose a discounting strategy that will also be healthy for the bottom line of the business,” says Jordan Sim, director of product management at e-commerce service platform<a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/?utm_source=AfterpayAccess&amp;utm_medium=thoughtleadership&amp;utm_campaign=discounting" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> BigCommerce</a>.

So, for example, retailers looking to reduce excess inventory might consider a retail discount strategy like a bundling promotion, where customers buy one product and receive a second at a significantly discounted rate.Whereas retailers aiming to boost average order value might look at offering free shipping with a minimum spend, to encourage customers to spend more.How Afterpay works with discountsSim says buy-now-pay-later solutions such as Afterpay have synergies with discounting strategies, as both look to drive up AOV. “Discounting has a psychological effect on customers where they feel they’re getting a greater deal. Offering Afterpay adds to the value the customer receives,” says Sim.

“Discounting has a psychological effect on customers.”

Consider your customers“A successful loyalty discounting strategy needs to consider the products you sell, your customers’ buying cycles, their behavior and your industry,” says Rad Mitic, head of partnerships, APAC at e-commerce marketing platform <a href="https://www.yotpo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yotpo</a>.&nbsp;For example, a beauty brand that sells small products frequently might consider a discount-based points system, where they’re rewarded with loyalty points for spending more. “This will encourage them to increase their cart size,” says Mitic.“But a kitchen appliance business with a longer purchase cycle would want to focus on immediate discounts, like a sign-up bonus for first purchases. The idea is to give customers more reasons to choose your brand over a competitor.”

“Don’t constantly bombard customers with marketing and special offers.”

Case study: Aromababy﻿Natural skincare company <a href="https://www.aromababy.com/aromababy-skincare/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1dGJBhD4ARIsANb6OdnPLwNYRLe1BqRJO7vhPkfNBTpE0jBlJlzo17xrZnMmL_5kxMEoUesaAv0rEALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aromababy</a> is an example. Founder Catherine Cervasio agrees that discounting can be a great way to win new customers, but she says that a targeted, brand-specific strategy is essential.&nbsp;“Our customers don’t need to repurchase our products for up to two months for our wash products and for up to six months for our creams and lotions, depending on how often the customer uses the product and whether our brand is used exclusively.&nbsp;“With that in mind, we don’t constantly bombard customers with marketing and special offers,” she says.Instead, Cervasio says customer loyalty is her priority. “We have been in business for almost 27 years and a second generation of customers are now buying from us. We’ve had parents bring daughters into our showroom and share their story of how they used Aromababy 20-plus years ago. Customer loyalty is hugely important for us and puts our brand in front of a new set of customers.&nbsp;As a result, instead of regular discounts, Cervasio offers discounts to first-time customers when they sign up to Aromababy’s free e-club and place an order online.“This encourages parents to try our products over a supermarket brand,” she says.

