How’s the Holiday Season Looking this 2020?

Holiday season has always been a busy time. However, for the first time, the world is facing this season in the middle of a global pandemic. As holiday rush comes, what should we expect?. Are consumers still going to the malls to complete their Christmas lists? Or are they shopping online for Christmas tree fillers? What should brands do to be able to make the most out of this shopping season? What should businesses do to provide the best experience to their consumers? Industry experts and players have their own take on which advice they should be handing out to different businesses. According to a research conducted by Morning Consult, 47% of consumers are already planning to do all their Christmas shopping online, for their safety and convenience.  On the other hand, offline shopping would not be 100% forgotten. According to an analysis by Google, brick and mortar shopping would still be an option for the consumers during the holiday season. However, it would be a much more planned endeavor rather than a random activity. Before going to the shops, 65% of consumers are said to make researches online about product availability and store proximity. Another trend in an attempt to help businesses recover is extending sales, in terms of length and store coverage. Businesses are extending their sales into their online platforms and are exploring month-long holiday sales to help business.  

So what should I do?

1. Get your Business Online in time for Holiday Shopping 

Since the general trend is consumer behavior leaning towards online shopping. The first thing advised by industry experts is to make sure that your business is ready for digital transformation. This means having the online presence and marketplaces to sell your products in. This also means having your own webstore or a merchant center in the go-to online marketplaces. Of course, it doesn’t stop there. In going online, you have to make sure that you have the right integrations and set-ups. This means making sure that orders reach your audience in the comforts of their own homes.  
  • 2. Provide Enough Inventory Information

Like we said, all hope is not lost in offline shopping. But since consumers are being more strategic right now, experts are suggesting that you should be more informational and transparent in your websites to help your consumers decide when and where to go to your brick and mortars. Providing inventory information that shows real-time product availability and store locations is critical to these consumers planning their shopping trips. This is made possible by integrating with inventory management platforms that would help you connect to your offline stores to display the actual number of on-hand products available in your physical shops. This is something that we could help you with. Click here for more information or to schedule a product demo with us.
  1. 3. Be Strategic in Marketing and Promotions

Lastly, in terms of holiday sales, although undoubtedly an effective technique to get your customers to come to your stores (online and offline), should be managed strategically by the brand. It’s good for the business to receive as many orders as possible during this season but it also entails making sure that your system is ready to fulfill all these transactions. Businesses should have OMS (Order Management Systems) that would help them automate their transactions, since manual order management for bulk orders would be expected during this season. Not only would this help a lot in terms of ensuring customer satisfaction, it also assures you that despite the quantity of transactions you’d need to fulfill, you’ll be able to cater to them and deliver them on time. In a gist, a lot of changes are surely expected during the upcoming holiday season. But businesses are gearing up for it to make sure that they’re able to provide an incredible shopping experience to their consumers. Our partners and our carts are ready for the holiday season, we hope you are too, because new normal or not, the holidays would surely be something to look forward to!

Can I get ready in time for the holiday shopping rush?

Book a time with us now and we’ll help you get ready for a hassle-free holiday season! Just leave your information at here and we’ll take it from there!

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