How to Maximize Cyber Weekend Revenue Amid COVID-19

Introduction

COVID Won’t Break the Holiday Spirit 

The end of year holidays consistently see a boost in sales (and marketing budgets!), but what will the story be in this year’s “new normal”?

Well, for one, COVID-19 may have changed many facets of our world, but, surprisingly, it hasn’t stopped people from shopping — especially online. Safety measures and social distancing have only fast-tracked people’s online purchasing and consumption activity, and as it stands, will be central to the way we celebrate this year’s holidays. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the holiday season’s power couple, a continued online strategy will be the key to your brand’s success this Golden Quarter. So, to help you prepare, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide of insights and tactics that are guaranteed to drive holiday revenue for your brand.

Rise of E-Commerce

Online Shopping to Outpace In-Store Purchases

Mobile shopping has grown in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic even among new and occasional shoppers. With the highest increase in purchases coming from online channels, plus the 50% dropoff of in-store shopping1 , e-commerce will play a pivotal role in this year’s seasonal sales. Inditex — the world’s largest fashion retailer and owner of marquee brand, Zara — is closing up to 1,200 of its stores around the world to prioritize online sales. Meanwhile, big-box U.S. retailers like Target and Walmart will close their stores on Thanksgiving — the traditional kick-off to Black Friday sales — opting to promote earlier deals online instead.

Use September to push new season arrivals.
Focus on generating on-site engagement and acquiring new customers to then re-engage with holiday deals (see “Holiday Hacks” for details!).