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11 SUCCESS TIPS TO HELP YOU ROCK THIS YEAR’S CYBER MONDAY

29 October 2015

Always held on the Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States, Cyber Monday is quickly becoming one of the biggest online shopping days of the year!

In 2014, Cyber Monday online sales grew to a record $2.68 billion, compared to $2.29 billion the year before.

While Black Friday represents an omni-channel opportunity for merchants, the deals on Cyber Monday are online-only. This means that in order to capitalise on this incredible opportunity, e-retailers need to make sure their online sales strategy for that day is impeccable.

To help you make the most of Cyber Monday, which this year falls on 30th November, we have developed an 11-point checklist providing you with top tips on how to prepare your online store for record-breaking sales numbers.

Tip #1. Plan ahead

Come up with a plan for what products to include in your Cyber Monday deals as early as possible, at least a month in advance. This way you will have enough time to secure sufficient stock, plan you resources and decide how you will promote your deals.

Tip #2. Differentiate your offer

Keep an eye on the competition and pick a unique offer that will make you stand out from the crowd. People looking for deals online are going to be bombarded with loads of information, so make sure your deals don’t look like everyone else’s.

Tip #3. Price competitively

Cyber Monday shoppers expect to save a lot of money by purchasing on that day, i.e. at least 50%. Offering a 25% discount, for example, would not add much to the success of your Cyber Monday online campaign. If your deals feature old inventory, discount even further – down to 75%.

Tip #4. Give buyers a deadline

On Cyber Monday, people go online to buy, not just to browse, so make your deals time-sensitive. For instance, make your discounts valid until midnight that day, or give buyers an early bird discount.

Tip #5. Design appealing visuals to advertise upcoming deals

Create promotional banners to highlight the offers you will make available on the big day. Incorporate visually appealing countdowns to your storefront or selected Cyber Monday products to create a feeling of immediacy among customers.

Tip #6. Make your deals mobile-friendly

Providing a smooth mobile shopping experience for your customers is a key factor to the success of your Cyber Monday sales campaign this year. Now that mobile accounts for over 30% of all ecommerce sales globally, offering mobile-friendly storefront and listing template will help you stand out from the competition.

Tip #7. Plan your delivery options carefully

Plan your Cyber Monday delivery options thoughtfully. Offering a “next day” delivery service could pose the risk of the items not being delivered on time, which will lead to unhappy customers. Make sure you communicate the delivery options clearly to your customers.

Tip #8. Offer free shipping

In 2014, free shipping was rated by customers as their number one priority when buying online. If offering free shipping year-round is not plausible for your business, consider featuring it in your Cyber Monday deals. Don’t forget to advertise your plan to offer free shipping on the big day.

Tip #9. Be prepared for heavy fulfilment demands

Make sure you have enough resources to manage the increased volume of orders you will receive on Cyber Monday. You may need to draft in some extra support to get all your orders picked and packed on time. Planning this ahead of time will make your Cyber Monday order fulfilment less stressful.

Tip #10. Expand customer service support

On Cyber Monday people are actively shopping, not just casually browsing, so they will have loads of questions. If potential buyers can’t find the answers quickly, they will most probably turn to your competitor’s store. Plan your customer service resources carefully and make sure you provide quick response time to all customers, not only to impatient ones.

Tip #11. Offer hassle-free returns

The increased number of orders on Cyber Monday most certainly means more returns. Offering an extended returns policy is a great way to capture buyers’ attention and could also be the differentiator between you and your competitors. Make sure your Cyber Monday returns policy is clearly communicated to customers.

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