The Christmas season is here, and you can almost feel the glow of warm lights and jolly carols.
A 2024 Holiday Report by Numerator shows that 90% of U.S. consumers will celebrate Christmas, making it one of the most anticipated times of the year for bringing people together and sharing joy.
For many, the joy of giving is intertwined with the tradition of gift shopping. In fact, out of the Americans who celebrate Christmas, 42% of Americans who celebrate Christmas usually buy gifts for six or more people.
With so much activity and opportunity for sales, it’s a critical time to prepare your ecommerce business for the holiday rush. Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide:
- Why a seamless holiday ecommerce experience is important
- How to prepare for the holiday shopping frenzy
- How to retain Christmas shoppers
- Inspiring Christmas ecommerce campaigns
Why you should offer a seamless shopping experience during the Christmas holidays
Christmas isn’t just about shopping (although shopping is a part of it); it’s about sharing gifts and celebrating with loved ones. It’s crucial to make the ecommerce experience hassle-free so customers can easily find the perfect presents and get back to enjoying their holidays.
Nobody wants to deal with failed checkouts, slow websites, or ads that feel like spam. It’s no wonder that a 2024 Inmar report found that 45% of holiday shoppers are more likely to pay attention to ads that align with their interests.
In a season where emotions run high and shopping lists grow long, providing a seamless, personalized shopping experience can set you apart from the competition.
Ecommerce holiday readiness: A comprehensive checklist
While 59% of consumers admit inflation could affect their holiday budgets, spending is still expected to grow by 7% to around $1,638 per shopper. That’s a huge chance for your ecommerce store to increase sales.
Prepare yourself to make the most of the holiday rush with our ecommerce holiday checklist:
1. Create an outstanding user experience for online shoppers
Peak shopping periods are like the Olympics of ecommerce, and your website’s user experience (UX) has to be gold-medal ready. If your site is slow, hard to navigate, or just plain frustrating, shoppers will bounce faster than Santa on a tight schedule.
A 2024 report from CX Network found that 40% of visitors were frustrated after browsing a website in 2023. This was often due to issues like pages taking over three seconds to load or having to click a button three times to get it to work. During the holidays, these little hiccups can send potential customers straight to your competitors.
So, how do you make their experience flawless?
Offer organized product categories, an intuitive search function, and detailed product descriptions to make it easy for online shoppers to find what they’re looking for. To seal the deal, create a flawless user journey and clear CTAs to guide them to your streamlined checkout.
Take IKEA, for example. This ecommerce website has beautiful seasonal inspiration right on the homepage, simple navigation, and clear product descriptions. The visuals are stunning, the product recommendations are spot-on, and the checkout process is easy.
Also, remember that 53% of consumers prefer to use mobile phones to shop online. So, you need to make sure your website works seamlessly on every screen size to boost conversion rates.
2. Segment your customers and target them with personalized product recommendations
Each customer is unique, and your messaging should reflect that. A loyal buyer who’s purchased from you three times in the past year doesn’t need the same emails as someone browsing your website for the first time.
That’s where segmentation comes in. It helps you create campaigns that align with where customers are in their buying journey. For instance, first-time visitors might appreciate a welcome discount, while frequent buyers could be more interested in exclusive holiday bundles or VIP perks.
You can group customers based on factors like their shopping behavior, purchase history, funnel stage, or interests. Once you’ve placed them in these segments, you need to tailor your messaging to each group to make your campaigns feel much more personal.
Use data, like what shoppers have browsed or bought before, to suggest products they’ll love. For example, if someone recently purchased a winter jacket, you can recommend matching gloves or a cozy scarf to complete the look.
Personalized suggestions like these can boost engagement in a big way. And the numbers back it up.
Inmar’s 2024 report revealed that 71% of shoppers prefer personalized shopping experiences. Plus, GetResponse found that personalized emails perform better, with open rates of 44.3% compared to 39.13% for generic ones and lower bounce rates (2.26% vs. 2.50%).
3. Have great communication with customers
Holiday shopping can sometimes be chaotic. So, you need to have clear and proactive communication with customers to make their shopping experience as stress-free as possible.
Shoppers should be able to quickly get in touch with your support team if they have questions or run into issues. Offer multiple options — like chatbots, live chat, email, and social media — so they can choose what works best for them.
