An argument can be made that if you are only now starting to prepare your online shop for the coming holidays you are too late. While I agree you should really be preparing for months prior, there is still time to get a few key items in place or optimized to boost sales for online shop owners. Let’s take a look at the six items I feel will be the most effective.
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Consistent Banding
This should be a year-long exercise but as you may be adding things like coupon codes or gift certificates to your store it is important to include consistent branding across all of your initiatives. The goal is to trigger recognition of your of your business both online and offline.
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Capture Emails for Your Newsletter
Interest in online shopping will be at its peak and eyeball views to your site will traditionally be higher than they are all year. Even if you do not gain a sale, you shouldn’t lose a lead. Be sure to push, promote and shout out your newsletter sign-up so that you can market to interested buyers all year long.
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Clean Up Your Site Navigation
Make sure your site is easily navigated and that all your navigation items are clear, bold and easily accessible. You want buyers to find their way to the products they are interested in the shortest number of clicks.
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Get Up To Speed
Site speed or how fast your website loads should always be a consideration, especially now that search engines place such high value on faster loading sites; however, during the holiday rush you will be experiencing increased visits to your site. Make sure your site and web hosting can handle the additional traffic without slowing the site down.
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Display Featured Products
Your homepage should have featured product placement. Whether it is a carousel or a simple call to action a single product, you should be asking for the sale as soon as your page loads. Buyers are on your site for a reason, give them what they want.
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Don’t Sleep On Product Categories
Organizing your products makes for a more user friendly store. Your website is inherently designed to help you stay organized. Don’t fight it, let it help your buyers find the products they are after by having a strong organizational user interface. Brick and Mortar retailers go to great lengths to do this, successful online retailers do as well.
I wish you all a bountiful and prosperous holiday sales season. I am confident that just a little attention to these six tips will pay in dividends for your online store. One last tip, there are a lot more tips Jus B Media can help you with, make a note to contact us after holiday season to get a proper start on preparing for your next holiday selling season.
