Global eCommerce platform
Kooomo offers essential advice for retailers looking to maximise their sales during the upcoming ‘new normal’ Black Friday weekend
Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend (27th – 30th November) will take place amid the uncertainty and restrictions of the ‘new normal’, pressuring retailers to improve their online offerings and safeguard their physical stores in preparation for the highly competitive festive season. As part of the company’s
Ultimate Black Friday 2020 playbook, global eCommerce platform Kooomo has put together some key points to help retailers optimise their eCommerce platforms, so they can increase sales as safely as possible during this difficult time.
Ciaran Bollard, CEO at Kooomo, commented: “The pandemic has caused a rapid change in consumer habits and as shoppers become more and more tech savvy and increase their online spending, we’re seeing a huge surge in demand from consumers expecting a seamless, safe and satisfying omnichannel customer experience, both in-store and online. To capitalise on the huge potential of the Cyber weekend, retailers will need to optimise their eCommerce platforms and adjust each sales touchpoint in accordance with current consumer trends and shopping habits.”
To support retailers during this uniquely challenging period, Ciaran has put together a list of key changes to consumer habits that retailers need to respond to from Kooomo’s Ultimate Black Friday Playbook:
1. Successful Black Friday discounts and flexible promotions
“Shoppers are savvier than ever before, so never try to pull the wool over their eyes with bogus discounts. Installing a comprehensive and flexible promotions engine into the eCommerce platform is a key function for retailers to manage specific types of promotions, such as coupons that can be made available to a specific geographic location, currency, or user group.
“The promotions engine incorporates certain features such as the ability to define maximum overall redemptions, assign a free gift, provide free shipping by courier, or even run multiple promotions and assign priority in the event of conflict.”
2. User accounts and the value of customer data
“Retailers can incentivise account creation by offering access to pre-sales and discount codes. If consumers have not registered, retailers can optimise their eCommerce platform to automatically collect any personal details as early in the customer journey as possible or, at the very least, allow them to checkout as a guest by submitting their email address before purchase. This way, they can avoid customers dropping off the site without first securing the opportunity to follow up with them through future communications.”
3. The rapid rise of mCommerce
“The continued importance of mCommerce will become even more apparent through 2024, by which time it will account for one fifth of total retail sales. All eCommerce experiences need to be able to respond to this demand, therefore the main site must be optimised for mobile users through a mobile-first design that includes a mobile friendly checkout process. Retailers should ensure they don’t forget to test the user experience ahead of time if they want to avoid losing any potential customers.”
4. Communicating a clear returns policy
“Many retailers have recently decided to extend their returns windows amidst the pandemic and we recommend they assess their policies ahead of Black Friday to ensure their FAQ’s accurately reflect this. If they have extended returns within the last year, it may be helpful to send a friendly reminder to customers ahead of time, so that they feel confident shopping with them. Previous to the pandemic, 96% of consumers said they make a repeat purchase based on an
easy returns experience and 56% of shoppers were also “much more likely” to shop with online retailers that allowed for in-store
return.”
Ciaran concludes: “This year’s Cyber weekend will be unprecedented and retailers will be working hard to provide a satisfying customer experience while adjusting to the ongoing physical and logistical challenges of the pandemic.
“Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom, as the period offers a fantastic opportunity for retailers to optimise their existing eCommerce solutions and physical sales points in line with consumer habits, so they can easily meet the surge in demand for a fast, safe and satisfying omnichannel shopping experience.”
For further information on how to prepare for this year’s cyber-weekend, download Kooomo’s ultimate
Black Friday 2020 playbook.ENDSAbout Kooomo:Kooomo is Europe’s leading eCommerce platform delivering increased sales and efficiencies with one solution for all sales channels. Kooomo is disrupting the marketplace with its affordable setup, agility and speed to market. Recognised by Gartner in the Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce; Kooomo connects your products with your customers online, in-store and through marketplaces. The full stack of technology needed to deliver a 360-degree digital commerce solution which is integrated with an eco-system of over 200 partners to future proof your business.
Kooomo is trusted by international brands through to SMEs such as Morrisons, Umbro, SMEG, Heinz, Blauer USA, MotoGP, Avoca amongst many others. Kooomo understands the unique challenges of selling internationally by supporting multiple languages, currencies & VAT rates so there is no need to adopt multiple storefronts. For further information, visit:
www.kooomo.com
