Ready. Set. Shop. Online.

by Judy Haveson, VOLLMER New York

‘Tis the Season: Readying Your Retail Site Ready for the Holiday Rush

Remember when the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season started as soon as you saw Santa and his reindeer floating down Broadway in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade? Now retailers decorate their stores in hopes of getting people in the “holiday buying” mood as early as October.

Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, coined the term Cyber Monday, referring to the Monday after Thanksgiving when many retailers saw spikes in sales and traffic as consumers went back to work after the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.

According to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, in 2007, $733 million was spent online during Cyber Monday and overall holiday sales during the months of November and December surpassed $29 billion. ‘Tis the season to get your site ready for the mad holiday rush or miss out on serious sales.

The following are promotable tips and advice for online retailers to consider while getting their “stores” ready for the holiday shopping season:

• Decorate the store – Prepare to alter your logo with a holiday theme after Thanksgiving and include holiday-inspired copy to help generate sales. Word of caution – don’t follow the patterns of the traditional retailer and start pushing holiday shopping after Labor Day! It could turn off customers and make you appear overzealous, not to mention tacky.


• Give Gift Recommendations – Create a section on the homepage that helps shoppers decide what to buy. Drill down to specific suggestions by price, gender, age, gift type, staff recommendations, etc. Provide a broad range of items for each category and include off-the-wall recommendations to keep it fun!


• Create a “Holiday Helper” section – Dedicate a section on the site that gives details on all policies including: purchasing, returns and exchanges, shipping, delivery, etc. Special tips: if you have and brick-and-mortar retail location, make it easy for shoppers to make returns and exchanges in the store. If affordable, cut shipping costs in half or offer free shipping. Also, many online retailers are offering “early shopper” discounts and “first time buyer” discounts in order to convert new buyers.


• Gift Cards & Online Certificates – Great for stocking stuffers and last minute shoppers! Allow shoppers to choose from an array of customized gift boxes and sleeves. Also, for the procrastinators, develop a colorful template to download and print to include something inside a card or stocking.


• Gift Wrapping – Provide a wide selection of standard holiday-themed gift wrap paper for free. Give shoppers a sneak peek so they are able to see what their gift will look like when it arrives. For additional fees, showcase fancier wrapping paper, bags, accessories and cards. For customers that want to wrap the gift themselves, provide them the option of purchasing a gift wrap box kit including paper or gift bags, ribbons, tape and other wrapping accessories.


• Keep your Online Store Safe – You don’t need to hire extra holiday security if you’re already taking the necessary precautions to keep your customer’s information safe. Be sure to have all your safety measures in place and see about joining organizations such as the BBB Online to make your customers feel like they’re always in a good neighborhood when buying on your site!


• Stock Up! – Nothing turns off potential buyers then the words, “Not available to ship until after December 25.” If it’s the hot item of the year, be sure to have enough in stock or at least make recommendations for the next best thing!

Following these tips will help you and your online store be prepared for the best retail time of the year.

Happy Shopping!