Online mega sales are becoming more popular with consumers.
Mega sales like Click Frenzy, as well as popular US events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, are quickly becoming favourites with Australian consumers. As a result, retailers are not only boosting e-commerce peak seasons, but also creating new ones throughout the year.
During last year’s Black Friday sales Australians spent more than $200 million—16 per cent more than in 2016—a rising trend that is likely to continue.
Click Frenzy, Australia’s own 24-hour online sales initiative, now has sales in March, May, August and the signature Click Frenzy sale in November. This has helped local businesses boost sales, with retailers like Australian fashion label Black Swallow generating $150,000 over the 24-hour sale period. With the May Mayhem Sale fast approaching, online retailers need to be prepared to for increased demand.
Integrate your e-commerce platform
With the popularity of e-commerce and m-commerce, along with the increasing number of mega-sales held throughout the year, online retailers need a highly complex e-commerce system.
An e-commerce platform is a lot more than an online store and shopping cart. E-commerce is a highly sophisticated and complex ecosystem with services from secure payment options to order fulfilment to parcel tracking and returns capabilities. An integrated, organised e-commerce platform can save online retailers both time and money by automating checkout, payments, billing, tracking and inventory management.
The platform also provides flexibility and the intelligence to make informed decisions to customise the overall service experience. For example, a wholly integrated e-commerce platform can deliver insights like consumer purchasing trends and measure customer engagement.
Adapting to alternate delivery options
Delivery capabilities must reflect the demands of modern shoppers. Customers have come to expect flexibility and real-time package updates from online retailers. In preparation for peak shopping seasons, online retailers should invest in offering convenient delivery and return options.
Retailers must offer consumers more than one delivery choice at checkout. Alternatives such as self-collection lockers located in high traffic locations or a delivery provider capable of offering home delivery timeslots are some ways to offer consumers more options.
Seamless returns are also vital to the consumer experience and can build confidence and trust for future purchases. Cheap or free returns are a big attraction for consumers, as well as easy to print or access return shipping labels. Ensuring every product has a return merchandise authorisation number allows online retailers to accept and process returns efficiently and provides consumers with tracking information.
Signed, sealed, delivered
Any online retailer participating in mega-sales is under pressure to distribute products in a timely and well-organised manner. Access to a well-established logistics network and logistics management system ensures a strong supply and distribution chain that supports the profitable and scalable growth of online retailers.
An effective logistics network system that connects directly with online shopping carts can assist with the efficient organisation of orders, deliveries and returns, relieving the strain often felt by businesses during busy shopping periods.
Kim Garner is managing director, international operations, FedEx Express Australia and New Zealand.
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