You also need to be upfront about the logistics. Customers need to know about shipping times, return policies, and Christmas delivery deadlines. Share this info everywhere — in emails, on social media, and in banners on your website. Clear expectations help avoid last-minute panic.
As mentioned, using customer data to create personalized experiences can make shoppers feel valued and boost engagement. Building on this, you can incorporate this data into your customer service to provide tailored communications.
Something as simple as a live chat agent greeting a shopper by name or adding a cheerful “Happy holidays” can make a big difference. The agent can even go further by referencing the customer’s previous purchases and providing recommendations based on their buying history.
4. Invest in email marketing automation
Marketing automation can help you send smartly timed, personalized emails at scale to optimize engagement and conversions — all without drowning in manual work. That’s why 58% of marketing pros use automation in their email marketing campaigns, according to Ascend2’s 2024 State of Email and Automation report.
With that in mind, here’s how you can leverage email marketing automation to drive better results during the holidays:
- Abandoned cart emails: Use automated cart recovery emails to encourage shoppers to complete their purchases with incentives like free shipping or limited-time discounts.
- Dynamic elements: Automatically add dynamic elements, like countdown timers, to create urgency and remind customers about flash sales and limited-time offers.
- Promo codes: Integrate your store with a marketing automation tool to send promo codes to encourage purchases.
- Ecommerce scenarios: Set up triggers for price drops or back-in-stock notifications to generate more orders quickly and boost sales.
- Tagging and scoring: Tag and score customers by tracking their actions — like email opens, clicks, and website visits — and adjust your communication to maximize engagement.
- AI product recommendations: Gift shoppers can feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. So, it’s not surprising that 31% of consumers say they’d appreciate advice from AI when picking out gifts online. GetResponse’s AI product recommendation feature simplifies shopping by suggesting the most relevant products based on a visitor’s preferences, needs, and habits.
5. Use cross-selling and upselling to maximize online sales
During the holidays, shoppers are often on the lookout for ways to make their gifts more special. And they’re usually very open to suggestions. In fact, you can persuade 90% of shoppers to add items to their existing cart during the festive season.
That’s a golden opportunity you shouldn’t miss. And cross-selling and upselling are two tried-and-tested methods you can use to make the most of it.
Cross-selling is recommending complementary products that enhance the customer’s purchase. Upselling, on the other hand, is encouraging shoppers to buy a higher-end version of the product or add premium features.
Some of the best sections to cross-sell or upsell your products include:
- Product pages: Add “Frequently Bought Together” or “Customers Also Bought” sections to highlight items that pair well with what shoppers are browsing.
- In the cart or checkout process: Suggest add-ons, bundles, or upgrades. For example, “Upgrade to premium gift wrapping for just $5 more.”
- In post-purchase emails: Recommend accessories or services that complement their recent purchase, like extended warranties.
That said, don’t limit your efforts to your webpages and emails. Use multiple channels, like SMS, push notifications, and pop-ups, to make cross-selling and upselling more effective. For instance, you can send a text message highlighting a matching product a customer might’ve missed or use a pop-up to showcase a holiday bundle while they’re browsing your website.
6. Integrate social media with your ecommerce store
Customers spend much of their social media time during a peak shopping season like Christmas looking for gift ideas, trends, and holiday promotions. Celigo’s 2024 Holiday Retail Trends Report showed that 47% of holiday shoppers plan to use Facebook to shop for gifts, while 46% will turn to TikTok and 45% will check out Instagram.
If you want to grab a piece of this holiday shopping pie, you need to integrate your social media accounts with your ecommerce store so customers can shop for products they love directly from posts or ads. This eliminates unnecessary steps that could lead to lost sales.
7. Collaborate with influencers
Influencer endorsements often feel more personal than traditional ads. That’s why many customers look to influencers for gift ideas, product recommendations, and inspiration during a busy holiday season.
For 40% of Gen Z shoppers, endorsements from their favorite influencers or celebrities play a big role in their holiday shopping decisions.
To get the most out of influencer collaborations, you need to create content that aligns with the festive season. Think holiday gift guides, unboxing videos, or creative photo shoots that showcase your products in a holiday setting.
