Christmas begins in summer: tips for the busiest time of the year in terms of sales

For many online retailers, Christmas business no longer starts in the fall, but in the summer. Many consumers start looking for Christmas gifts at this time of year. This poses new challenges for e-commerce. Those who plan early increase their chances for the most lucrative quarter of the year.

Buying behavior is changing

Recent studies show that around 40 percent of German consumers start their Christmas shopping in the summer. In the UK and the USA, the proportion is even higher. There are many reasons for this. In addition to ongoing price uncertainty and possible delivery bottlenecks, the desire to avoid the stress of the pre-Christmas period also plays a role. For online retailers, this means that the peak season starts much earlier than it did a few years ago.

On the other hand, the early start does not mean that special promotional days such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday are becoming less important. When it comes to electronics in particular, 49% of German consumers surveyed rely on bargain days and discount campaigns.

Early warehouse and logistics planning is crucial

A well-positioned warehouse and logistics system is key to preparation. Stocks must be replenished in good time in order to avoid supply bottlenecks and meet rising demand. This applies in particular to the bestsellers in the range. If you don't have enough of the most popular items available, you could lose customers. It is also important to keep an eye on the market, recognize trends in good time and react to them.

At the same time, efficient shipping processes are essential. Those who work with several shipping service providers and secure their "last mile" increase delivery reliability - especially in the critical period shortly before December 24th. In this context, returns processing should also be organized efficiently, especially with regard to gift items and the extended returns policy that many online stores offer during the Christmas period.

Technical stability and optimization for mobile devices

A smoothly functioning website is fundamentally the basis of the business. The systems must be designed for high traffic and loading times must be as short as possible. A simple checkout process is also important to prevent shopping cart abandonment. Navigation must also be intuitive and fully optimized for mobile devices, as the majority of customers use this method. In addition, trust-building elements such as seals of approval, secure payment methods and product reviews promote sales and boost the conversion rate.

Plan and implement marketing measures in good time

Strong sales impulses are at least as important as full warehouses. It is worth launching the first campaigns as early as late summer. Budgets for social media, newsletters and search engine advertising should be planned well in advance, as experience shows that costs rise sharply in the fourth quarter. Customers respond positively to inspiration, even if they don't buy immediately. Early discount campaigns, gift guides or themed landing pages also help to put the target group in a Christmas buying mood.

After the Christmas business, there is an opportunity to convert new customers into regular customers through personal thank-you messages, follow-up campaigns in January or vouchers for the next order.

Plan customer service and team structure correctly

High service quality is very important during peak season. Online stores should set up their customer support in a scalable way - with a combination of live support, chatbots and automated FAQ solutions, for example. For many online retailers, Christmas is therefore also a staffing challenge. Seasonal staff are in high demand and should be recruited early on. Of course, permanent staff must also be well trained in order to process complaints and inquiries quickly and efficiently. Extending your support hours in the run-up to Christmas also significantly increases customer satisfaction.

Align product range strategically

In terms of content, it is also worth tailoring the range to gift requirements. Gift sets, bundles and customizable products are among the most popular items to buy. Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role for many consumers. Those who work with recyclable packaging, CO₂-neutral shipping or durable products can score points with environmentally conscious customers.

Conclusion

Summer decides the Christmas business. Online retailers can no longer afford to wait until October to plan for Christmas. All relevant areas, from product range and technology to marketing and service, need to be coordinated early on. Those who are optimally positioned in these areas can benefit from the most important sales period of the year.