The rhythm of the e-commerce sector is all the time tied to the calendar, with key holidays and particular occasions shaping shopper behaviour. Notably outstanding are the upcoming peak dates of Mom’s Day and Easter, driving gross sales of candies, flowers, home goods and different presents.
Mom’s Day 2024 noticed an estimated £1.6 billion spent, a 4.4 per cent year-on-year enhance, with 61 per cent of shoppers taking part. In the meantime, the early Easter in 2024 boosted take-home grocery gross sales by a 4.6 per cent rise within the 4 weeks main as much as March 17.
Because the UK has Europe’s most developed e-commerce market, with penetration charges nearing 85 per cent by 2025, it’s essential for companies to prepare for these peak intervals beforehand. On this article, Flowwow’s CEO, Slava Bogdan, shares 5 helpful tricks to beat seasonality and obtain sustainable development throughout the UK market.
Strategic foresight
Whereas the This autumn season normally brings the most important gross sales, the spring months current important alternatives for UK companies. Following the post-Christmas lull, shopper exercise sometimes rebounds in spring. In March 2024, UK retail gross sales demonstrated a 3.5 per cent year-on-year development, surpassing February’s 1.1 per cent and the 12-month common of two.9 per cent, with Mom’s Day, Easter, and occasions like Chelsea Flower Present main the way in which.
Planning begins with a deep evaluation of earlier years’ efficiency – what objects or providers have been in favour, when did gross sales spike and fall, which advertising and marketing channels carried out greatest? When you’re achieved with information, concentrate on refining promoting and personalisation methods, testing various channels and budgets.
For companies in sectors comparable to decor, confectionery, or floristry, Mom’s Day is a key gross sales occasion. Analyse previous gross sales to determine buyer preferences. Account for elevated supply prices in the course of the vacation, probably providing pre-order reductions to clean order movement. As proven by Colleen Blackhurst of Broadway Comfort Retailer in Edinburgh along with her Easter case, carefully monitor buyer developments. Whereas premium Easter eggs have been anticipated to promote nicely, smaller eggs proved extra common, highlighting the significance of data-led stock selections.
Infrastructure preparation
The elevated gross sales throughout peak intervals all the time include a major pressure on IT infrastructure. To ensure a seamless buyer expertise, preserve a wholesome workflow, and productive buyer assist, companies should prioritise web site and cell app optimisation. Conducting load exams and automating processes, implementing chatbots and streamlining the processing of FAQ can considerably affect each the shopper and worker expertise.
For marketplaces like Flowwow, which expertise important seasonal fluctuations, these preparations are much more vital. Earlier Mom’s Day introduced important surges, solely proving the significance of considerate planning and a extremely adaptable workforce. Excessive-load testing, addressing growth bottlenecks, and refining product options are essential for sustaining high-quality service and a powerful model, particularly throughout peak seasons.
Channel administration
With 63 per assembly of UK adults in 2024 favouring on-line purchases over in-store experiences, companies should strategically choose gross sales channels to drive probably the most income. To optimise operations, maximise gross sales, and cut back the danger of errors, companies should undertake a targeted strategy, concentrating on key gross sales channels. This can assist streamline the workflow and facilitate fast and clean order fulfilment, a vital issue particularly in the course of the peak seasons.
IKEA UK demonstrated a major development, growing gross sales by 11.9 per cent to £2.46 billion, via strategic funding in each bodily and digital channels. In anticipation of Easter 2025, IKEA UK made bids on on-line gross sales by way of its official web site and cell app, providing user-friendly interfaces and unique seasonal promotions. Social media platforms, significantly Instagram, play an enormous function in selling Easter collections and gathering UGC.
Product vary enlargement
Develop your product providing, adapting to seasonal shifts, developments, and buyer calls for. It’s necessary to supply particular campaigns and thematic vacation collections to draw new audiences and enhance a median spend. Complementing principal choices with associated classes, comparable to present units, unique seasonal promotions, or well timed supply providers throughout peak intervals, enhances buyer loyalty and the income itself.
Marks & Spencer (M&S) is strategically increasing its common product vary whereas additionally providing particular seasonal collections, aiming to turn into a main vacation spot for household procuring and entice various goal audiences particularly in the course of the excessive seasons. These strategic expansions have contributed to a 20.4 per cent rise in pre-tax income, reaching £391.9 million within the first half of the reported yr.
Throughout the pandemic, Flowwow remodeled from a floral market to a gift-giving platform with native manufacturers, leading to a 77 per cent year-over-year enhance in orders. The corporate added a variety of recent classes like clothes matches and trend-led kinds.
Buyer loyalty growth
Returning prospects sometimes spend an common of 31 per cent greater than first-time consumers. In actual fact, even a slight enhance in buyer retention charges can yield fairly a powerful revenue development.
To retain vacation customers year-round, companies ought to consider these methods that may drive repeat purchases. Assume tailor-made suggestions, particular campaigns, unique reductions, influencer collaborations, and updates on new merchandise by way of various related channels (social media, e mail, push-notifications, and SMS) might help construct lasting relationships.
A user-friendly loyalty programme with unique rewards, early entry to gross sales, and personalised experiences can play an enormous function in turning prospects into actual model advocates. It’s value paying further consideration to SMS and push notifications, as forecasts predict that retail gross sales from mobile-commerce within the UK will exceed £100 billion in 2025. This development is pushed by the benefit of cell procuring, with 40 per cent of shoppers perceiving SMS advertising and marketing as handy for making purchases from their cellphone, and one in 5 spending over £100 on merchandise marketed to them by way of textual content message.
Staying on prime of peak seasons requires numerous planning and a proactive strategy. By anticipating demand, streamlining operations and prioritising buyer satisfaction, companies can enhance their gross sales and construct lasting buyer relationships.
Slava Bogdan is CEO of Flowwow.
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