2013 Holiday Season 1 - 3DCart

Prepare Your Online Store for the2013 Holiday Season1“U.S. consumers spent $42.28 billion online in November and December, a 13.7% increase compared to$37.17 billion during the holiday shopping season in 2011.” - Internet Retailer.

12013 Holiday Season GuideIntroductionSome say Christmas ‘tis the season to be jolly. We at 3dcart say Christmas ‘tis the season to make money.According to a study conducted by comScore Inc., U.S. consumers spent $42.28 billion online in November and December of2012. This staggering figure represents an annual growth rate of 13.7%, and all signs point to even bigger numbers in 2013.If you’re a 3dcart store owner looking to maximize your profit margins this winter, you’ve come to the right place. The followingguide will not only teach you the value of learned preparation, it will also show you how to create -- and execute -- anecommerce game plan focused on getting your online store ready for the 2013 holiday season.Cyber MondayCyber Monday is kind of like Super Bowl Sunday for ecommerce merchants. It’s the big day, the one we’ve all been waiting for. It’stime to step up, take center stage and hope your preparations have readied you for the craziness that’s about to ensue.For those who may not be aware, Cyber Monday (the Monday immediately following the Thanksgiving holiday) is widely known asthe busiest online shopping day of the year, and your ecommerce website needs to be primed to handle a massive spike in traffic,order processing and customer service requests.According to an article published by Adobe, “total sales reached $1.98 billion on Cyber Monday, a 17% increase from 2011.” But whileCyber Monday spending continues to increase, research suggests shoppers are growing smarter -- and more selective -- by seekingout and taking advantage of special offers and promotions like free shipping.As e-store owners, Cyber Monday is what it’s all about. Take time to research and prepare an effective marketing strategy tailored tomaximize Cyber Monday sales.Important Dates to RememberNovember 29, Black Friday (U.S.) - Black Friday is consideredthe busiest shopping day of the year for retail stores in theUnited States. Online shopping is also growing more and morepopular on Black Friday, with e-sales topping the $1.1 billionmark in 2012.December 2, Cyber Monday - Cyber Monday is widely known asthe busiest online shopping day of the year, and ecommercemerchants need to be ready for the big day (see above).December 17, Free Shipping Day – With only eight days to gountil Christmas, many online retailers offer free shipping on allorders made on December 17th in an effort to promotelast-minute holiday sales.December 21, the last Saturday before Christmas – This is oneof the busiest online shopping days of the year asprocrastinators rush to their keyboards and/or mobile devices tofinish holiday shopping.December 24, Christmas Eve – Online sales figures forChristmas Eve continue to increase at a rate of 12% annually.December 25, Christmas Day – While not an incredibly busyday for online shopping, e-store owners should offer specialpromotions and discounts in an effort to move remainingholiday inventory.December 26, Boxing Day (Canada, U.K.) – For ecommercemerchants in Canada and the U.K., Boxing Day is similar toCyber Monday. December 26th is also a big day for onlineretailers in the U.S. as they can expect more customer servicerequests on this day than any other throughout the year.December 31, New Year’s Eve – Widely recognized as ane-merchants last opportunity to offer special deals andpromotions during the holiday season.2

2013 Holiday Season Guide11 Start NowLike snowflakes, no two e-stores are alike, and the time it takes to prepare for the holiday season willvary depending on business size, sales volume, man power, money and website optimization.In the world of ecommerce, the holiday shopping season spans the months of November andDecember, and in an effort to prepare for the upcoming spending rush, online store owners need tocreate a marketing strategy, update their website design, add holiday-themed sliders, cross-sellproducts, establish promotions, revamp product libraries and so much more.The list as a whole can seem daunting at first, but we promise that if you focus on creating, andadhering to, a point-by-point game plan, you’ll trim that list down faster than Santa can throw backChristmas cookies.Even the most successful and well-staffed online stores need several weeks of holiday preparation, and if you haven’t already startedgetting your ecommerce website ready, now’s the time!Don’t procrastinate when it comes to preparing for the holidays. If you do, you’ll miss out on a golden opportunity to grow yourbusiness. And at the end of the day, stepping up and seizing moments of growth is what being a successful ecommerce merchantis all about.2 Create a Marketing PlanYour e-store’s holiday preparations are only as effective as its marketing strategy. If youfall short and create a plan that fails to position your business for success, all of thehard work that went in to getting your e-store ready for the holiday season will be fornaught. Before you do anything, grab your team members, lock yourselves in a roomand come up with an effective holiday marketing plan that contains a detailed,step-by-step execution guide.Keep in mind that your plan should include email and social media marketingstrategies, website optimization, homepage design revisions, promotional packagesand banners, call-to-action buttons, inventory management, etc… The list goes on, andit’s up to you and your team to decide what course of action is best for your business.Once you’ve outlined a plan and uncovered a way to market it effectively, then and onlythen should you start altering your e-store for the holiday season. If you startpreparations without a plan in place, you’ll likely waste time and money.3

