Looking for ways to boost last minute Christmas sales?

Although Christmas is only a matter of days away, opportunities still remain to sell, sell, sell. Research has shown that the biggest rise in sales is often on December 23! Last year alone, there was a 56% rise in ecommerce on that day.

Many customers still leave most of their Christmas shopping until the last minute, waiting to see what bargains are available and how much money they have to spare. Over 40% of shoppers do their Christmas shopping in December – which means there are plenty of opportunities to boost sales.

Undertaking a few quick promotions at this time of the year can work wonders. Here’s some of the best ways to attract attention and sales at this time of the year.

Partner with a charity

Christmas is all about giving. It’s a tough time for charities as they are experiencing ever greater calls for assistance, especially when it comes to the homeless, children or food banks. Nor is it just in terms of products and money – volunteers are also in short supply.

Nominate a charity to help this Christmas. Put up displays around your premises, make a donation for every sale made between now and Christmas, encourage customers to make a donation too. Add some collection boxes for food or presents and deliver these to your chosen charity in good time for Christmas. It makes good publicity and bear in mind that over 90% of shoppers are likely to choose a store or brand supporting a good cause.

Festive publicity

Quickly spruce up your web landing pages with special offers, Christmas messages. Do the same in store. Introduce a section offering the perfect last minute Christmas gifts at discounted prices or as special offers with an adjacent item such as hairdryers with hairbrushes and combs; a bundle of cookery items, skin care with skin cleansers, duvet covers and new pillows. Give customers what they are seeking. Make life simple for them.

Christmas Special offers

What better way to encourage shoppers to buy than by providing a variety of special offers. Think about providing gifts at price points, making choice easier for customers (and possibly less embarrassing when money is tight). Provide groups of gifts by category to give instant inspiration.

Make a visual impact

It’s not just a matter of putting up a few banners highlighting a Christmas offer – make stores pleasant places to shop for Christmas. Add Christmas trees, introduce festive colours, create a festive atmosphere. Make shopping fun rather than stressful. Why not bring in some Elves or Mrs Claus to add some atmosphere, or provide some sampling of festive food? People can be reluctant to buy outside their comfort zone – if they have tasted a festive item, then they are more likely to feel confident about buying it.

Think about retention

You want customers to come back time and time again. Make their experience of your store a good one. Make sure queues are kept minimal at check outs so that they can shop without getting stressed or experiencing long waits. It is easier to keep customers than to have to continually search for new ones! Attract some extra customers for Christmas, and work to keep them for the New Year and onwards.

Even last minute promotional methods and gift guides used at Christmas can be easily adapted to other times of the year such as Valentines Day or Easter.