13 Last-Minute E-Commerce Tips for Cyber Week in 2022

Updated November 2022

How Does Cyber Week Relate to Your Business?

As an online business owner, Cyber Week is one of your store’s most exciting and busiest weeks of the year. Starting with Black Friday, this week marks the beginning of the end-of-year shopping season and a week when holiday shoppers and mobile consumers are ready to part with serious cash. Here are some last-minute e-commerce tips for Cyber Week to help you get the most out of your online presence.

In 2022, Cyber Monday is expected to be the most profitable day for sales during the holiday season, and even the year. Adobe predicts that this year’s spending will reach $11.2 billion, increasing 5.1% YoY, and breaking a record for the day. 

Globalfy

For many business owners, Cyber Week and the holiday shopping period can make the difference between a successful year-end or a year ending in red ink. Therefore, it is essential for business owners and product brands to make the most out of Cyber Week and the entire holiday shopping season.

Cyber Monday and Black Friday will approach $12 billion and $10 billion in ecommerce sales, respectively, to rank as the top online spending days of the 2022 holiday season

Insider Intelligence

What Can You Expect from Cyber Week?

Cyber Week, and the Black Friday, and Cyber Monday sales weekend mark the start of the holiday sales period.

Americans are increasingly reducing costs, looking for additional ways to save, and facing hard choices given the inflation economics and higher prices, according to a Forbes Advisor study of 2,000 U.S. consumers.

According to a Gartner Marketing survey, nearly half of consumers, 48%, plan to shop early for this holiday season, and the big reason is inflation. Of the 306 consumers polled in July, 28% plan to spend less this holiday season, and just 10% plan to spend more than in past years.

Online sales will be what drives holiday sales growth this year. Ecommerce will grow 12%, slightly more than last year’s 10.4%. In 2022, ecommerce will make up 18.4% of total US holiday retail sales. While sales growth is slowing down, overall sales will continue to increase year-over-year.

The consumer shopping pattern shifted significantly during the pandemic. Unlike shopping sprees that lasted the entire month pre-COVID, customers bought in early November over the last two years. While supply chain and inventory issues were the primary reasons earlier, it’s inflation this time.

Why You Should Care About Cyber Week

In 2022 the holiday season is one day longer than in 2021; there are 31 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With a longer shopping season than previous years, shoppers will have less urgency to get started early. This means marketers will have to work harder to keep shoppers focused. Here is how you can prepare your website for holiday shoppers.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022 are just around the corner, meaning the busiest shopping days for eCommerce will soon arrive. In 2022, Black Friday will be on November 25, and Cyber Monday will fall on November 28. But, of course, these days are just placeholders for a sale season that will take place over a minimum of several weeks.

This year we can expect changes in several areas compared to previous years. With the pandemic still present, rising inflation, and a possible looming recession, retailers in both eCommerce and brick-and-mortar stores will need to adapt their strategies to fit the current situation.

And there are other considerations in 2022. Here are a few likely outcomes:

• Inflation and rising prices will limit discretionary spending on gifts and holiday items.
• The good news for shoppers is that discounts, which were slim in 2021, will abound in 2022.
• Shipping and supply-chain bottlenecks can lead to product shortages.
• Shoppers are more willing than ever to switch brands or retailers, especially when items are unavailable.
• Retailers that want to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the decline in brand and retailer loyalty will need to meet consumers’ demands despite their supply and labor challenges.
• Higher gas prices will limit some travel and favor local stores and businesses.
• Open stores will see more traffic than last year.
• Competition for online shoppers will be greater than it has ever been before.

As shoppers move more toward browsing and buying on their mobile devices, they also spend less time giving brands a chance to make an impression. Now, more than ever, brands need to ensure they’re delivering optimal shopping experiences to drive the results they want during the year’s biggest shopping event.

In 2022, ecommerce will make up 18.4% of total US holiday retail sales.

ROI Revolution

Despite recent shifts in consumer behavior, Black Friday weekend will still be a critical time for many retailers to make up for the slower performance during the first half of 2021. My last-minute e-commerce tips for Cyber Week will help you stand out from the digital competition.