12013 Holiday Season Guide3 Be PreparedBefore the holiday season, your online store needs to be ready to handle a massive spike in website traffic and customerservice requests. That’s why we strongly suggest every 3dcart merchant make the following holiday preparations…Update your homepageSometime in early November, you’ll want to launch aholiday-themed homepage design. This includes adding newslide shows (carousels), promotional banners, color schemesetc… In other words, whatever you can do to make yourhomepage a little more festive, do it. Failing to revamp yourhomepage design for the holiday season will leave you wishingyou had. Learn how to add a homepage carousel to your 3dcartstore now!Don’t forget about social mediaSocial media marketing is a must. If you don’t have affiliateFacebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts already, now’s thetime. Also, tailor your holiday marketing campaign(s) to fit eachplatform, specifically. For example, come up with separate andunique posting schedules for each, and make sure you adopt ananalytics platform – like HootSuite or Topsy -- that will allowyou to effectively gauge what is and is not working.Take your social strategy up a notch with these five tools.Optimize your websiteIf you’re looking to maximize your sales during the holidays,you’ll need an optimized website. Think of it this way… if no onecan find your store, how can you expect to grow your business?Don’t neglect mobileWhen it comes to holiday shopping, mobile commerce isgrowing at a rate of 115% annually. If your online store doesn’talready have an optimized a mobile extension, get on that nowbefore it’s too late. Click here to learn how to setup anoptimized m-commerce site for your 3dcart store!Redesign your email templatesEmail marketing is an important part of any effective marketingcampaign. Regardless of which email/newsletter tool you use,it’s a good idea to revamp your email template(s) to take on amore festive theme. You’ll also want to create a detailed emailmarketing strategy so you can maximize the effectiveness ofyour holiday-themed deals and promotions by targetingregistered shoppers.For information on how to modify your email template(s), checkout this article published in 3dcart’s Knowledge Base Center. Formore robust and customizable email/newsletter campaigns,take a look at the MailChimp module, which is now included asa native feature inside all 3dcart-powered stores.SEO is an organic thing. It lives and breathes on the Internet,and you need to work at it consistently. That’s why we suggestyou spend at least one hour per day, from now until Christmas,working on website optimization. It may seem like a lot of effortat first but trust us, SEO is the key to profitability for ecommercestore owners this, and every, holiday season.Discover 3dcart’s new SEO features here. And if you want tolearn how to get Google to back your store, check out this articlehoused in 3dcart’s Ecommerce University.4

2013 Holiday Season Guide13 Be Prepared (continued)Special deals and promotions are a must when looking to growmarketing free shipping, in-store discounts, two-for-one deals,etc… ecommerce merchants will give shoppers an incentive tospend money in their online store(s). Accomplishing this entailsthe creation of promotional advertisements, homepagebanners, etc… Do some research, work with your marketingteam and create a campaign that commands shoppers’attentions and draws them into your e-store.Click here to learn how to run top-notch promotionalcampaigns for your ecommerce website.Optimize your product photosIf you’re an online store owner who fails to showcase amazingphotographs of your inventory, then you mind as well take themoney out of your wallet and set it ablaze.Upsell/Cross-sell your productsbecome a powerful tool during the holiday season. Install theplugin and you’ll be able to customize a pop-up window toappear on the product pages of your website, a feature designedto promote increased conversions while reducing cartabandonment.For more information about 3dcart’s premium upsell feature,take a look at our dedicated landing page.Strengthen your support teamCustomer services request will increase greatly during theholiday shopping season, and that’s why it’s a good idea to workon a detailed customer support strategy. You and your teamneed to be prepared for an increase in service requests, and thatextensive training.Adding zoom features to your photos is one of the many stepsyou can take toward optimization. However, there are severalother tips you can follow when looking to get the most out ofproduct photos. For more information about the importance ofproduct photo optimization, check out this incredible articlepublished by one of 3dcart’s ecommerce experts.Revamp your inventoryProduct demand skyrockets during the holiday season, ande-store owners need to prepare for this. Make sure yourbest-selling, most popular items are in stock, and add newproducts to your library long before the Thanksgiving holiday.For information on how to add new products to your 3dcartstore, take a look at this detailed tutorial.Free shipping is a mustFree shipping has become a promotional staple for ecommercemerchants. Online shoppers love this, and during the 2013holiday season, users will flock to your store knowing thatshipping costs will be covered by you, the merchant. Keep inmind that December 17th is widely known free Shipping Day, sobe sure to take advantage. Learn how to configure your onlinestore’s shipping settings now!Create call-to-action buttonsOnline shoppers tend to have short attention spans, and that’swhy it’s important to feature call to action buttons. Try and keepin mind that if a call to action button doesn’t clearly stand out,you’ll probably need to adjust its text, color and/or location.The wording inside your call to action should be short. Thingsthe kind of text you want to feature. However, feel free to getcreative with these.The better hook you come up with around Christmastime, themore likely it is you’ll convert the shopper.Learn how to create call-to-action buttons that compelshoppers by reading this article housed in 3dcart’s EcommerceUniversity.5

