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Advice
‘Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, as
the saying goes. And the one sure thing is that on the
hyper-competitive net, someone else will be getting fat’
Sort your deliveries
able you to start clearing slow moving stock plier relationships can really help when you
Make sure your logistics supplier can cope. even before December has passed. have problems. You could also add a ‘present’
Consider a courier for the peak period, or Spe-
Upsell to maximise the sale
of a discount during January for suppliers and
cial Delivery. Letting customers select delivery good customers.
to their work address can avoid missed deliv- Many gifts don't stand alone, they need
Keep a sense of humour!
eries. Robert Johnston of www.gentlemans- other items to go with them – like batteries, for
shop.com adds, “When we send a parcel the example. So explicitly offer related items with Robert Johnston once had an irate cus-
customer receives the tracking details by email your products wherever relevant. You might tomer repeatedly phoning on Christmas Eve,
and confirmation that the goods will arrive on also suggest, similar gifts to buy. And people “about the delivery of his father’s Christmas
the next business day. This has cut dramati- buying presents can be susceptible to offers present. We had dispatched it two weeks ear-
cally the ‘when will my parcel arrive’ calls.” like 'buy two and get one free'. lier but he slammed the phone down accusing
Anticipate last minute shoppers Customers in a rush
me of ’ruining his Christmas‘. Just as we
closed, the same guy called to apologise. His
Make clear the last day customers can Most online shoppers, and particularly sister had signed for the parcel and dad’s spe-
order for Christmas delivery. Ideally, put this at Christmas ones, are in a hurry; so you need a cial present was already wrapped and under
the top and bottom of every web page. Once search capability that can match both by cat- the tree.”
the deadline has passed, highlight this. egory and by price range. Your ecommerce
Advertise January sales
Use seasonal promotions
product must integrate the two: search en-
gines may be fine for text-based searching, but Make sure that you have planned your Jan-
“Don't be a bah-humbug! Decorate your they're very poor when you want a gift that uary sales ahead of time, including working out
site and get into the Christmas spirit,” says costs less than £10 for, say, your eight-year- the appropriate delivery dates. It gives the
James Auckland at
www.lunaspas.com. Find old niece.Another help for rushed buyers is a ‘value shoppers’ a chance to clear all that dead
creative ways to mark the season. If this ap- gift-wrapping service. This also provides a stock for you.So, Christmas is coming and the
proach is good enough for Google, it’s good great opportunity to increase margin. goose is getting fat, as the saying goes. And
enough for us too. Put likely presents and links
Thank regulars
the one sure thing is that on the hyper-com-
to gift packs on your home page, and stock petitive net, someone else will be getting fat
Christmas-themed items. Offer gift wrapping James Auckland again: “Thank your suppli- eating your lunch, if they’re better prepared
too. But don’t forget to change the pages on ers, as well as your regular customers, as they than you. Why not get out and eat theirs in-
Boxing Day.Christmas specials may also en- are an integral part of your team.” Good sup- stead?
Business Matters issue 164 • 49
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