<h2>Choosing the right discount</h2>Every discounting strategy has a different set of pros and cons, and it’s important to understand what these are before deciding on the right strategy for your business.Discounts to first-time customersThis is an excellent way to attract and acquire new customers. Retailers can also consider using discounts to encourage shoppers to sign up to loyalty programs, such as Aromababy’s e-club or newsletter lists.&nbsp;Referral discountsHappy customers are a great marketing tool. In fact, according to a Kantar survey,<a href="https://kantar.turtl.co/story/media-and-me-delivering-better-advertising-uk-social-web-promotion/page/1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 93 percent of consumers </a>trust recommendations from friends or family over brand advertising.Brands can consider a number of different referral strategies, says Mitic. “Think through who benefits from the discount – the referrer, the referee or both.“Offering discounts to both customer types incentivizes two potential future purchases, but it also means accounting for greater profit liability,” he explains.Special sale daysMany companies recognize the value in sales initiatives like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These promotions can be game-changers for sales in e-commerce as they create a “fear of missing out” on bargains among shoppers.“These promotions are used to move stock and acquire new customers,” says Jonathan Jeffries, co-founder of startup growth and scale firm<a href="https://www.thinkandgrowinc.com/team-members/jonathan-jeffries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Think &amp; Grow</a>.If you discount too deeply on these days, customers may wait for these promotions and not buy from you at other times of the year. So think about how these days fit into your broader promotions strategy. You may hold off discounting premium products on these days and use sales events to move old inventory, for instance.Dollar amount versus percentage discountsThe advantage of offering a dollar-amount discount versus a percentage is that a defined dollar-amount discount makes it clear what the savings are for both the customer and the brand. “The downside is that it’s a direct margin erosion – there’s no way to hide that,” says Sim.Cervasio says Aromababy has tried both approaches. For instance, it has offered customers a $10 discount once they have spent a certain amount. The alternative approach is to offer, say, a 20 percent discount if they spend a certain amount.“The success of this strategy depends on whether our target audience is ready to make a purchase at the time we are marketing,” says Cervasio. “If they don’t need to buy – for instance, the customer may be a new parent who has been given skincare products as gifts – regardless of the offer, they won’t be purchasing.&nbsp;Loss leadersThis involves offering a deep discount on one product line to encourage customers to pay full price for other products the brand sells. This strategy can make sense if the brand can be sure it will make up for the initial loss in future sales. This strategy should be used with caution because it can cheapen the brand and compromise future sales.&nbsp;

Offering a discount for pre-ordering a productAdvantages include up-front cash flow, generating excitement for a new product and making customers feel special by allowing them early access. The downside? If there’s an overwhelming amount of interest, brands need to be confident their supply chain is robust enough to meet a large volume of orders.Personalized offersA customer relationship management tool can help track customer profiles and spending – and allow brands to offer targeted discounts. This provides customers with a very tailored offering, with personalization helping to drive conversion rates. “There are no real cons to personalization in any aspect of retail,” says Sim.&nbsp;Buy one, get one free (BOGO)This delivers added value for customers and does not necessarily need to compromise margins – particularly if the second “free” product is old season or nearly expired stock, or customers are offered brand merchandise as the added extra.This enhances the customer’s perception of value but has a limited impact on the brand’s margins. This strategy is very popular with food brands such as Pizza Hut and Domino’s.&nbsp;Limited-period discountsCreating a sense of urgency or scarcity is one way to encourage shoppers to spend. In this case, it’s about defining a specific sale period. The downside? “The promotion might be wasted if the offer reaches a customer when they’re not in a position to purchase,” says Sim.Ultimately, the discounting strategy that will work best will depend on the brand, the products or services sold and the ideal outcome for the business. It’s also important to remember different discounting strategies may work for brands at different times. Regardless of which strategy a brand goes with, combining discounting with Afterpay only helps to enhance the offer and the perceived value for customers.

Want smart sales strategies that won’t damage your brand? It is possible.

Want smart retail discounting strategy that boosts profits? Read here our guide.

Retail discounting strategy: how to slash prices not profits. 

Retail discounting strategy: how to discount without slashing profits

How to discount without slashing profits

<h2>Here’s how to help make your retail sale stand out</h2>There’s no doubt that the holiday season is a critical time for retailers, with November and December sales accounting for around<a href="https://nrf.com/insights/holiday-and-seasonal-trends/winter-holidays/winter-holiday-faqs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> one-fifth</a> of the year’s total sales.And consumer sentiment is positive – despite the pandemic.Holiday spending is predicted to increase&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/08/17/holiday-season-2021-influencer-marketing-predictions-and-tips/?sh=461c97a539d0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">2.7 percent in 2021</a>, with a record 18.9 percent of all holiday retail sales stemming from e-commerce sales.&nbsp;“We’re expecting to see a strong festive period,” Anastasia Lloyd-Wallis, general manager of consumer insights at <a href="https://www.retaildoctor.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Retail Doctor Group</a>. “Especially as consumers are more digitally savvy now, across all demographics, and online purchasing has become the norm.”

Shoppers will be searching for festive experiences and retailers who can deliver a differentiated physical experience.

“Consumers are looking for an experience and a human connection,” she continues. “We will see many looking for retail as a relief and a reason to leave the house. They will be searching for festive experiences and retailers who can deliver a differentiated physical experience.”

