Tips For Online Retailers Preparing For Cyber Monday

By Mike Sachoff - Fri, 11/21/2008 - 12:17

Strategies to use

With the official holiday shopping season beginning next week, U.S. retailers expect "Black Friday" (November 28 this year) sales will grow 1.2 percent.

For "Cyber Monday" the first Monday after Thanksgiving, retailers expect to see growth of 2.4 percent, according to a study from BDO Seidman.

Online sales are projected to grow 8 percent and gift card sales are expected to grow 5.1 percent.

The Yahoo Search Marketing Blog has some good tips for retailers looking to attract shoppers this holiday season.

1. Call out any special holiday deals. Users always respond to things like discounts, coupons and sales, but the holidays and the current economic downturn make a good deal look even better.

2. Highlight lower-priced items when possible. If the price is right, things that may have once seemed like impulse purchases may now be irresistible to consumers looking to score a sweet last-minute deal online.

3. If you offer free shipping, be sure to include that in your ad copy. Free shipping is an extremely popular (if not the most popular) incentive for consumers, so if you offer it-even with restrictions-be sure to let your customers know.

4. Stress the ease and convenience that online shopping offers over the traditional mall shopping experience. Be very direct in stating how consumers can save time, money, fuel and hassle by buying online, rather than schlepping to pricey, crowded shopping destinations.

Tips For Online Retailers Preparing For Cyber Monday

Online retailers should also focus on site search to help customers navigate their site more easily.

Other things online retailers can do are take advantage of product video and customer reviews, which can give shoppers more information when making buying decisions.

"As budget-focused consumers begin holiday shopping, many are starting on the web to look for gift ideas and research products," said Helen Malani, Shopzilla's Online Shopping Expert.

"Whether they make those holiday purchases online or in stores, the Internet will have a tremendous influence on holiday sales this year."

News Tags: Technology, Yahoo, Cyber Monday, ecommerce

About the author:
Mike is a staff writer for WebProNews.

8 Comments

By Used Nissan Maxima (WPN reader) - Fri, 04/24/2009 - 16:15

All of this points to

All of this points to consumers finding more deals online as opposed to their local stores, who cannot move such volume on a local level. In addition, it is much easier to search for deals online than it is driving from store to store. I can not even tell you how many new local customers are coming into Audio-Depot that found us online through our low price on a Google product search!

By Tony Michaels (WPN reader) - Mon, 11/24/2008 - 03:59

Another Place to shop online

I have saved a lot of money and time by shopping on www.cybermondaydiscountcodes.com

By Guest (WPN reader) - Mon, 11/24/2008 - 06:04

this your site is it? -

this your site is it? - spammer

By Guest (WPN reader) - Mon, 11/24/2008 - 01:15

Walmart has the biggest discounts this year

I know American's won't be buying as much this year as they have in the past, but I am surprised retailers aren't offering the discounts we all hoped for.

If retailers wanted to get rid of their inventory, I was sure they'd cut prices big time.

Although, good old Walmart is still cutting prices like crazy.

Walmart is definitely the place to go for Black Friday. View their Black Friday ad here: http://www.2008blackfridayads.com

By Paul Forcey (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/23/2008 - 22:30

Day After Thanksgiving is the big one

Last year was the first year that I did a thanksgiving sale of my digital products and I did a months worth of turnover in 3 days!
As everyone is tightening their belts I think that there will be more hunting high and low for the best deal on just about every product.

I know my wife is aiming to do most of her black friday shopping online rather than going out in the cold at 5am to line up and then find the shop ran out of the item. Staying home in the warm and get the bargains online seems like a much better idea.

By Ken of audio-depot (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/23/2008 - 16:52

Online sales are up and going up!

In spite of the likely recession, I will not be surprised if online sales increase by far more than what the article suggests. Many online retailers like us have taken full advantage of manufacturer and distributor overstocks, enabling us to offer crazy discounts on pro audio stage and recording studio gear. We have even expanded into new markets, such as guitar accessories and portable handheld recorders, with the deals that we got from one distributor.

Needless to say, we now have better prices than our big competitors like Guitar Center . At the same time we are now making a far better profit margin (and even more profit dollars per sale)than they are on the same item. Score one for the little guy! In an economic downturn consumers search for the deals--and we all know that the deals are out there!

By Debbie Morgan (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/23/2008 - 15:08

It's true...

Thanks, Mike, for this pre-holiday information. The sales on my safety and security web site have already increased from last year at this time. Even though the gas prices are lower, I think people are still shopping online to save time and gas.

By Tammy Lessick (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/23/2008 - 13:52