E-commerce Holiday Checklist

Holidays are the busiest times of the year, but it’s also the most exciting time for e-commerce stores. If you sell a product that can be bought online, preparing early is best to ensure you’ll maximize your revenue.

Below is our e-commerce to-do checklist that you can implement leading up to the busy holiday season. This checklist will help increase your sales this year and gain you more visibility for continued sales in the next year. Keep this e-commerce holiday checklist bookmarked as a reference.

How were your sales the previous year?

Have you ever heard the quote “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been”? Well, that applies to sales as well. How were your sales last year? This will help you understand what you can expect for this year, as well as the necessary adjustments to make.

Become familiar with upcoming holiday dates

Knowing the exact date of the holiday allows you to prepare when you’ll release your promotions and how to market, helping you plan for the influx of new orders. Here are some important end-of-year holidays:

  • Black Friday [2022: Friday, November 25]
  • Small Business Saturday [2022: Saturday, November 26]
  • Cyber Monday [2022: Monday, November 28]
  • Giving Tuesday [2022: Tuesday, November 29]
  • Christmas Day [2022: Sunday, December 25]
  • New Year’s Eve Day [2022: Saturday, December 31]
  • New Year’s Day [2023: Sunday, January 1]

Business goals for the holiday season

What sales goal do you want to achieve this year in the months of November and December? Write this goal down so you’ll know how to strategize to make sure you accomplish it.

Create a holiday promotion calendar

Based on your revenue goal for the holiday season, what sales, special deals, and promotions can you offer to customers this year? Create a calendar to visualize your plan by recording what promotions will go into effect before, during, and after these holidays.

Is your website ready to go?

This is critical. Your products are being viewed, purchased, and processed online. The first impression when customers land on your e-commerce website will dictate if they’ll do business with you. A poorly performing website can decrease your sales. Pay attention to the following:

  • Ensure your website is visually appealing.
  • All products should be categorized for easy navigation.
  • Repair any functional issues during checkout.
  • Allow multiple payment options (credit card, PayPal, etc.).

Automation saves you time and money

Automate your processes to focus on managing orders. E-commerce automation eliminates repetitive tasks. Important automation processes include:

  • Syncing customers to an email marketing platform (e.g., Mailchimp).
  • Gathering feedback after purchases by asking for reviews.
  • Automating inventory management to know when stock is low.
  • Sending abandoned cart emails.
  • Printing shipping labels and sending out tracking numbers.

Can your products be found online in Google search?

Optimize your SEO for holiday season. Use specific keywords on your product pages and create static landing pages for each holiday.

Get Creative With Your Sales

If you sell single products, consider how you can bundle some together to increase sales. For instance, package candles based on themes such as relaxation or cleaning.

Cybersecurity is Serious

Customers trust you with their personal information. Ensure your website is 100% secure.

Technical Support

Plan to have technical support ready to fix any issues quickly, as the holiday season can be busy.

Final Checklist Thoughts

Planning is critical to your success. If you have any questions or need assistance, our team of digital marketing experts is here to help you achieve your holiday season business goals!