The only problem is that with so many businesses out there, how do you achieve sales cut-through for your brand and increase revenue?Below are 20 real sales promotion examples – and the psychology behind them – to give you the edge on holiday retail.

<h2>1.	Use urgency</h2>The golden rule of sales? Generate a sense of urgency. But this tactic isn't as simple as splashing “Hurry!” across your promotional banners; you’ll need a deadline for customers.During the holidays, Christmas Eve is its own deadline and acts as a built-in sale promotion for shoppers. For customers who might be on the fence, a countdown sales timer like this one used by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jcrew.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">J.Crew</a>, which includes the suggestion to “Get in there while you still can,” is a great way to convey the right amount of urgency with a touch of humor. It's a clever&nbsp;sales promotion example that shows how brands can simply but effectively create urgency.

<h2>2.	Suggest scarcity</h2>The notions of scarcity and urgency often overlap in sales psychology and as a marketing strategy, as they both trigger a fear of missing out. But the scarcity principle dictates that a limited supply of anything increases its attractiveness. In other words, the less there is, the more we want it (think flash sales). You might decide to create a campaign message that limits the time left (creating that sense of urgency), but you can also display a “limited stock” banner or imply it, as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gormanshop.com.au/new-arrivals.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">Gorman</a>&nbsp;has done in the below&nbsp;sales promotion example&nbsp;with a “last chance” sticker, which is a great way to use passive marketing and create a greater incentive to shoppers.

<h2>3.	Create exclusivity</h2>Lloyd-Wallis says there is a consumer personality type that is particularly driven by exclusivity. All customers are driven, to some extent, by exclusivity (think how good it feels to receive a loyalty program email, new product alert or sales promotion info ahead of the general public). Those who aren’t are still motivated by a fear of missing out – so you win either way. “This group of consumers are generally driven by ambition and the idea of exclusivity allows them to showcase their social status as elite or VIP,” she says. “It is also seen as an achievement to get a ‘limited’ product, appealing to the competitive nature of certain personalities.”

A simple way to do this is to create a membership program or loyalty program through just one purchase and then email the “exclusive” sales promotion out to “privileged” VIPs, as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.veronikamaine.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">Veronika Maine</a>&nbsp;has done in this&nbsp;sales promotion example.

<h2>4.	Give a “self-gift”</h2>Lloyd-Wallis says “Shoptimism” – that is, purchasing products to make yourself feel better – is on the rise. “Last year we saw 43 percent of millennials saying they purchased for themselves during Cyber Monday, and we’d expect that trend of ‘gifting yourself’ to continue during this festive season,” she says.Retail expert Bob Phibbs adds that “self-gifting” can be a tactic used by businesses to make an add-on sale and increase revenue. “The idea of treating yourself, of getting what you really want, usually comes after the obligation to buy something for someone else dissipates,” he says. This means that the period between Christmas and New Year’s works as the ultimate self-gifting opportunity, as evidenced in this cheeky&nbsp;sales promotion example&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://asos.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">ASOS</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>5.	Offer a “secret” deal</h2>This is a quick and easy way to get customers to click onto your homepage or your campaign catalog, as hardware store<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHz00KBi0d7/?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">&nbsp;Homevalue</a>&nbsp;has done here. It has also combined elements of humor and a Christmas theme to promote its competition – another top-shelf idea for sales aimed at returning and new customers.

<h2>6.	Consider buy one, get one free</h2>Rather than offering a straight discount, consider different sales promotion ideas like a buy one, get one free (BOGO) offer that allows businesses to shift old stock and make room for new product.If BOGO puts too much pressure on profit margins, retailers might instead offer “buy one, get 50% off the next one” as <a href="https://cottonon.com/AU/cottononkids/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cotton On Kids</a> has done here for girls’ dresses. This type of sales promotion is particularly lucrative for items that customers buy in bulk, or buy often, such as kids’ clothes or cosmetics.

