Ready for the busiest and most emotional time of the year?
30 Sep 2022
Christmas is already omnipresent and for retailers it is now time to go full throttle in order to give their customers a nice, positively loaded, carefree time despite all the challenging news (such as war, inflation, price increases, Corona) - online as well as stationary.
Time for a "catchy" shop window decoration that stands out or breaks the mould - online Christmas marketing takes off.
Now important for POS
Now it's time to think concretely about the shop window. In September I already talked about how "storytelling" is very important in product presentation. In your shop window, telling a story is even more important!
Today, we are inundated with so much information and it is simply no longer enough to place nice products nicely in the shop window.
„People should stop when they walk past your shop window. They should come over from the other side of the street because they want to see more closely what great things you are showing in your window. “
Choose one of your Christmas themes that is particularly interesting in terms of colour and it even can be a little more colourful (like the Christmasworld Trend „local+vital“) - it should be an eye-catcher. What story could you show in the process?
How about, for example, a couple of Christmas elves walking through your window while Christmas shopping - with all the presents they have bought? Unfortunately they broke a Christmas bauble while unwrapping? Create a little story out of it! A chase of elf and deer, a fallen basket with baubles tumbling out, one of which unfortunately got broken.
The shop window is the best stage for little stories that arouse curiosity and make you smile, that simply appeal to your customers emotionally.
Let your creativity run free and feel free to make use of well-known traditions, fairy tales or childhood memories.
Now important for online trade
Customer enquiries will increase significantly during the Christmas or holiday season. Customer communication must function optimally despite the increasing stress levels - it is important to set the course for this early on. Plan at least enough (customer service) capacities to be able to guarantee appropriate reactions (and reaction times) in the dialogue with the customers and provide for reinforcements in good time. Important: Before the hot phase, establish clear rules for communication and also an emergency plan for possible problems or delivery bottlenecks.
Customers start their first searches for Christmas gifts as early as the beginning of October. Even if the actual peak is between "Black Friday" and Christmas, it can be crucial to be found now. You could convert these visitors into valuable customers later on with retargeting campaigns, according to your national data protection legislation.
Google and social media are particularly suitable for this. Social media in particular have their own requirements. It is best to use social media monitoring tools that trigger rapid alert messages when mentions are made and use the possibilities of automation. This way you can react quickly to critical (but also positive) postings.
„In addition, I recommend activating other sales channels (such as price comparison sites). But be sure to keep an eye on your advertising spend. Researching customers are not necessarily buying customers. If not yet implemented, now introduce the "electronic invoice", which makes sense especially for gift shipments to different delivery addresses.“
In focus: Start Christmas marketing
Test, plan and book ads (Facebook etc.)
Launch Christmas SEM campaigns
Promote your own newsletter and social media channels (to increase the number of followers)
Clearly communicate delivery deadlines "Just in time for Christmas"
Prepare the Christmas layout of the shop
Set up FAQs on Christmas questions: By when do I have to order? How much do returns cost, etc.?
Last usability check in your own shop
Interested in the complete checklist?
Then click here (PDF).
The checklist is only available in German - if you are interested, please use online translator or contact us for support.
The 2019 checklist from shopanbieter.de is considered an evergreen and provides online traders with a practical roadmap that lists the current steps to be taken month by month. You can find out what you should pay attention to in this exceptional year due to supply bottlenecks etc. in Peter Höschl's personal tip.
In addition, you will find further interesting information, white papers, specialist articles and e-commerce guides at shopanbieter.de.
Gabriela Kaiser - Trend Expert
Gabriela Kaiser has been advising companies from industry and commerce since 2002. She gives lectures at international trade fairs and regularly publishes articles in various trade journals on the subject of trends, design and lifestyle. Apart from the specific seasonal trends, she always keeps an eye on the overriding megatrends, which she compares with the wishes and needs of the end customers. Learn more here
Peter Höschl - E-Commerce Expert
Industry companion from the very beginning with 25 years of practical experience. Main focus: Strategy, brand building and e-commerce controlling & analysis. As the operator of the e-commerce portal shopanbieter.de, he has already written several books, practical guides and over 1,000 professional articles and is in demand as a coach and speaker. In his opinion, the profit and turnover for online traders in e-commerce is buried above all in the area of controlling and analysis.
About shopanbieter.de
shopanbieter.de is an information portal that provides operators of small and medium-sized online shops with up-to-date and concentrated information relevant to daily e-commerce: A comprehensive provider directory, a daily news service, background articles, free guides as well as interviews with specialised solution providers and service providers. To shopanbieter.de
