As the holiday season approaches, the opportunity for sellers to maximize their impact and profits is immense. This guide presents essential tips for holiday readiness, ensuring that this season can be the most lucrative yet for every seller. From offering competitive pricing to investing in effective advertising and optimizing the post-purchase experience, these strategies are designed to enhance consumer engagement and drive sales. Join us as we explore how to navigate the festive season successfully on platforms like Walmart, and learn how to turn these insights into tangible results for your business.
1. Offer best-in-market pricing
Consumer spending is high during the holiday season, naturally leading to price sensitivity. Shoppers are looking for deals and expect high value from their dollar. Strategic pricing is especially important online, as a simple search lets consumers easily compare prices across platforms and marketplaces.
Walmart’s commitment to Everyday Low Prices drives our success—81% of our customers say low prices are the top reason they shop with us during the holidays.
2. Utilize Repricers
Sales foster a sense of excitement and urgency among consumers. They’re powerful motivators to purchase and leave both sellers and customers feeling satisfied—the seller from increased sales and the customers from seeing more value out of their dollar. In a survey of Walmart customers, 79% of them anticipate sales or promotions will be top influencers for their holiday purchases.
Different promotion strategies will work for different customers and will help achieve different goals.
3. Invest in advertising to increase product awareness and conversion
The role of a robust advertising strategy cannot be diminished, as it not only generates interest in your products but can also distinguish them from competitors.
With Walmart Connect’s Sponsored Search, sellers can boost the placement of their products to appear in relevant searches to in-market customers. Last year, sellers who advertised with Sponsored Search on Black Friday saw, on average, a 61% increase in ROAS and a 61% increase in conversion.4
4. Don’t miss out on sales—offer fast, free shipping
Convenient shipping is an incredibly important part of the eCommerce experience. Online shoppers5 said they didn’t make a purchase more than half the time if the brand didn’t offer free shipping. It’s also when shipping can be the most unpredictable.
For sellers on Walmart Marketplace, we offer Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), our end-to-end fulfillment solution. Sellers that enable WFS can offer two-day shipping across the contiguous U.S. at a competitive cost. Sellers have seen a 50% GMV growth6 on average for key items fulfilled by WFS and reap the added benefits of customer service and returns, which is another critical component of holiday planning.
5. Make the post-purchase experience as enjoyable as shopping
Sellers who only think about the shopping experience have eyes on half the situation —returns and exchanges must also be convenient. A smooth exchange and return process improves customer satisfaction, enhances your reputation, and can be a powerful competitive advantage. Customers are also more likely to purchase if they know they can easily exchange or return items and more likely to buy again if they perceive your brand to handle returns gracefully.
Ensure your return strategy is robust, as you’ll likely see more returns and exchanges than usual during the holidays. Customers appreciate having options that fit their schedules and needs, and many sellers now offer multiple drop locations for return packages. An omnichannel strategy is ideal as it allows customers even more flexibility regarding purchases, returns, and exchanges. Walmart customers often shop online and make returns in person at a retail store or initiate their returns online.
6. Start prepping now
Thinking about the holidays is never too early—or too late. All sellers benefit from having a promotional plan, assortment strategy, and fulfillment logistics figured out well in advance. Most Walmart customers start researching and planning for holiday shopping early—56% in October and 23% in November before Thanksgiving. Only 7% start after Thanksgiving. A quarter of Walmart shoppers plan to start shopping in October, so if your plans aren’t defined by then, you could miss out on customers.
It’s also prudent to think about post-holiday sales. Shoppers often look for bargains and discounted items after the holiday rush, which is an excellent opportunity to clear out excess inventory and make room for new merchandise. Post-holiday sales also attract budget-conscious customers and maintain customer engagement during what can be slower months for retail.
If you have any further questions or need assistance with your Amazon journey, please contact the BellaVix Team. We’re here to help you every step of the way on your path to success on Amazon. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!
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