Ann Smarty says, “Ecommerce marketers are already starting to go through their Holiday marketing checklist — that is, if they’re smart. Because they know, as you should, it’s never too early to start planning. Holiday Marketing Checklist Avoid Abandoned Shopping Carts by Using Mobile Wallets The use of mobile wallets continues to grow exponentially. It’s got to be consumer-friendly to the nth degree to avoid massive checkout abandonment. Just look at the league third party payments are in: Apple Pay is coming to the mobile web by December. Amazon Payments is rolling out new third-party... [...]

Ben Davis says, “We’re getting to the part of the year where people start to moan about tinsel appearingalready in stores. Retail was ever this way – preparation is everything. Here are five search marketing tips for the holiday season, to get ahead of the game. 1. Prepare landing pages early like Currys, and keep them year-round Many retailers make mistakes with their seasonal landing pages, whether for Christmas, Hannukah or Black Friday. When we looked at UK Black Friday retailers in mid-November 2015, Littlewoods and Richer Sounds were making basic errors. Richer Sounds had... [...]

Saima Alibhai says, “What tactics can retailers use to make the most of seasonal shopping opportunities? Autumn/fall is now upon us. And although Christmas might seem a long way away, some shoppers are already stocking up with gifts for the festive season. According to some recent research from shopping channel QVC, 1.5m Londoners have already started their Christmas shopping. That’s a substantial pre-season opportunity, but you must act now to engage with early bird shoppers or risk missing out to the competition. The traditional Christmas shopping season has seen upheaval in recent years,... [...]

Kevin Donnelly says, “Black Friday and Cyber Monday present a huge business opportunity. Online shoppers spent nearly $3 billion on Black Friday weekend last year, including almost $1 billion in mobile sales alone. While Black Friday shopping may be synonymous with holiday crazes like Tickle Me Elmo and Mr. Potato Head, the real opportunities extend far beyond that. At the end of every year, there are certain product trends that pick up steam and turn into runaway hits on Black Friday. So, what if you knew what products would be big this Black Friday before anyone else? With a little research... [...]

James Collins says, “The ideal brand relationship is much more than a single experience. It comprises multiple experiences and events that tie the consumer to that specific brand. That brand becomes the go-to for purchasing the perfect birthday gift or the top destination for booking a much-needed getaway. Analyzing each of these brand interactions beyond the user’s first purchase allows advertisers to properly understand the complete customer journey. With the holiday season upon us, it’s time marketers moved beyond the basics of attribution and focused on long-term optimization, based... [...]

Entrepreneur team says, “We’re in the midst of summer. Most of us can be found lounging at the beach, hitting up a music festival or sparking up the grill. So why would any retailer start thinking about the holiday season now? Although there are impulse shoppers, 57 percent are carefully planned. The consumer has done all the necessary research, entering the store zeroed in on her destination. She knows what she wants. To become part of the equation, you need to get your brand message in front of her earlier than ever before. Doing anything else could jeopardize your business. Just... [...]

Sujan Patel says, “Fall is upon us, with the holidays waiting right around the corner. Holidays are a perfect time to connect with your prospects and celebrate those feelings of camaraderie, gratitude and interconnectedness. Marketers can leverage these feelings to deeply engage with their customers on an emotional level and build trust and credibility. The holidays are a popular time to market, so it’s important to put a lot of thought into your holiday marketing campaign. You want to appeal to everyday emotions while also standing out from the crowd. There’s a lot of spending that... [...]

Olivia Dello Buono says, “If you’re in the throes of a relentless heat wave, a.k.a. August, holiday planning is the last thing on your mind. But it shouldn’t be! Planning a cohesive email marketing campaign takes time: aligning content and design, accounting for outside dependencies and testing and refining all need to happen before you launch. Once November rolls around, you’ll wish you started sooner. Not convinced? Here’s why you need to kick off your holiday planning ASAP, and how you can deliver more relevant, contextual experiences to your subscribers. Online shoppers are doing... [...]

Eric Samson says, “A disproportionate amount of spending happens during the holidays among brands and consumers. Retailers slash prices with the expectation that holiday promotions will motivate shoppers to buy more of their products as gifts for family and friends. Companies invest heavily to promote the sales they are having. But is it enough? Earlier this year, the National Retail Federation reported a 4 percent increase in 2014 holiday retail sales totaling $616.1 billion. Businesses that fail to maximize the holiday shopping season miss a huge revenue opportunity. Brands that invest... [...]

Andrew Waber says, “When it comes to advertising during the all-important holiday season, there isn’t such a thing as “planning too early.” The competitive environment has only grown more intense over the past several years, and large, innovative advertisers are increasingly using the summer months as the time to meticulously structure their larger holiday season strategy and associated tactics. As an addendum to last year’s column on the subject, I want to highlight some data-backed recommendations to take to heart as you begin to scope and spec out your holiday ad strategy. 1. Focus... [...]