Here come the holidays! And even before all those Thanksgiving leftovers have been made into Turkey Tetrazzini, Cyber Monday will arrive.
While Black Friday brings the traditional brick-and-mortar stampede, more and more shoppers are chilling on Friday and waiting for deals on the internet’s biggest retail event of the year — Cyber Monday. That’s when commerce sellers of all sizes roll out the internet equivalent of door-buster deals for online shoppers.
As a shipper and 3PL warehouse for many commerce businesses, Red Stag Fulfillment knows a lot about this process. Now the company is out with some tips — with pros and cons — to help online retailers gauge their best strategies.
For instance, asks Red Stag in a blog post, “can smaller e-commerce sellers break through the noise with promotions and campaigns that target repeat customers and bring in new clientele?”
Red Stag comes down on the side of getting with the Cyber Monday excitement.
“On November 28, online shoppers will be looking for Cyber Monday banners and deals,” notes the company. “Adding a Cyber Monday logo to your site can generate excitement; without it, your customers may drift off to other sites with the thought that they can come back to your shop any day. An event-specific deal can give people a reason to buy now.”
But there is a caveat: even “etailers” should strive to compete on quality, not just price.
“When it comes to deep, loss-leader discounts, your small e-commerce site can’t compete with the big retail chains,” the firm notes. “In fact, shoppers who visit your online store just because of a Cyber Monday deal might not be your ideal customers, especially if you rely on a clientele that appreciates what you have to offer based on the quality of your merchandise and your personalized service. Instead of discounts on Cyber Monday, consider offering something that only you can give, such as a free webinar on home decorating with your tablecloth and napkin sets or one-of-a-kind gift packaging. Some other ideas: give virtual consultations to customers who buy more than a certain dollar amount of beauty projects or offer a Facebook Live session to help your customers choose the right children’s clothing sizes.”
In short, suggests Red Stag, “make Cyber Monday a fun community event at your online shop, rather than a mad scramble for bargains.”
Another pro tip: Coupons and specials do make shoppers happy.
“Shoppers love to feel like they are getting a special deal that not everyone can access. A small gift, coupon, or discount tied to Cyber Monday can give your loyal following that special feeling of being on the inside. Consider a secret coupon code just for your best customers or those who sign up to receive your e-newsletter.”
Reserving that privilege for best customers might be wise, however. As RSF puts it: you don’t want to “run the risk of turning your good customers into bargain hunters who won’t click the buy button without a coupon code.”
And here’s another heads-up. Sure, there will be lots of activity on Cyber Monday, but the truth is this: online shopping is already happening.
“When Cyber Monday first became a thing, internet shopping was in its infancy. The big sales day for online shopping was traditionally on the Monday after Thanksgiving because people used internet connections at work to do their online shopping,” explains RSF. “Now that many more people have home internet and most people can shop 24/7 on their smartphones, Monday isn’t really the day. Many retailers recognize this by offering “Cyber Monday” deals starting much earlier. If you’re lucky, your first holiday rush is likely to come over the weekend.”
There are more tips and tales in Red Stag Fulfillment’s post. And they’re a must-read for any e-commerce retailer this holiday season.
