Digital Gift Cards
Shoppers are now looking for digital equivalents to gift cards to bypass the barrage of plastic many receive this time of year. Retailers can benefit from digital gift cards by avoiding postage fees and paper processing. Additionally, some studies show that more than 20% of customers spend more than the initial face value of their gift card — a clear sales booster right there.
Applebee’s restaurant chain is selling gift cards on Facebook. Fans who purchase there can personalize the cards with Facebook album photos and audio messages.
QR Codes
2D bar codes, often called QR codes, that link to mobile websites, product videos or click-to-call numbers are gaining popularity. Target is using QR codes in an effort to increase sales and awareness for new toys. Users can scan bar codes in the catalog and instantly get product and pricing information from the company’s website. Some bar code readers provide analytics such as number of scans, unique users, handset information and demographics. It’s a great way to push a product that you’re having trouble selling or learn a little more about your customer base.
Wish Lists
Encourage customers to make the right gift-buying decisions with mobile-accessible wish lists available wherever they shop. The key benefit for retailers is to convert first time shoppers into loyal customers. You might want to include comment functionality so friends and family could chime in on what gifts they think would be good for the person. After the holidays, companies can encourage wish list owners to purchase items at discounted prices that they didn’t receive as gifts. The products may not otherwise be on sale unless you took part in creating a list.
Geo-Fencing
This hyper-local marketing allows retailers to track the location of customers through signals sent from their mobile phones. Shoppers who opt in receive a mobile text message as they get near a store location or other relevant point of interest. Messages can be tailored to a different time of day and area. This “moment in time” communication shows promise of strengthening relationships with customers through relevance.
Companies, such as The North Face, plan to send customers branded text messages about weather conditions as they reach hiking trails. L’Oreal and Starbucks are also getting into the game by offering text coupons at nearby locations for their opt-in users.
More Traditional Ideas
If these tips are overwhelming, grab some hot chocolate and relax with a few simpler ideas.
Seasonal Creative: Reminding customers that it’s the holidays through visuals is a simple concept that’s often overlooked. Anything companies can do to add little touches, such as creating seasonal versions of a logo or navigation bar, will also remind customers that it’s time to buy some presents. Amazon.com has simple red, green and blue seasonal designs on its website. Google also does a good job of introducing visual cues.
Persuasive Page Titles: Gift shoppers are searching for the best deals with keywords like “free shipping” and “holiday sale.” Including these words in page titles ensures search engine results pages appeal to shoppers and encourage them to visit retailers’ websites. Emphasizing the benefits of shopping online with practical examples, like “avoid lines,” is a simple tactic that also helps.
Some shoppers will do all their holiday buying on their mobile phones or online, mowing through offers like an advent calendar. Inside the mind of the increasingly value-conscious and progressive consumer, “tech-savvy” becomes synonymous with convenience. It’s not just about standing out anymore. It’s about making peoples’ lives easier through experiences that surprise and delight.
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