Tips to Get Your eCommerce Site Ready for Christmas: The Ultimate 2024 UK Guide

The festive season is fast approaching, and 2024 is set to be a record-breaking year for UK eCommerce. With Christmas being the most important time for online retailers, preparing your site is crucial to capitalise on the influx of shoppers. UK eCommerce sales are expected to rise by 15% this Christmas, so now is the perfect time to fine-tune your website and digital strategy.

At 8th Dial, we work with businesses across various sectors to enhance their online presence and maximise sales, especially during peak seasons like Christmas. Here are our top tips to help you prepare your eCommerce site for the busy festive period.

1. Give Your Website a Festive Makeover

The look and feel of your website can have a huge impact on customer behaviour, especially during the festive season. Add a touch of Christmas to your homepage and product pages with seasonal banners, festive colours, and holiday-themed calls-to-action (CTAs). This can be as simple as adjusting your colour palette or adding holiday elements like snowflakes, ornaments, or festive fonts to encourage visitors to make a purchase.

For example, for our client Mummy Meegz, we created a Christmas-themed landing page with festive design elements and details about their Christmas Advent Calendar, Selection Box, and Gift Cracker. We also updated their homepage with a hero banner showcasing these products and added a countdown timer to build anticipation for the launch. This approach created excitement and increased customer engagement.

UK shoppers are 76% more likely to buy from websites that create a festive atmosphere.

2. Mobile Optimisation – A Must for 2024

In the UK, mobile shopping continues to dominate, with over 75% of online sales expected to come from mobile devices this Christmas. Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial. Make sure your site loads quickly, navigation is seamless, and your design is responsive across all devices.

Focus on the following:

- Ensure pages load in under 3 seconds on mobile.

- Optimise product images for mobile screens without sacrificing quality.

- Simplify the checkout process for mobile users.

57% of UK shoppers will abandon a mobile site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Speed is key!

3. Manage Your Stock Levels and Shipping

Running out of stock or slow deliveries during the Christmas rush can lead to lost sales. Review your sales data from last year to forecast demand, and speak with suppliers early to ensure stock arrives on time. Clearly display your delivery deadlines on the site, and offer flexible shipping options to meet customer expectations.

Consider:

- Reviewing 2023 data to forecast demand for this year.

- Partnering with trusted couriers to ensure fast and reliable deliveries.

- Highlighting delivery cut-off dates for Christmas orders.

64% of UK shoppers are willing to pay more for fast delivery, so make sure this option is available.

4. Leverage Christmas Discounts and Promotions

Offering strategic discounts and promotions is a proven way to boost sales during the busy Christmas season. Consider creating special deals like product bundles, flash sales, or limited-time seasonal discounts to entice customers and encourage larger purchases. Featuring these promotions on high-traffic shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday can help maximise visibility and drive sales.

Incorporating countdown timers or highlighting low stock can create a sense of urgency, motivating shoppers to act quickly. Offering perks like free shipping on orders over a certain amount or "buy one, get one" deals can also help increase average order values. Be sure to promote your discounts through various channels, including social media, email campaigns, and website banners, ensuring shoppers don’t miss out on your offers.

Suggestions:

- Bundle complementary products for value-driven gift sets.

- Use countdown timers and low-stock alerts to create urgency.

- Promote discounts through email campaigns, social media, and on-site banners.

- Offer free shipping or exclusive discounts for higher cart values to encourage more spending.

80% of UK shoppers actively seek discounts during Christmas, making promotions a crucial factor in capturing their attention and driving sales.

5. Highlight Gift Options and Make Shopping Easy

Christmas is all about gift-giving, so make it easy for shoppers to find the perfect presents. Create dedicated gift sections on your site, suggest curated gift sets, and add gift-wrapping options at checkout. Filters such as “Gifts Under £50” or “For Him/For Her” will help guide customers through your product offerings quickly and efficiently.

Suggestions:

- Set up a “Christmas Gifts” section.

