When it comes to promotions for your
ecommerce store, how can you be sure you’re getting it right? Do you struggle
for ideas on what you should do and when? We’ve put together a list of 10
popular sales promos to help steer you in the right direction…
1. Discounted products
Adding a
discount to your products is possibly the most popular type of promotion.
Customers love to grab a bargain, so it makes sense to offer discounts every
now and then. When it comes to deciding the way you choose to promote - % vs $
- think about what will look more attractive to the buyer. Always consider your bottom line and be sure
to not constantly have a sale, as people will just come to expect this as the
norm.
- Make sure your discount is
attractive
- Consider your bottom line
- Don’t do it too often
2. Free Shipping/Free Returns
According to
this WalkerSands
infographic,
80% of consumers would be more tempted to buy from Amazon if they were offered
free shipping. 66% would buy if they were offered next-day delivery and 64%
said they would buy if they were offered free returns. Free shipping and
returns gives the customer a sense of security that they wont lose out if they
wanted to send the product back.
If you are
worried about your margins then you can always incorporate the shipping cost
into your product, or think about offering free shipping when a customer spends
over a certain amount.
- Free shipping/free returns
creates customer security
- Makes it hassle free
- Incorporate shipping cost into
your product
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3. Flash Sale
A flash sale is basically
an offer that only lasts for a limited time and it’s a great way to create a
sense of urgency for the customer to buy. Many retailers are now adopting this
strategy as a way to sell more products and get rid of surplus stock.
Monetate found that 56% of
businesses agree that flash-sale campaigns are better received than regular
campaigns. The more successful flash sales are ones that don’t last very long
and 50% of purchases occur during the first hour of a flash sale.
- Market your flash sale with a
recognizable visual
- Put a shorter duration on your
sale
- Promote via email and on social
4. Buy More, Save More
This kind of
deal entices the customer to buy more of your stock, so it’s kind of a win, win.
There will be plenty of potential customers visiting your store that want to
buy, but feel guilty because of the price. Giving them a discount if they spend
more, may just give them a little shove in the right direction. You don’t have
to offer a huge discount, but make sure it’s attractive enough to convert
visitors.
- Entices the customer
- Takes away the guilt of
spending more money
- Helps to sell more stock
5. Product Giveaways/Branded Gifts
Let’s be honest,
everyone loves a freebie so this really is a great promotion. Not only does it
give potential customers the chance to test out your product, but also it
entices people to buy your stuff! If your
product isn’t something that you can giveaway, then think about creating some
useful branded gifts that you can offer with each purchase. Think along the
lines of keychains, bumper stickers, magnets, pens etc. Customers will
appreciate the gesture and will think of you whenever they see their branded
gift.
- Lets customers test your
product
- Makes your brand memorable
- Provides value and a reason to
buy
6. Loyalty Points
Rewarding your
customers will help you build a solid base of loyal fans and it will entice
people to shop more at your online store. Providing
great customer service is
so important to the success of your business, and offering a loyalty point
system is a popular promotion. You could think about setting up a virtual card:
The customer can gain points every time they buy and then use their points to
get money off future purchases, or if they buy 9 items, they get the 10
th
free.
- Builds a loyal customer base
- Provides better customer
satisfaction
- Provide them with a loyalty
system to keep coming back
7. Coupon Giveaway
This is a
different way of promoting discounts. Sending your customers virtual coupons
will make the promotion seem more exclusive and will give the customer more of
a push to visit your online store. Think about sending coupons to loyal
customers that have spent over a certain amount. You could also consider
sending coupons to visitors that have experienced bad customer service, to try
and convert them back to happy customers!
- Makes the promotion seem
exclusive
- Keeps the customer happy
- Offers a great way to win back
disgruntled customers
8. Competitions
The great thing
about running a competition is that you only have to give away one thing, but
you gain so much – making it a popular type of promotion! It will not only help
raise your profile, but every person that enters, will then become an email
contact that you can try and convert into a sale. If they’re entering your
competition, chances are they are interested in your products, so running a
competition is a great idea – particularly for start-ups.
- Great way to gain email sign
ups
- Helps you raise your profile
- It will create a buzz on social
media
9. Price Match Promise
Price match
promise has fast become one of the most popular ways to promote your brand,
particularly if you have a lot of competitors out there. It allows your
customers to shop with you and will be safe in the knowledge that if they can
get it cheaper somewhere else, you’ll refund the difference. There’s nothing to
lose for them and it means that you still get to keep a solid customer base.
- Helps you stay ahead of the
competition
- Provides a no lose situation
for the customer
- It’s a bold move that will
build loyal customers
10. Holiday Promotions
There is a
reason that holiday promotions are so successful. Customers always like to
spend more around the holidays, making it the perfect opportunity for you to
get your brand out there and sell more products. You don’t have to go too crazy
on your offers, but enticing customers with slight discounts will always work
in your favor. It’s also the perfect time to get creative with your promotion
and use the theme of the holiday, to sell your products.
- You don’t need to offer huge
discounts
- Get creative with your
promotions
- You will sell more during the
holidays
We hope this has
given you some ideas when it comes to running your own promotions. Let us know
how you get on, you can share your thoughts on
Google+, like us on Facebook, send us a
tweet on
Twitter, or simply
give us a
call - we’d love to
hear from you!
Download our FREE Ebook 'Top 10 Best Sales Promotions of all Time'