Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except dad hiding in the bathroom on his iphone frantically ordering a last minute gift for his wife.
The holiday season has arrived and although according to Google’s 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions Report 43% of holiday shoppers planned to do most of their shopping by CyberMonday, that still leaves 67% playing catch up for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. Here are 5 ways to capture their business.
- Coupons are king: The economy might be improving, but shoppers are still hungry for discounts. According to Google’s report, 55% of shoppers said they planned to use more coupons this year and 50% planned to spend more time shopping around for gifts. Offer targeted ads for last minute holiday shoppers and don’t forget to address shipping dates. Make sure shoppers know their gifts will arrive on time.
- Make it Easy for Men: It may be a stereotype, but studies have shown that more last minute shoppers are men. According to a 2009 study by the University of Michigan, women see shopping as recreation, whereas any woman who’s been shopping with her boyfriend or husband knows that he wants to get in and out as soon as possible. So, lose the “gatherer” mentality and think “hunter” on your web store. MerchantTribe includes the ability to add Top 10 lists. Use it! Also, highlight reviews and suggestions to capture last minute male shoppers. http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Ekruger/Kruger_Evolution_and_Shopping.pdf
- Get Mobile: We all know that mobile commerce is growing by leaps and bounds, but last minute shoppers especially are browsing at work or on the go. According to Google, 54% of shoppers will use Smartphones to aid them this holiday season and 77% will use tablets. If you haven’t made sure that your web site looks and works great on smart phones and tablets, you could be losing out on sales.
- Make It Meta: Don’t forget to change your page titles and meta descriptions to reach last minute shoppers. Use targeted seasonal phrases. Make notes about which products you change, so you can change them back after the holiday season is over. You can use Google Insights to view the most searched for terms during a period of time and write your descriptions accordingly. A search for last year’s most popular holiday shopping terms revealed terms like “shoes, coupons and boots” as well as popular brand names. http://www.google.com/insights/search/#cat=0-18&geo=US&date=11%2F2010%202m&cmpt=q
- Use Smart Search Engine Marketing: Writing great copy for Google Adwords and other SEM avenues is always important, but for last minute holiday sales remember to be extremely direct. Last minute shoppers may be overwhelmed with options and short on time. The more targeted your ad, the more your store stands out. Use specifics details and suggest gift recipients for added sales.
Use these 5 tips and you’ll be seeing last minute sales in no time!