With the holiday season upon us, it seems that the hustle and bustle in the retail world is just ramping up. Wrong—retailers have been preparing for the holiday season since August, some before, and have crossed every t and dotted every i.
As digital platforms and social media are now more relevant than ever, it would seem rather obvious that with the impending holiday season comes a massive opportunity for these retailers. From shoppable Instagram posts to influencer marketing campaigns to eye catching sharable content, the digital space is one of the most exciting places to be right now.
Retail has drastically transformed—from brick and mortar to the all-powerful e-commerce platform, the approaches to retail are anything but stagnant. The evolution has been a whirlwind of selling techniques, brand alignment and a departure from traditional sales techniques that leave some feeling suspicious.
Marketing and PR communications and initiatives tied to social media have been faced with slight scrutiny
Some have not jumped on board with this purely digital approach. According to Oracle however, the modern shopping journey has changed. How consumers go through the purchase funnel is constantly evolving and in preparation for the holiday season, it is critical to recognize this fact.
In a digital world, where everything is quantified, measured and analyzed, it is no longer enough to base marketing endeavors off of driving customers to stores. The efforts brand-wide must cover all bases. Enter major buzzword of the moment, Ominchannel Marketing, and you have a strategy that will connect consumers via multiple touch points, to the product.
As mobile sales have exponentially risen, the customer experience on their mobile device is key
As communicated by Cuker, over 50 percent of traffic to all retail websites is via a mobile phone, making it absolutely imperative for retailers to consider their mobile experience as a top priority.
It’s not a trend, influencers drive sales, and they will be even more essential in driving holiday sales. The Influencer phenomenon is one that is still a mystery to some, however it has become clear that via affiliate programs like RewardStyle, they are here to stay.
With this season posturing to bring in the highest volume of sales in history, it will be more crucial than ever for retailers to embrace these digital trends. Not only will their attitudes and willingness to go the extra mile for the customer be expected, but absolutely required.
It would be foolish not to mention the impact Black Friday and Cyber Monday have on holiday retail sales
Almost holidays in their own right, these 2 days combined are expected to rake in over 3.4 billion dollars in the US alone. According to Forbes, 1.4 billion of that will be attributed to mobile sales.
As it remains to be seen if this trajectory can maintain and support sales for the long haul, the emphasis on digital this holiday is greater than ever before. Happy shopping, nonetheless.
