The National Retail Federation predicts that online holiday spending will be up 5.7% this year. With that in mind, Art Technology Group (ATG) offers these four strategies for online retailers to ensure a successful online sales season.

Online Holiday

1. Differentiate personalization and customization. According to ATG, personalization requires an in-depth level of information about a customer’s interactions with your organization over time – not just what they did the last time they visited your site. Don’t get caught up in targeting shoppers with promotions based solely on their last interaction, which is really customization, ATG said. Instead, successful retailers create personalized campaigns that consider a customer’s overall preferences.

2. Turn nos into yeses. ATG recommends that online merchants cultivate Online Holiday their ability to change online promotions “on the fly.” “When you receive a negative response, proactively offer a second promotion that provides an alternate selection, ” the firm said.

3. Blend your online and offline channels. Online or offline, it’s still a purchase, ATG said. Since customers gravitate to convenience, savvy online retailers will design and launch their online promotions with their offline channels in mind. “Retailers that can provide customers with the ability Online Holiday to order an item online and pick it up a store or redeem a gift certificate online are reaching out to their customers and making the holiday season as convenient as possible, ” ATG said.

4. Stay tuned to the market. Like the seasons, customers’ ideas of what’s “hot” changes, ATG said. Successful retailers will not only take what they learned from their customers last year but also scrutinize what they learned from those customers this year to develop and deploy timely online promotions and targeted campaigns, the company said.

“As e-commerce continues to grow, customers expect more functionality and integration around their online experience, ” commented Bob Burke, president and CEO of ATG. “Whether a customer is purchasing a gift, booking a flight or making a hotel reservation online this holiday season, the degree to which their interaction with the retailer is convenient and informative will make the difference between success and failure.”

For more information, contact ATG here.

Art Technology Group