Buckle up for a holiday shopping season in the pandemic!
It’s that time of the year again – the holiday shopping season. But this year is going to be different due to COVID-19. As a business owner, you need to be prepared for the new challenges that the pandemic presents. With safety precautions in place, customers are going to be more reliant on online shopping, and we’re all going to have to adapt to the changes. So, buckle up and get ready to tackle the holiday shopping season in the pandemic!
Why It’s Important to Prepare Now
We’ve officially entered October, and businesses need to start preparing for the holiday season. The pandemic has brought with it a lot of uncertainty, and it’s important to be proactive and plan for the future. The main goal for businesses is to make things safe and easy for customers to do business with them. This means updating your website, restocking your online inventory, and improving your delivery system.
Three Ways People Plan to Shop Differently This Year
Google conducted a survey in June to better understand how the pandemic will impact holiday shopping. Here are the three ways people plan to shop differently this year:
1. People will discover and buy online even more
Online shopping was already popular before the pandemic, but now it’s going to be even more prevalent. Over 70% of shoppers who plan to shop this season said they will shop online more for the holidays than they did in previous seasons.
2. People will plan ahead and do their research online before in-store shopping
With safety concerns, people are going to be doing their research online before making any in-store purchases. This means that businesses need to make sure their online presence is strong and up-to-date.
3. People will look for safer, digitized ways of in-store shopping
People are going to be looking for safer ways to shop in-store. This means that businesses need to implement safety precautions to make customers feel safe while shopping in-store.
The Desire to Support Local Businesses
The desire to support local businesses is more prevalent than ever before. 67% of shoppers said they plan to shop more at local small businesses. This is great news for small businesses who have been struggling due to the pandemic.
Google’s New Focus on Shopping ‘Nearby’
Google has announced a new focus on shopping ‘nearby.’ This means that customers can easily find products available from stores located near them. Customers can simply tap the Shopping tab and select the Nearby filter to view product options available from stores located near them.
Introducing Grow My Store
Google has introduced a new tool called Grow My Store, which is an automated retail store evaluator. It allows businesses to get tailored tips if they sell products online. Here’s what the all-new Grow My Store promises to do:
- Boost your business with a quick and easy evaluation of your retail website
- Analyze your retail site, getting an overall score, and offering detailed insights and recommendations
- See how your site does against retailers/competitors in your sector
- Identify areas of improvement to upgrade effectively
- Provide access to personalized market and consumer trends to reach new customers
- Grow with advice from Google’s database of resources and curated Google tools
Although some of the tips may feel very obvious, it is these simple little things that one often tends to miss when they’re busy or stuck in a project. Make most of the Grow My Store tool by putting your retail site through it. Who knows, you might even end up with some top tailored tips that help boost your sales this year!
Google’s new Grow My Store is an automated retail store evaluator tool that allows you to get tailored tips if you sell products online.
What You Can Do
It’s important to review the 2020 retail guide and the recent enhancements to shopping search. After this, put your retail site through the new Grow My Store to get quick tips to maximize your presence throughout Google. Alongside Grow My Store, email marketing can be crucial for your retail website’s success this year. Make the most of it to connect with your customers, let them know you’re open, what you have to offer, and provide enticements to help your customers support you in this important and different than the usual selling season.
The pandemic has brought with it many challenges, but it’s also brought with it new opportunities. As a business owner, you need to be proactive and think outside the box. This holiday season is going to be different, but with the right strategy, you can still have a successful selling season.
The countdown has begun, so start planning and preparing now. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Make sure your online presence is strong, your inventory is stocked, and your delivery system is efficient. Implement safety precautions to make your customers feel safe while shopping in-store, and make the most of the tools available to you, like Grow My Store.
Conclusion
The holiday shopping season is going to be different this year due to COVID-19. As a business owner, it’s important to be proactive and prepare for the new challenges that the pandemic presents. People are going to be shopping more online, doing their research online before in-store shopping, and looking for safer ways to shop in-store. Google’s new tool, Grow My Store, can help businesses maximize their online presence and reach new customers. With the right strategy, businesses can still have a successful selling season.
FAQs
What is Grow My Store?
Grow My Store is an automated retail store evaluator tool introduced by Google that allows businesses to get tailored tips if they sell products online.
How can businesses prepare for the holiday shopping season during the pandemic?
Businesses can prepare for the holiday shopping season during the pandemic by updating their website, restocking their online inventory, improving their delivery system, and implementing safety precautions to make customers feel safe while shopping in-store.
Why is email marketing important during the holiday shopping season?
Email marketing can be crucial for a retail website’s success during the holiday shopping season as it helps businesses to connect with their customers, let them know what they have to offer, and provide enticements to help customers support them.
How can businesses make the most of the Grow My Store tool?
Businesses can make the most of the Grow My Store tool by putting their retail site through it, identifying areas of improvement, and implementing the tailored tips to boost their sales.
Why is it important to focus on shopping ‘nearby’?
Focusing on shopping ‘nearby’ is important as customers can easily find products available from stores located near them, and it also supports local businesses that have been struggling due to the pandemic.
Lela
I have over 10 years' experience proofreading and editing where spelling and grammar were paramount. This includes newspaper publication and designing advertisements. I personally write all my articles.This allows me to do in-depth research and provide premium content.
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