Holiday Season eCommerce Must Listen To Consumer Trend Research on Retailers

'Black Friday' was once the big make or break date in American retail, but the rapid spread of e-commerce has turned holiday shopping into an adventure that, though concentrated on a few significant dates, is now spread throughout the season.  To not only keep ahead of the competition but to also stay in business it's necessary for every retailer to have an online presence that's ready to handle both changing consumer habits and expectations.  Fortunately, a recent report by Forrester Research has revealed the five trends that are driving 2011 holiday e-commerce:

Moving Away From Stores

Without question, the spread of cheap, secure devices that enable anyone to access markets from almost anywhere has changed the face of shopping.  Due to the convenience provided by online commerce, particularly when carried out through smart phones and tablets, a greater number of consumers, as they have in previous years, intend to do the bulk of their shopping online.  This means that businesses should not only expect more online activity, but also gear their sales strategies toward buyers who may never walk through the door.

Searches for Coupons and Other Discounts are Often the First Step in E-Commerce

Data from November and December of 2010 shows that online shopping activity often begins with searches for discounts that are only available through the internet.  Even if a shopper is unsure as to whether or not such coupons exist, available information on searches reveal that terms related to such values are often what set browsers on a path that eventually leads to a purchase.  For this reason, it's smart for businesses to create discounts that are both exclusive to the internet and that lead directly to their wider services and options.

E-Mail Continues to Create a Direct Connection with the Customer

Surveys reveal that consumers continue to act on emails and other marketing tools that are directed to them at the individual level.  This is largely because such tools can be tailored to them as a person as well as initiate retailer-to-consumer interaction with mention of goods that the targeted individual is highly likely to already need or desire.  Though broadly-based advertising is still important, such individually-oriented methods are highly likely to result in a purchase.  This is especially true of touchpoints focused around the holiday season, especially CyberMonday.

Significant Dates Remain Important

Though one of the advantages of e-commerce is that individuals can make a purchase at any time, popular culture and general 'buzz' still focus the minds of consumers on specific dates.  Research has shown, in the so-called 'New Economy' of the digital age, that November 30^th, December 1^st, and November 29^th, in that order, are the top three dates for online holiday sales.  Every retailer is therefore advised to ensure that they have the capacity to handle a spike in traffic on those days.

The Role of Social Media Continues to Grow

Far from being a generational fad, social media sites have largely become a new form of popular communication.  For many, they've even replaced traditional methods of long-distance communication like the telephone.  As social media also allows individuals to share links, video, and other media that can be directly tied to a business or specific product, it's now more important than ever for online retailers to be able to connect to not only their initial customers, but also the friends of customers (and their friends, of course) in this way.  The first step in creating 'buzz' for a new product, after all, is getting people to talk about it.  Through social media, such a discussion can go from being among ten people to including ten thousand in a matter of days.

Though the holiday season is already upon us, liQuidprint is still able to maximize the advantages every retailer receives through e-commerce.  Given that many of the things we can do for our clients increase business throughout the year, it's never too late for a retailer to think about making changes to their site, or even to offer new services to customers.  In particular, developing new apps for both smart phones and tablets can be a gesture that is not only appreciated by those who currently enjoy the services and products a business provides, but that can also lead to significant increases in sales and consumer awareness.  Likewise, though a retailer may want to increase their site's ability to handle traffic for the holiday season, an overall upgrade in their technology can return dividends throughout the year.

For more information on how liQuidprint can help increase your business's sales throughout the holidays and beyond, feel free to contact the professionals on our staff today.