5 digital tips for peak shopping season.

The holiday season is fast approaching, and for many shoppers, the quest for the perfect gift has already begun. In 2023, we saw retail conversion rates spike in September, dip in October, and then rise again in November and December. This year, the trend of early shopping is expected to continue, with only 24% of shoppers planning to hold off on holiday purchases until Black Friday. In fact, in the U.S., 32% of consumers are already making holiday purchases — as are 50% of consumers in the U.K.

To help your brand stay ahead, we’ve gathered some essential tips directly from our customers.

1. Manage product availability effectively.

Nothing frustrates customers more than investing time in finding the perfect item only to discover it’s out of stock at checkout. Avoid this by:

• Communicating availability early: Clearly show product availability (e.g., "In Stock," "Available Online," "In Store Only") before the customer adds items to their cart. Use real-time inventory updates to ensure accuracy. Track how often products are marked as "out of stock" and set alerts for significant increases, which may indicate supply chain issues. If an item is out of stock, take a page from Bass Pro Shops and offer alternatives.
• Handling temporary unavailability: Instead of simply marking an item as "out of stock," include expected restock dates and offer the option to notify customers when the item is back. Customers who opt for notifications are 3 to 4 times more likely to purchase once the item is available again. Monitor customer engagement with "back in stock" notifications to gauge their effectiveness and adjust messaging as needed.
• Streamline product variations: If only one type of an item is left, remove unnecessary variations that could confuse customers. This simplifies the decision-making process and reduces the likelihood of cart abandonment. Analyze customer feedback on product availability messaging to continuously improve clarity and accuracy.

Effective product availability management, coupled with proactive monitoring, will enhance customer satisfaction and reduce cart abandonment rates.

2. Optimize fulfillment options.

Holiday shoppers are in a hurry, so it’s essential to provide clear and convenient fulfillment options:

• Use straightforward labels: Labels like 'Store Pickup,' 'Ship to Store,' and 'Reserve' should be easy to understand, with additional descriptions available for further clarity. Provide detailed information on each option to help customers make the best choice. Track the usage rates of different fulfillment options to understand customer preferences and adjust your strategy accordingly.
• Provide earliest retrieval information: Customers want to know when they can expect to receive their items. Make sure this information is readily available and accurate. Include real-time updates on estimated delivery or pickup times and set alerts for any increases in issues related to fulfillment options, such as miscommunications or delays.

By optimizing fulfillment options and monitoring customer feedback, you can cater to the diverse needs of your holiday shoppers, improving their overall experience.

3. Monitor promo codes and search terms.

Promo codes and search functionality can be powerful tools during the holiday season—but only if they work correctly:

• Promo codes: Set up alerts for promo code failures and review any codes causing friction. Common issues include confusion between similar characters like "O" and "0" or "B" and "8." Ensure your promo codes are easy to use and clearly communicated. Track customer behavior following failed promo code entries to understand the impact on conversions and refine your strategy.
• Search terms: Track search terms that lead to "No Results Found" and update your query library to include these terms. This ensures customers can find what they’re looking for, reducing frustration. Regularly review and refine search algorithms to improve accuracy. Monitor the frequency of "No Results Found" search queries and adjust your search terms and product tagging accordingly.

Quick resolution of issues with promo codes and search terms can make or break your holiday sales, so stay vigilant and responsive. Canadian Tire can attest to this first-hand, working with Quantum Metric to optimize promo codes to drive a 40% increase in online sales.

4. Plan for peak load.

Ensure your infrastructure is ready to handle the holiday rush:

• Capacity planning: Pre-scale your environment to support the expected peak loads. The last thing you want is for your site to crash during a high-traffic period. Regularly test your site under simulated high-traffic conditions to identify potential weak points and set up alerts for increases in load times, especially on key pages like product and checkout pages.
• Error monitoring: Keep an eye on customer-facing error messages, such as 404s or payment failures, and address them promptly to maintain customer trust. Set up real-time alerts for critical errors to ensure swift resolution. Monitor 404 error rates and identify the pages or referrers causing them. Ensure broken links are fixed promptly and analyze the impact of errors on customer behavior, such as increased bounce rates or reduced session times.

By planning for peak load and closely monitoring site performance, you can ensure a smooth and reliable shopping experience during the busiest time of the year.

5. Refine your mobile strategy.

Mobile is set to play a pivotal role this holiday season. While mobile traffic accounts for more than half of visits to retail sites, it only drives 33% of conversions. This gap is a clear signal that there’s room for improvement. To boost mobile sales:

• Optimize the shopping experience: Ensure your mobile site is intuitive, with clear navigation and streamlined paths to purchase. Use A/B testing to identify and eliminate friction points in the mobile user journey. Track mobile session lengths and compare them with conversion rates to identify any drop-off points.
• Minimize payment errors: Simplify payment forms and offer multiple payment options to reduce friction at checkout. Monitor payment success rates, and set alerts for spikes in payment failures to quickly address any issues.
• Enhance mobile views: Make sure that all views, especially product pages and checkout, are clear and easy to interact with on smaller screens. Regularly test your site on various devices and browsers to ensure a consistent experience. Set up alerts for increases in mobile cart abandonment rates, particularly at the checkout stage.

By refining your mobile strategy and closely monitoring key performance indicators, you can turn those browsing sessions into actual sales.

As the holiday season approaches, now is the time to ensure your digital brand is ready to meet the demands of eager shoppers. By refining your mobile strategy, managing product availability, optimizing fulfillment options, monitoring promo codes and search terms, and planning for peak load, you can create a seamless shopping experience that drives conversions and boosts customer satisfaction.

Want to learn more about how Quantum Metric can help you succeed this holiday season, check out our product tours for a first-hand look at how you can better track errors and optimize experiences based on customer behavior.