2013 Holiday Season Guide14 Embrace the Holiday SpiritEvery seasonal piece of marketing/advertising you touch should embrace the spirit of the holidays.This includes your homepage design, email templates, Facebook cover photos, Twitter backgroundimages, etc…As an e-store owner, it pays to be excited about Christmas, and you should treat your online store likea brick-and-mortar establishment complete with window dressing and holiday-themed decoration.Even if you’re Ebenezer Scrooge and loathe the Christmas holiday, you won’t be doing yourself anyfavors by failing to create a fun, festive atmosphere for your customers.5 Target your AudienceBefore you can effectively market your e-store for the holiday season, you need to know whoyour audience is an how to reach them. More and more people are turning toward social mediaadvertising, and if you’re willing to spend a few bucks, we recommend following suit.When it comes to advertising on social platforms, there are several options available. You cando PPC (pay per click), focused content marketing, etc… Whatever option(s) you choose, dosome research, discover your target audience and create social campaigns that will effectivelyreach them.Newsletter/email marketing is also key. Keep in mind that people who are registered with yourstore are more likely to return as loyal shoppers during Christmastime, and that’s why it’s agood idea to tailor your marketing efforts to appeal directly to those shoppers.Things to Keep in Mind…It’s all about commitment - Having a solid game plan in place for the holiday season is only half the battle. As e-store owners, youneed to exercise the faith and discipline to see that plan through. Don’t falter on this, and trust your judgment. If something isn’tworking, you can restructure your plan, but at the end of the day, the more you adhere to it, the better your sales margins will bethroughout the holiday season.Keep in contact – Online shoppers like to feel special, especially when every other e-store owner is vying for their attention. That’swhy it’s a good idea to stay in constant contact with your customers. Use email marketing and social media to accomplish this, andthink about establishing a rewards program for loyal shoppers.6

2013 Holiday Season Guide1Things to Keep in Mind…Revamp your website’s copy - In order to maximize visibility and increase sales during the holiday season, you’ll need to revamp thecopy found on your website. This includes call-to-action buttons, product descriptions, homepage text, etc… Online merchants mustoptimize their business copy for SEO, and since keywords and search terms often change around the holidays, the text found in youre-store -- and on your social media sites -- should reflect those changes.Stay focused – Don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done. Hammer out one task at a time, and make sureto consistently put your best foot forward.When creating marketing campaigns, it’s important to stay focused, and don’t try to over extend yourself. In other words, stay in yourcomfort zone. If you’ve never created television or newspaper advertisements, the holiday season is not the time to try new things.Focus your efforts on what you’re good at, so if social media and email are your main outlets for marketing, keep it that way.Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas…At this point in the guide, we shouldn’t have to remind you how important the holiday season isto ecommerce merchants. If you want to maximize your online store’s visibility, make a sleigh fullof money and effectively grow your business, 3dcart’s 2013 Holiday Guide can help you achievethose goals.Please keep in mind that this guide shouldn’t be your only resource, however. Do your homework,conduct research and commit to a holiday game plan. If you arm yourself with the tools neededfor success during the 2013 holiday season, you’ll likely find yourself whistling Christmas carolsall the way to the bank.About 3dcartFounded in 1997, 3dcart is a complete and robust ecommerce platform designed to help e-store owners thrive in a competitivemarket. With hundreds of features built directly into the software, online merchants can effectively open, operate and maintain asuccessful online store with relative ease and efficiency. 3dcart currently powers more than 16,000 global merchants, and itssupport team is always available, at no additional cost, 24/7/365. 3dcart is a Visa PCI Certified provider and a pioneer in mobilecommerce and social media marketing. Fully scalable and completely customizable, 3dcart continues to be the ecommercesolution of choice by industry experts all over the world.7