Last-Minute E-Commerce Tips for Cyber Week

1 – Be Mobile-First

Mcommerce is expected to nearly double its share of total retail sales between 2020 and 2025. And according to Statista, Mcommerce sales increased from 52.4% in 2016 to nearly 73% in 2021. This trend will continue during the 2022 holiday shopping season.

More holiday season shoppers will buy gifts via their mobile devices, according to Practical Ecommerce. The total US eCommerce holiday sales from mobile devices should hit $115 billion, a 20% increase over 2021.

Mobile ecommerce market is projected to amount to 41.6% of total ecommerce sales by the end of 2022, and 44% by 2025, slowly evening out the mobile commerce vs ecommerce ratio.

Tidio

Not only are significantly more users accessing the web from a tablet or smartphone than a desktop, but they are also doing so with more eCommerce intent than ever before. During last year’s busy holiday shopping season, a third of all online purchases came from smartphone users.

Not even Black Friday ($9 billion in online revenue in 2021) was immune to mobile fever, as nearly 40% of sales on the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping day came via a mobile device. On Cyber Monday ($10.7 billion in online revenue in 2021), 54% of visitors came from mobile devices, while around 33% purchased on their mobile device, up over 40% over the past few years.

The fact is, it’s now statistically much more likely that eCommerce customers will be interacting with your website from a smartphone or tablet than a desktop. Armed with this knowledge, it’s your responsibility to create a shopping experience that appeals to your customers.

Mobile shoppers are demanding, and rightfully so. With the highly competitive nature of the eCommerce industry, your customers will not hesitate to buy from your competitors if even the slightest headache arises.

2 – Tune-Up your Website

Maximize page load speed and performance for your website. If your website or online store loads slowly, online consumers will not hesitate to move on. Likewise, ensure that navigation is fluid and intuitive, especially on pages that have sales or discounts. It’s also a good idea to double-check product descriptions and internal links to ensure they’re current.

Finally, check with your provider to ensure your servers can handle an increased load during Cyber Week and the entire holiday season.

3 – Enhance Your E-Commerce Shopping Experience

Out of all the last-minute e-commerce tips for Cyber Week, this is likely the most crucial, as e-commerce UX design is essential to conversions. Everything should focus on turning website visitors into consumers and boosting holiday sales.

eCommerce revenue will reach $224.31 billion during the holidays this year, up from $211.41 billion for the same two months in 2021.

Digital Commerce 360

Another critical conversion arena for retailers to focus on is cross-selling and upselling. The holidays are the perfect time for this as shoppers are ready to spend, and the fewer stores they need to visit, the better for them.

4 – Provide a Great User Experience

Cyber Week shoppers are already going through a lot. Therefore, providing them with the best possible user experience is essential. Better UX includes making it easy for online shoppers to notice your special offers.

A site-wide discount, a tantalizing sale on a big-ticket item, or a markdown for an entire category are all simple and easy to understand. A straightforward offer will also make it easier to promote your business through advertising and social media.

5 – Make Shopping Easy

The easier it is for online consumers to purchase, the more likely they will. Primarily during Cyber Week, you must focus on maximizing your e-commerce conversions. Create gift guides and highlight your holiday deals on your landing pages to make it simple for your customers to find gifts.

Many shoppers already have a specific budget in mind, so you should segregate your gift guides and deals into categories by price. Another of my last-minute e-commerce tips for Cyber Week is to upsell your customers by adding complementary products alongside purchased items to make one-stop shopping effortless.

6 – Emphasize Customer Service

Customer service will be paramount during Cyber Week. Shoppers will be looking to make decisions quickly. They know the clock is ticking to complete their shopping lists before the sale ends or product inventory runs out. Monitor all your channels and respond promptly to customer questions about the product, shipping, and return policies.

Consider automation, like chatbots, to streamline your communication even further. Watch out for any negative reviews or complaints and respond immediately if any arise. The holiday shopping season is a great time to impress your customers and keep them coming after the holiday season.

7 – Create a Cyber Week Exclusive, One-Day Deal

Next on my list of last-minute e-commerce tips are exclusive deals and how to promote them. Offering a measly 15 percent off to shoppers during Cyber Week will not do the trick. During the busy holiday season, your competitors will offer amazing deals. To stand out, you’ve got to create a cyber-exclusive, one-day sale that’s too good for consumers to pass up.

