The rhythm of the e-commerce sector is all the time tied to the calendar, with key holidays and particular occasions shaping client behaviour. Notably distinguished are the upcoming peak dates of Mom’s Day and Easter, driving gross sales of sweets, flowers, home items and different presents.
Mom’s Day 2024 noticed an estimated £1.6 billion spent, a 4.4 per cent year-on-year improve, with 61 per cent of customers collaborating. 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 progress throughout the UK market.
Strategic foresight
Whereas the This fall season often brings the most important gross sales, the spring months current vital alternatives for UK companies. Following the post-Christmas lull, client exercise sometimes rebounds in spring. In March 2024, UK retail gross sales demonstrated a 3.5 per cent year-on-year progress, 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 best way.
Planning begins with a deep evaluation of earlier years’ efficiency – what gadgets or providers have been in favour, when did gross sales spike and fall, which advertising channels carried out greatest? When you’re finished with information, concentrate on refining promoting and personalisation methods, testing numerous 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 establish buyer preferences. Account for elevated supply prices through the vacation, doubtlessly providing pre-order reductions to clean order circulate. As proven by Colleen Blackhurst of Broadway Comfort Retailer in Edinburgh along with her Easter case, intently monitor buyer traits. Whereas premium Easter eggs have been anticipated to promote nicely, smaller eggs proved extra well-liked, highlighting the significance of data-led stock selections.
Infrastructure preparation
The elevated gross sales throughout peak intervals all the time include a big pressure on IT infrastructure. To ensure a seamless buyer expertise, preserve a wholesome workflow, and productive buyer assist, companies should prioritise web site and cellular app optimisation. Conducting load checks and automating processes, implementing chatbots and streamlining the processing of FAQ can considerably impression each the shopper and worker expertise.
For marketplaces like Flowwow, which expertise vital seasonal fluctuations, these preparations are much more essential. Earlier Mom’s Day introduced vital surges, solely proving the significance of considerate planning and a extremely adaptable crew. 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 centered method, concentrating on key gross sales channels. This may assist streamline the workflow and facilitate fast and clean order fulfilment, a vital issue particularly through the peak seasons.
IKEA UK demonstrated a big progress, rising gross sales by 11.9 per cent to £2.46 billion, by means of 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 cellular app, providing user-friendly interfaces and unique seasonal promotions. Social media platforms, significantly Instagram, play a giant function in selling Easter collections and gathering UGC.
Product vary growth
Develop your product providing, adapting to seasonal shifts, traits, and buyer calls for. It’s vital to supply particular campaigns and thematic vacation collections to draw new audiences and improve a median spend. Complementing principal choices with associated classes, comparable to reward 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 ordinary product vary whereas additionally providing particular seasonal collections, aiming to change into a major vacation spot for household procuring and appeal to numerous goal audiences particularly through the excessive seasons. These strategic expansions have contributed to a 20.4 per cent rise in pre-tax earnings, reaching £391.9 million within the first half of the reported 12 months.
In the course of 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 improve in orders. The corporate added a spread of recent classes like clothes matches and trend-led kinds.
Buyer loyalty growth
Returning prospects sometimes spend a median of 31 per cent greater than first-time patrons. The truth is, even a slight improve in buyer retention charges can yield fairly a powerful revenue progress.
To retain vacation customers year-round, companies ought to consider these methods that can drive repeat purchases. Assume tailor-made suggestions, particular campaigns, unique reductions, influencer collaborations, and updates on new merchandise by way of numerous related channels (social media, e mail, push-notifications, and SMS) may also help construct lasting relationships.
A user-friendly loyalty programme with unique rewards, early entry to gross sales, and personalised experiences can play a giant function in turning prospects into actual model advocates. It’s value paying additional 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 pattern is pushed by the benefit of cellular procuring, with 40 per cent of customers perceiving SMS advertising 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 a whole lot of planning and a proactive method. By anticipating demand, streamlining operations and prioritising buyer satisfaction, companies can improve their gross sales and construct lasting buyer relationships.
Slava Bogdan is CEO of Flowwow.
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