Last-minute shoppers are incredibly common, and they aren’t always made up of old-fashioned procrastinators. Regardless of why people show up to your eCommerce store at the last second, you still need a way to lure them in.
Offering last-minute gift ideas and curating some options can help remove guesswork, but these other ideas will truly put eyes on your store.
Create a Dedicated Staple Gifts Section
Although it can be difficult to know what someone will like, the truth is we’re more similar than we think. A common last-minute birthday gift idea is flowers because most of us, regardless of culture, appreciate a bouquet of roses once and a while. Creating a section of well-priced staple gifts on your website will quickly convert shoppers and save them time agonizing over an item.
Along with flowers, choose other well-loved items like watches, jewellery, perfumes, headphones, blankets, gadgets, coffee, bath accessories, stationery sets, glassware, and gag gifts.
Push E-Gift Cards on Your Home Screen
There was a time when gift cards were considered an uncreative gift, but now that federal laws have pushed expiry dates to at least five years, they’ve become very popular. Not only that, but they’re easy to buy, inherently practical, and allow the receiver to choose their own gifts. Another massive benefit of e-gift cards, as opposed to physical cards, is their deliverability.
Consumers who need a last-minute gift can easily buy e-gift cards and send them to the giftee via email. Gifters won’t have to leave their couch, ship the card, or stress over shipping times.
Focus on Mobile Shoppers
In 2015, 70% of shoppers placed an order online, but consumer behaviour has switched even further towards eCommerce since the pandemic. Maintaining a structured and up-to-date online presence will help you big time. As online searches for products continue to rise, you need to focus on mobile users who require that a website fits the aspect ratio of their phone.
Your store can also make an app that helps out last-minute buyers quickly make purchases, redeem coupons, receive specialized alerts, see mobile-only offers and find gift ideas.
Offer Free or Same/Two-Day Shipping
Many last-minute shoppers are browsing the Internet last minute because they don’t have the time to go to the mall or don’t want to leave their house for a single item. However, shipping costs or slow delivery from eCommerce stores may make them go out anyway. To engage last-minute shoppers and earn that sale, always offer discounted/upgrade/free shipping.
With that said, many shoppers know it’s faster and easier to shop online. Removing the main barrier, shipping, will open your eCommerce store to another fruitful market. Everyone wins.
Extend Customer Service Hours
Hiring extra customer service staff during the holidays can increase your sales dramatically, but if you have the cash to spare, it’s better to keep them on full-time. If you have a dedicated team that can answer questions around the clock, you’ll convert more browsers into customers. If someone is on the fence or comparing two similar products, your agents can help them out.
Install a chatbox function on your website that connects them to the next available agent. If you can’t offer 24-hour support, create a FAQ page that can answer commonly asked questions.
Promote Last-Minute Sales on Social Media
It’s common for procrastinators to spend time on social media to distract themselves from oncoming stress. You can help those buyers pay more attention to you by targeting them in your marketing. Purchase paid ads on social media that combine keywords revolving around impulsive buying or last-minute gifts to encourage these shoppers to buy specifically from you.
When these buyers come to your website, ask for their email. This way, you can send reminders with countdowns marking the days to the next holiday, birthday, or another gift-giving occasion.