<h2>7.&nbsp;Deliver a feel-good boost</h2><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahlandrum/2017/03/17/millennials-driving-brands-to-practice-socially-responsible-marketing/?sh=24e15b7a4990" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">Forbes reports that millennial consumers are more interested than other generations in companies with a social conscience</a>. This extends to initiatives that help the locations where companies operate. “During the last 12 months consumers have become more locally-focused and are prepared to spend money to ‘support local’ – both in terms of retail and charity,” says Lloyd-Wallis. “So, the area where this will benefit is where the donations are related to local causes.”But a little marketing strategy still goes a long way at Christmas, like this Madewell denim recycling campaign where consumers received $20 off coupon for new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.madewell.com/womens/clothing/jeans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">Madewell jeans</a>&nbsp;when bringing in old pairs of any brand. It also highlights the company’s commitment to <a href="https://www.afterpay.com/en-AU/business/access/exploring-sustainability/small-business-sustainability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">sustainability</a> – another factor influencing customers.

<h2>8.	Offer a free gift</h2>Using a “free gift” can work well when businesses are keen to increase the average order value and specify a minimum spend as a requirement. Alternatively, you can choose to pay your customers back in vouchers, as Nordstrom has done here. This is an example of a&nbsp;sales promotion that&nbsp;works well for department stores because of the extensive range available. However, it can be equally successful if some of your merchandise is on the expensive side. If customers aren’t normally willing to pay $200 for a T-shirt, they might be persuaded if it comes with a free Christmas candle, for example.

<h2>9.	Create a discount code</h2>According to a 2018 survey by<a href="https://www.retailmenot.com/corp/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;RetailMeNot</a>, 67 percent of consumers reported that they made an unplanned or spontaneous purchase solely because of a coupon or discount code, proving this marketing strategy still holds major incentive power. Vouchers and discounts minimize cart abandonment and promote loyalty. Once a customer has used a code, they’re more likely to return to the same seller without one. A hardware store has used this to great effect in this Christmas-themed, multilevel discount code ad here.

<h2>10. Try selling with nostalgia</h2>Nostalgia is an easy win at Christmastime, but it doesn’t have to be schmaltzy. A few scattered baubles and lights will do the trick when it comes to festive marketing and campaigns. Of course, Coca-Cola has this down to a fine art, having<a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/au/faqs/is-it-true-that-santa-traditionally-wears-red-because-of-coca-cola" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;practically invented the jolly Santa of modern ads</a>. Here’s strong evidence of that from its December 2019 campaign featuring an old-fashioned Saint Nick enjoying Coke.

<h2>11. Use humor to persuade</h2>Want to stand out amid the avalanche of holiday-themed advertisements? Try humor. Brain Candy Toys, a specialty toy store in Canada, looked at sale promotion ideas and produced an ad that is part joke and part riddle about the classic Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol, giving customers that feeling of being in a smart “club.”If that’s too niche, consider incorporating memes into your social media marketing and promotion, as&nbsp;<a href="https://musebycl.io/music/spotify-riffs-meme-culture-new-global-brand-campaign" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a>&nbsp;has done here. It’s funny but knowing and can slip, almost unnoticed, into social media feeds.

<h2>12. Encourage email signups</h2>Global technology company Campaign Monitor found that for every $1 invested in email marketing, retailers could generate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.campaignmonitor.com/company/annual-report/2016/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">$44</a>&nbsp;in returns. During the Christmas season, when customers are being bombarded by sales promotion deals, it’s better to send biweekly or weekly email newsletters to your target audience. But to generate leads successfully, send useful and relevant information. Including a discount in each one or using a “12 Days of Christmas” theme is an effective way to do this. Make sure you use that “pop-up” invite to emails as your customer is leaving like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.samsung.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">Samsung</a>&nbsp;has done here – otherwise it’s an unwelcome distraction while they’re trying to browse your home page.

<h2>13. Entice with gift bundles</h2>Classic sales promotion ideas like gift bundles or packs have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.homecaremag.com/operations-marketing/april-2016/advantages-product-bundle-sales" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">been shown</a>&nbsp;to entice new customers who perceive it as an automatic saving and a more efficient way of shopping. Throw in an extra discount, as this makeup store has done, and it may be a difficult deal to go past.

