There’s no denying that Father’s Day is big business for etailers, and with the third Sunday of the month fast approaching, there’s no better time than now to ensure you have what it takes to capture those last-minute sales.
Those who buy gifts for Father’s day are of all ages and demographics, so it can be challenging to target such a wide audience. Britons spend a whopping £700 million on Father’s Day most years, a great injection in the middle of the summer slump.
At Myk Baxter Marketing, we take a different approach to events such as these by focusing on buying rather than the demographic. Here are some ways we like to help our clients make the most of the upcoming, last-minute shop-a-thon.
1. Focus on Mobile Shopping
Chances are, many people will do their online shopping through their mobile or tablet device this year. With dad’s often in full control of the desktop at home, younger people are more likely to buy online without getting ‘caught’ by using their personal device. Others who end up last-minute shopping may realise while out and rush to buy online before it’s too late – again, on their personal device.
If your site is not optimised for Google’s latest mobile-friendly search update, then you may have missed a perfect opportunity. We can help you with that but even now, hope is not lost. Over the past year, consumers have spent more time online shopping than ever before. That means they’re equally used to websites that aren’t 100% optimised and also sick of websites that aren’t 100% optimised.
But at the end of the day, your website, both on desktop and mobile, shouldn’t be put up with. It should be loved.
2. Offer a Father’s Day Deal
Everyone loves a good deal, especially last-minute shoppers. Research suggests that last-minute deals or deals with a finite number of products or a limited time window force the hand and convert better in times such as these.
Webrooming – the process of browsing the net for the best price on a product – is a real thing. In fact, 88% of online shoppers regularly partake in the practice. 76% of people say they browse real-life stores before buying online too. To grab the custom, be sure you have the best deal (that still brings you a profit) on the market.
3. Offer Free Shipping
What’s better than a discount AND free shipping? Probably nothing. Over 75% of shoppers are influenced by making a decision when free shipping is offered, and a huge amount of abandoned shopping baskets are due to unexpected costs at the payment page – such as shipping, tax, import fees and packaging.
4. Have a Robust Returns Policy
The ability to return a product plays a significant role in purchasing too. With products that can be, offer a robust, trustworthy and easy to access returns policy. This improves customer confidence in your brand and offers a sense of security if the product is damaged or the father doesn’t like it.
According to Research in the US, 62% of online shoppers are more likely to become return customers when the return process is easy. The UK has similar results.
With little time left but lots of purchases yet to be made, now is the perfect time to put all your effort into making the most out of the last-minute Father’s Day shopping spree. With just under a week to go, MBM is here for any last-minute eCommerce web development or marketing support you may need. For next year, we can help you plan ahead.
Good luck and to all you Fathers out there – Happy Father’s Day!
