The retail Christmas season is well and truly upon us, despite the fact that December 25 is still almost two months away.
Christmas trees are displayed in shops, carols can be heard in the air and television ads and billboards everywhere are telling us to get ready for the silly season – by shopping, of course.
So what is your retail business doing to maximise sales during this busy period, other than taking on suggestions from customer satisfaction surveys?
Navigating the Christmas period
Shifts in consumer behaviour and channel usage are introducing complex new dynamics into how retailers deal with the crucial Christmas season, according to the Third Annual UK Online Retail Christmas Readiness Report from IBM Enterprise Marketing Management.
One of the best foundations for a good Christmas season is adopting a strategic focus on cross-channel marketing, and innovative ways of engaging with the consumer.
And shoppers will be out in force early this year, more ready to spend than in previous years, according to American Express.
However, it's important to remember that the attention span of the customer, especially one shopping online on a mobile device, is short. Customers are more likely than ever to leave a site after viewing just a single page and they won't spend long looking at it either. Consumer attention is at an all time low, so companies need to push the boundaries more and more to engage their interest.
Tailored content, personalised interactions and product recommendations are just some of the tools you can utilise to engage these inattentive customers. Make sure your social media and mobile experience are cutting edge and focus your efforts on interactive, cross-channel and digital marketing.
There's still time to cash in on the Christmas rush, but if your sales are lacking this Yuletide season then learn from your mistakes and lift your game next year.
Why not see how online surveys might help you to improve, with a free custom-branded demonstration of PeoplePulse's software?
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