<h2>14. Set up clever cart abandonment emails</h2>Retail expert Hannah Leary from e-commerce hub Swanky notes that<a href="https://optinmonster.com/ecommerce-email-examples/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 60 percent of shoppers</a> return to a store to make a purchase within 24 hours of receiving a personalized abandoned cart email. Leary recommends piquing customers’ curiosity with the subject line in the first email. “Forget something?” is a straightforward way of doing this. Jewelry brand <a href="https://au.pandora.net/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pandora</a> has taken a polite approach to this, using the assumption that its customer was interrupted.

<h2>15. Create a gift guide</h2>This is a simple way to convert Google searches into sales, as customers might search for “gifts for Mom” and you already have the wording ready to go on your site. <a href="https://www.dymocks.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dymocks</a> has broken down its gift guides into most recommended books, stationery and kids’ books – clever.

<h2>16. Offer free shipping</h2>Free shipping is always a good promotion tactic to get a purchase over the line, but in the lead-up to Christmas, when time is of the essence, free express shipping works even better, as mattress company Ecosa has done here. According to Retail’s 2019 “Click, Ship &amp; Return”<a href="https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2019/08/28/only-17-5-of-online-retailers-offer-free-shipping/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">&nbsp;report</a>, only 17.5 percent of online retailers offer free shipping on all orders, but 65.4 percent offer free shipping at least some of the time.A<a href="https://www.practicalecommerce.com/The-Many-Benefits-of-Offering-Free-Shipping" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 20px;">&nbsp;study</a>&nbsp;from Comscore and UPS revealed 52 percent of U.S. shoppers have added items to their e-commerce shopping cart to qualify for free shipping.

<h2>17. Create Christmas custom packaging</h2>Want to get your brand noticed during the holiday shopping season? Custom Christmas packaging is one approach, because unboxing has become its own genre, with customers eager to share beautifully wrapped presents on social media, where the resulting images act as a form of earned media.Unique <a href="https://packhelp.com/christmas-packaging/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Christmas packaging</a> adds a touch of luxury and, if coupled with a Christmas edition of a product, can help build a sense of exclusivity around your store or brand. Cosmetics retailer <a href="https://www.mecca.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mecca</a> has got this down to a fine art – literally, by collaborating with female artists and showcasing their work at <a href="https://www.mecca.com.au/the-mecca-memo/the-in-tray/ngv-past-artists.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Australia’s National Gallery of Victoria</a>, creating an even greater promotion for the brand.

<h2>18. Use push notifications</h2><a href="https://pushalert.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Push notifications </a>give you a direct line of communication to subscribers. A flash sale, extended business hours or a last call for purchases before Christmas can all be texted, creating a greater sense of intimacy and cutting through all those promotional emails they’re already getting. Consulting firm<a href="https://www.invespcro.com/blog/push-notifications/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Invesp</a> found that sending mobile app push notifications can boost app engagement up to 88 percent, while 65 percent of users return to an app within 30 days when push is enabled.Plus, you can use emojis, as this company did. Just remember to use them sparingly, as you don't want to annoy your subscribers or make them feel as if they’re being spammed.&nbsp;

<h2>19. Have ‘events,’ not sales</h2>During sales season, language is everything. The same goes for the activation of a new sales promotion. Holding an “event” as opposed to a “sale” conveys a sense of formality and luxury, triggering feelings in customers of scarcity and exclusiveness. <a href="https://www.davidjones.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">David Jones</a> has done both here, calling it a sale but adding that it’s “the biggest clearance event of the year.”

<h2>20. Hold post-Christmas sales</h2>This is a chance to go a little crazy with your sales discounts and clear out excess inventory, as customers expect it after Christmas and won’t balk at an “80 percent off” slogan as they might at other times during the year. Fashion brand <a href="https://urban-planet.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Urban Planet</a> has made it the focal point of its ad so it’s hard to miss.

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Read these 20 sales promotion examples for ideas to implement in your business!