- Offer gift wrapping or personalisation at checkout.

- Use product filters to simplify the shopping experience.

For example, our client Greeks Bearing Gifts offers beautifully packaged gifts that include custom gift-wrapping and personalised messages. In fact, 60% of UK shoppers say personalisation—such as gift wrapping or custom notes—is a deciding factor when choosing gifts.

6. Boost Trust with Reviews and Social Proof

Social proof plays a vital role in purchase decisions. Displaying customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content helps build trust, particularly when shoppers are looking for gifts. Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering incentives like discounts on their next purchase.

Actions to take:

- Feature reviews on product pages.

- Use real customer photos to showcase how products look in real life.

- Encourage reviews with post-purchase emails offering incentives.

84% of UK shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, so ensure they’re visible.

7. Plan Your Christmas Marketing Campaigns Early

Starting your Christmas marketing campaigns early allows you to build momentum. Create a content calendar that includes email marketing, social media posts, and paid ads to maximise your reach. Tailor your messaging to your audience segments, focusing on offers that align with their preferences.

Start with:

- Planning email and social campaigns at least two months in advance.

- Segmenting your email list for more targeted marketing.

- Scheduling ads for peak shopping days like Black Friday.

UK retailers typically increase their digital ad spend by 30% in the lead-up to Christmas, so don’t miss out on that critical window of opportunity.-

8. Recover Lost Sales with Retargeting and Cart Abandonment Emails

With cart abandonment rates expected to be around 75% this Christmas, retargeting campaigns and cart abandonment emails are essential for recovering lost sales. Send personalised emails to remind customers of their abandoned carts, offering incentives like free shipping or limited-time discounts.

Quick wins:

- Set up automated cart abandonment emails within 24 hours of an abandoned purchase.

- Use retargeting ads on social media and Google to re-engage lost shoppers.

For our client, AMLY, since implementing new email strategies, the results have been impressive. The email flow performance has improved significantly, with a +33.66% increase in open rates across all flows. This demonstrates a high level of engagement and highlights the potential for increased sales this festive season.

9. Offer Multiple Payment Options

UK shoppers increasingly prefer flexible payment methods. Offering options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) alongside standard payment gateways can help increase conversions, especially during the gift-buying season.

Options to include:

- BNPL options like Klarna or Clearpay.

- Secure credit and debit card payments.

- PayPal for quick and easy transactions.

45% of UK consumers are more likely to make a purchase if BNPL options are available.

10. Don’t Forget Boxing Day Sales

Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping events in the UK. Prepare for the post-Christmas rush by offering clearance deals and promoting these heavily across your channels. Make sure your website can handle a surge in traffic, and keep customers engaged after Christmas with discounts and incentives.

To prepare:

- Launch clearance deals for unsold stock.

- Promote post-Christmas offers via email and social media.

- Ensure your site is ready to handle increased traffic.

UK consumers spent £2.8 billion during Boxing Day sales in 2023, and this is expected to rise in 2024.

HOW WE CAN HELP

The festive season is a crucial time for eCommerce, presenting significant opportunities for UK retailers in 2024. To maximise your sales, it's essential to prepare your site with a festive design, optimise for mobile users, manage stock and shipping efficiently, and run enticing promotions that capture shopper interest.

At 8th Dial, we provide comprehensive support to help your eCommerce site thrive during this busy period. Whether you need a complete overhaul or just some small tweaks to get your site ready for Christmas, our team can assist. From creating eye-catching festive updates and improving mobile experiences to implementing smart marketing campaigns, managing stock logistics, and boosting customer engagement, we handle every aspect of your online strategy. Our expertise ensures your site is ready for the holiday surge, turning traffic into sales and fostering long-term customer loyalty.

We’d love to hear from you! Check out our case studies to see the range of services we offer and how we can help enhance your online presence. Get in touch with us here to discuss how we can support you in achieving your eCommerce goals this Christmas and beyond!