Of course, it’s important to partner with the right influencers. Look for people whose followers align with your target audience. For example, a family-oriented influencer might be perfect for featuring your home décor in a Christmas morning setup. On the other hand, a fashion blogger could be ideal for highlighting your holiday party outfits.
How to turn Christmas ecommerce shoppers into future loyal customers
Once the holidays are over, your relationship with shoppers doesn’t have to be. Here are some ways to retain your Christmas shoppers and turn them into loyal customers.
1. Collect and implement customer feedback
Collecting feedback during the holiday season helps you understand what people loved, what they didn’t, and how you can improve their shopping experience so customers keep coming back.
Some natural opportunities to ask for feedback include:
- Post-purchase surveys
- Email follow-ups asking about shopping experiences
- Social media polls
- Incentivized feedback forms that offer discounts for future purchases
When collecting feedback, focus on areas that directly impact customers’ shopping experiences. For example:
- Was the website easy to navigate?
- Was checkout straightforward?
- Did they find the products they wanted, or did they run into availability issues?
- Were your emails, texts, and ads helpful and relevant?
- Were their orders delivered on time and packaged in a way that made them smile?
By gathering and acting on this feedback, you show customers that their opinions matter. And that’s a terrific way to build brand loyalty.
2. Offer loyalty programs
The holiday season can bring in a wave of first-time shoppers looking for deals and gifts.
You can turn those one-time buyers into repeat customers by offering a loyalty program with irresistible incentives — whether it’s points for every purchase, exclusive discounts, or early access to new collections. In fact, Celigo’s report shared that 42% of holiday shoppers say an online retailer is more appealing when it offers loyalty points.
For your loyalty program to work well, it should be simple to join — no lengthy forms or complicated rules. You can even offer a one-click sign-up at checkout so customers can join on the spot.
3. Use referral marketing
Referral marketing is encouraging your current customers to spread the word about your business to their friends and family, often in exchange for rewards like discounts, store credits, or freebies.
Referrals are one of the most effective ways to build trust and grow your customer base. In fact, 59% of shoppers across all age groups say they trust recommendations from friends and family most when making purchasing decisions.
The holidays are perfect for referrals because people love sharing good finds during Christmas. If someone had a fantastic experience shopping with you, they’re likely to tell others — especially if there’s a little incentive involved.
4. Combine your email campaigns with SMS marketing
While emails are great for sharing special offers, product updates, and newsletters, SMS shines when it comes to grabbing attention quickly. It’s no surprise that 60.5% of marketers say SMS has higher customer engagement than other platforms, with 53.5% reporting better open and click-through rates.
But it’s not just about engagement. SMS is also incredibly efficient, making it perfect for sending personalized follow-ups, exclusive deals, or quick reminders to complement your email campaigns and keep your store top of mind long after the holidays are over.
Inspiring Christmas ecommerce campaign examples
Some brands just get it. They know how to create holiday campaigns that capture the spirit of the season, connect with their audiences, and stick with shoppers long after the holidays are over.
Here are some of them.
LEGO’s “Build a Playful Holiday” campaign
In 2022, the LEGO Group went all out with its “biggest and most playful” holiday campaign yet. The campaign, which ran across digital and TV platforms and LEGO stores, starred Katy Perry. It was all about letting kids show what the holidays mean to them in their own fun, creative way.
Marks & Spencer’s “Thismas Not Thatmas” campaign
Marks & Spencer’s campaign shook up the usual Christmas routine by encouraging people to “do what they love” instead of just going through the motions of tradition.
The ad, which ran on social media platforms, highlights the all-too-familiar stresses of the holiday season with the added spark of celebrity endorsement.
Macy’s “Give Love. Give Style.” campaign
Macy’s introduced a series of commercials on its website, social media, and email that highlighted how its Gift Finder makes it easy to bring joy to everyone on your gift list.
True to the campaign’s promise, the website offers one of the most thorough gift-finding tools. Customers can easily sort through options by gender, age, product type, budget, and more to find the right present for everyone.
Spread the holiday cheer this Christmas
The holiday shopping season is your chance to deliver a stress-free experience that will build lasting relationships with your customers.
To stand out, you need a well-prepared marketing strategy. And with GetResponse MAX, you have everything you need to elevate your holiday campaigns — from powerful automation to advanced personalization and data-driven insights.