8 – Promote Your Cyber Week Special Offers

Part of the success of Cyber Week is that mobile consumers know online stores will be offering deals. Let your customers know you’re participating by prominently advertising your special offers. The more noticeable they are, the more critical they will seem to shoppers.

The most obvious and popular option is on your home page. Announcing the details of your Cyber Week deals here will tell your shoppers what they need to know. It also demonstrates that your business considers these deals essential and valuable. Pop-Ups are another option but do not annoy holiday consumers and drive them to shop from your competitors.

9 – Showcase Different Products on a Rotating Basis

You want to keep your brand at the top of shoppers’ minds, but they may find it challenging to keep their eyes on you with so many Cyber Week distractions. Accordingly, you have to entice users to keep coming back to your site by showcasing different products and sales on a rotating basis. Instead of just announcing a site-wide sale, highlight the items shoppers can get deals on throughout the holiday period.

10 – Increase Buyer’s Sense of Urgency

OK, you’ve enticed users to visit your online store and check out your Cyber Week deals, but how do you get them to purchase once they’ve arrived? A perfect way to get shoppers to hit that “checkout” button fast is to increase the sense of urgency using countdowns. The scarcer an item, the more people will want to buy it from you.

11 – Create an Exclusive Newsletter Offer

To boost sales this Cyber Week and get more subscribers, create a newsletter-exclusive offer. A special offer like this rewards your loyal subscribers. It makes them feel important, and at the same time, it helps you build an even bigger email list after the holidays. Here are some creative ideas for your holiday email marketing.

12 – Combat Cart Abandonment

According to Oberlo, the latest shopping cart abandonment rates show that in Q2 2022, 80 percent of all online shopping carts failed to make it to the checkout stage. In other words, eight out of every ten online shopping baskets are ditched without the purchase process being completed.

That’s a ton of missed sales. Instead of letting all those shoppers leave your site without buying this Cyber Week, entice them to return to your online store and complete their orders.

Also, customized email reminders of items a shopper may have browsed but not purchased go a long way to maximizing your sales.

13 – Fine-Tune Your Content Strategy

Modify your content strategy to reflect the season. Posting the right type of content at the right time can not only generate more traffic. It can also introduce your brand to new customers by helping them in their time of need. Keep in mind that these are challenging times. Be sure to explain how your products benefit consumers during the pandemic.

Considering that most people already have shopping on their minds, gift guides are another of my last-minute e-commerce tips. Many people across different demographics have difficulty deciding which gifts to buy for their friends and family. A well-written gift guide answers their questions, establishes your brand as an expert on the topic, and lets you promote your products.

Final Thoughts on Cyber Week

Cyber Monday may be the most critical day in the e-commerce industry, but don’t let that scare you. Your site doesn’t need to be perfect to make a good impression; it just needs some planning and preparation. It’s not too late the put the finishing touches on your site — follow my last-minute e-commerce tips. By Christmas Day, you will have had a successful and “green” holiday season. We are here to help!

Here at PixoLabo, we offer a full range of web design and related services to help you prepare your online presence for eager holiday shoppers. Our team of WordPress experts can help you prepare your online store for holiday shoppers! But first, look at our portfolio and read our case studies.

Then, if you believe we are a good fit for your ecommerce and web design needs, reach out! We offer a full range of consulting and design solutions for businesses and product brands. If you are unsure how to implement these e-commerce tips for Cyber Week, let’s talk!

Is Your Website Ready for the Holidays?

What do you think of these tips? Do you have your own Cyber Week “traditions”? Are you preparing your website for holiday shoppers by adding new content or services? Is your online store all decked out for eager consumers?

Do you have other last-minute e-commerce tips for preparing your business website or online store for the upcoming holiday season?

Feel free to add your comments below so our audience can benefit and grab our feed so you don’t miss our next post! And feel free to share our holiday website tips with your audience!

Thank you! We appreciate your help ending bad business websites, one pixel at a time!

By Gregor Saita
Co-Founder / CXO
@gregorsaita