The holiday shopping season is just around the corner, and Cyber Monday is one of the biggest days for eCommerce sales. As a BigCommerce store owner, preparing for Cyber Monday is crucial to ensure your online store is ready to handle the influx of traffic and orders.
In this guide, our eCommerce experts share their top tips and strategies for optimizing your BigCommerce site to maximize your Cyber Monday sales. From analyzing your data to streamlining your checkout process, we’ll cover the essential steps to prepare your BigCommerce store for a successful Cyber Monday.
Why should you prepare the BigCommerce store for Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is one of the most lucrative days of the year for eCommerce businesses, with online sales reaching record highs. As a BigCommerce merchant, you can’t afford to miss out on this major shopping event. Proper preparation is key to capitalizing on the surge in traffic and orders.
By preparing for Cyber Monday, you’ll be able to seamlessly handle the influx of visitors, process transactions quickly, and provide a smooth shopping experience. This can lead to higher conversion rates, greater revenue, and repeat business from satisfied customers.
Additionally, strong Cyber Monday performance can boost your store’s visibility and search rankings, driving continued growth beyond the holiday season.
Expert’s guide to preparing for Cyber Monday on BigCommerce
Your potential customers not only want high-quality products at deep discounts — they also expect hassle-free experiences both online and offline. By optimizing your BigCommerce store and marketing strategies for Cyber Monday, you can provide an exceptional shopping experience that keeps customers coming back.
Get an Early Start on Marketing and Promotions
The sooner you begin your Cyber Monday preparations, the better. According to the National Retail Federation, 44% of customers said they would start their holiday shopping earlier last year. You need to be ready for this shift in consumer behavior.
Start your BFCM prep as soon as possible by optimizing your BigCommerce website, customer support, and marketing strategies. This includes planning all your promotional campaigns, updating your site design, clarifying policies, and ensuring a smooth checkout process.
Offer Complimentary Shipping while Preparing for Cyber Monday
Free shipping is a must-have for the majority of customers, especially during the high-stakes Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period. Whether you absorb the shipping costs or build them into your product prices, providing free shipping is non-negotiable.
Make sure your customer service team is prepared to communicate any expected delivery delays and that you’ve planned accordingly. Seamless fulfillment and transparent communication will go a long way in delighting your Cyber Monday shoppers.
Provide a Seamless Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store Experience
If you have a physical retail location, customers increasingly expect the option to buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS). This provides a convenient, hassle-free experience for shoppers and offers benefits for your business as well.
When it comes to preparing for Cyber Monday, BOPIS can help reduce shipping costs, lower cart abandonment rates, and drive more in-store traffic.
When customers choose BOPIS, they’re looking for speed and efficiency. Make sure your in-store pickup process is fast, friendly, and seamless. Don’t let them down once they arrive at your location. Provide exceptional service that leaves them impressed and eager to return, whether for curbside pickup or an additional in-store shopping trip.
Embrace Hassle-Free Returns as Opportunities
Instead of viewing returns as liabilities, treat them as chances to build customer loyalty. When a customer makes a return, either in-store or online, use this interaction to showcase exceptional service.
Remember, returns happen for various reasons, and it’s not always due to a fault in your product or service. Even if you lose a sale, focus on impressing the customer with your brand and service to encourage future purchases and loyalty.
Implement Strategic Cart Abandonment Recovery
Recovering abandoned carts is crucial for maximizing Cyber Monday sales. Increase your chances of re-engaging shoppers by using multiple touchpoints and personalized offers. Effective techniques include:
- Retargeting ads
- Email reminders
- Push notifications
- Text messages
- Personalized discounts or coupon codes
Prioritize Mobile Optimization
With 42% of BFCM purchases in 2022 completed on mobile devices, ensuring a smooth mobile experience is essential. Many shoppers start their product research on mobile, even if they later purchase on desktop. To capture these mobile-first consumers:
- Optimize your BigCommerce store for mobile browsing and purchasing
- Ensure fast loading times on mobile devices
- Simplify the mobile checkout process
- Test your site thoroughly on various mobile devices and screen sizes
Offer Personalized Deals and Promotions
Boost your conversion rates by offering personalized deals based on customer preferences and purchase history. While these tailored promotions are especially effective during Cyber Monday, they can be valuable year-round. Use your customer data to create targeted offers that resonate with individual shoppers, increasing the likelihood of sales and fostering customer loyalty.
Test Checkout Process
Your checkout process is the crucial final step in securing sales, particularly during the high-traffic Cyber Monday period. Begin testing at least 30 days before the event to ensure everything functions flawlessly. Focus on these key areas:
- Order Placement: Conduct test orders to identify any issues with ordering, inventory management, shipping calculations, and tax computations.
- Payment Processing: A smooth payment experience is essential. Errors in this stage can lead to abandoned carts, lost revenue, and potential damage to your brand’s reputation.
Utilize Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to communicate your Cyber Monday deals and promotions to customers in advance. To maximize the impact of your campaigns:
- Craft compelling subject lines that entice recipients to open your emails
- Design visually appealing emails that showcase your offers effectively
- Segment your email list to deliver personalized content to different customer groups
- Use a series of emails to build anticipation leading up to Cyber Monday
Consider Preparing for Cyber Monday by Extending BFCM Deals
While starting your BFCM promotions early is crucial, extending them beyond Cyber Monday can also be beneficial. This strategy allows you to:
- Cater to customers who were too busy to shop during the main event
- Capture sales from shoppers who didn’t find the right deals initially
- Maximize overall sales and customer engagement
Optimize your BigCommerce store for the Upcoming Cyber Monday with Atom8
Preparing for Cyber Monday success becomes easier with Atom8, the comprehensive automation solution designed to streamline your operations and boost revenue. This product from GritGlobal empowers you to automate crucial tasks such as inventory management, order processing, and customer communications.
With this BigCommerce Automation software, you can set up automatic price changes for Cyber Monday deals and implement dynamic inventory updates to prevent overselling. The software automates email notifications for order confirmations and shipping updates and creates targeted customer segments for personalized promotions.
By leveraging Atom8’s powerful automation capabilities, you’ll be well-equipped to handle the Cyber Monday rush, maximize sales, and deliver an exceptional shopping experience that keeps customers coming back.
Final thoughts
By preparing for Cyber Monday, you’ll be poised to maximize your sales and provide an exceptional shopping experience. Remember, the key to Cyber Monday success lies in thorough preparation, customer-centric approaches, and leveraging powerful tools like Atom8 to automate and optimize your operations. Is your BigCommerce store fully prepared for the Cyber Monday rush? Contact us today for personalized guidance or assistance!
