Boost Shopify Store’s Sales This Holiday :Trends For 2024

The final few months of the year is kind of a roller coaster for ecommerce businesses. You're balancing ambitious year-end targets with an unprecedented surge in demand. 

And the holiday shopping season - including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas is gaining momentum year after year. Well, let’s just say that it is no secret that shoppers are spending more online during these events than ever before.

According to Digital Commerce, online holiday sales increased by 4.9% last year, with customers spending an impressive $221.1 billion in November and December alone. This year's figures are likely to rise even further, making it a record-breaking holiday season.

So are you ready to make the most out of this surge in online traffic? 

Preparation is vital as your Shopify store needs to be streamlined and smooth - no crashes and no slowdowns. You need to deliver a smooth shopping experience at each point of your customer’s journey so that you stand out from your competitors. 

This guide will walk you through four important trends 2024 that needs to be taken to make the most of this holiday season.

Let’s get started. 

4 Tips To Boost Your Shopify Store’s Sale In 2024 

Let us go through each of these four trends 2024 one by one.

#1 Prepare and optimize your Shopify shop

Improve the speed of your website

In this era of fierce competition, winning over your competitors is no easy task. Once a user lands on your website, it is your responsibility to keep them engaged and with a fast and smooth user experience. 

Studies show that even a half-second improvement in site speed can drastically boost conversion rates.

Here’s how you can ensure that your website is not lagging behind:

• Run a Site Speed Audit: Using Shopify's Site Speed Audit tool, you can test the speed of your website. It delivers precise information into how quickly your site loads on different devices and compares your performance to industry standards.

• Get Personalized Speed Tips: Based on your audit, consider recommendations such as image compression, code minification, popup removal, and the use of light video embeds. To enhance mobile load times, consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).

Dermalogica, a skincare brand, switched to Shopify to increase site speed and facilitate international expansion. What was the result? Site speed improved by 41%, and conversions increased by 119%, as a result of faster, more efficient website performance.

Mobile-friendly website

Last year, more than half of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales were made on mobile devices, a trend that continues to gain attention in recent times. A responsive design is essential, but for the best results, you need to optimize specifically for mobile with these key considerations:

• Mobile-First Design: Tailor your site for mobile users with large, tappable buttons, simple stacked navigation, and image carousels for easy browsing.

• Speed and User Experience: Mobile consumers demand speed and few distractions, so eliminate auto playing movies and improve load times for the best mobile experience.

Prioritizing mobile usability ensures a smooth shopping experience for customers regardless of device.

Easy checkout process

Due to price comparison and site switching, cart abandonment is especially prevalent around the holidays. To promote conversions:

• Allow guest checkout: Allow your customers to finish their purchases without needing to create an account.

• Switch to One-Click Checkout: Compared to standard guest checkouts, options like Shop Pay can simplify the process and increase conversions by as much as 50%.

• Display Confidence and Trust: Social proof, including client testimonials and safe payment indicators, gives legitimacy and can boost conversions.

Implement automations

It can be quite difficult to handle the surge during the busy Christmas season. Without hiring more workers, automations can help you manage chores more effectively. Shopify Flow allows you to automate:

• Customer Segmentation: Automatically identify and tag holiday shoppers.

• Campaign and Inventory Management: Stop advertising when products are out of stock or flag high-risk transactions for review.

• Enhanced Personalization: Send automated thank-you notes or special offers to high-value customers.

Automation minimizes human error and boosts efficiency, allowing your team to focus on providing an exceptional.

#2 Prepare your logistics and inventory 

Anticipate stock outs with strategic planning 

Businesses lose an estimated $350 billion a year due to inventory shortages, which are typical during peak season. To prevent stockouts, think about setting aside money to handle unforeseen demand surges. This reserve can help you reorder popular items quickly, work with new suppliers, or switch to faster transportation if your current options are delayed.

For instance, Let us talk about the strategy of Pashion Footwear.

Shopify Capital provided money to Haley Pavone, the founder of Pashion Footwear, during last year's Black Friday-Cyber Monday event. With this help, Haley could bypass traditional (and slower) ocean shipment by air shipping crucial stock. This swift move enabled Pashion Footwear to manage a 375% increase in holiday sales.

Take advantage of cross-border sales

Global ecommerce is on the rise, and holiday buyers are willing to buy from overseas retailers. Last year, cross-border sales accounted for 15% of all Black Friday and Cyber Monday orders on Shopify. To enter this market, however, it is critical to comply with local laws, taxes, and customs regulations.

Shopify Managed Markets, in partnership with partners like Global-e, handles the intricacies of cross-border commerce, such as local payment processing, tax remittance, and shipping logistics. For brands like WOLFpak, this approach resulted in a 528% increase in Christmas holiday sales year-on-year.

Prepare for a surge in order

High demand might put a burden on your fulfilment capacity and overload shipping companies. To ensure timely deliveries, consider these two options well in advance.

• Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Use a 3PL for storage, packing, and shipping support. Orders can be sent directly to a third-party logistics supplier, freeing up your team to focus on other parts of Christmas preparation.

• Diversify Shipping Partners: Partner with various shipping companies to accommodate the increasing traffic. This technique allows you to be flexible if one carrier has difficulties while still maintaining your goal to reduce delivery dates.

Fine-tune your shipping policy

Offering free shipping has become the norm in ecommerce, with 8 out of 10 customers considering it an important consideration in their purchase. For the holidays, consider:

• Free delivery Thresholds: Establish minimum spend limits to cover delivery costs while also providing an appealing incentive.

• Guaranteed Delivery Dates: Set shipping deadlines, such as December 15 for Christmas delivery, to help manage consumer expectations and avoid post-holiday complaints.

Adjust Shipping Rates: If you're outsourcing fulfilment, think about including 3PL fees in your shipping rates to avoid profit loss.

Revise your return policy

Returns often peak between December and February. Prepare by setting clear policies around return timing, methods, and fees. A thoughtful returns policy can help reduce the strain on your team while keeping customers satisfied.

• Return Costs: While free returns can raise customer happiness, they can be costly. Instead, you might ask customers to pay for return shipping or offer in-store return options if available.

• Extended Return Periods: Some retailers extend their return periods during the holidays, giving gift recipients more flexibility. This method can boost client loyalty but may postpone revenue realisation.

Offer curbside pickup and BOIS 

If you have physical shopfronts, use them as tiny distribution centres over the holidays. Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup services allow customers to receive their products more quickly, eliminating shipping delays and increasing foot traffic to your businesses.

#3  Delivery and return expectations 

Boost customer support for the holiday surge

The holiday season can be overwhelming for your customer support team, with increased volume of enquiries as customers search for the perfect present or seek delivery updates. Anticipate this increase by:

• Creating Self-Service Resources: Build guides or FAQs that customers can access on their own thus reducing the pressure on your support staff.

• Leaning on Technology: To successfully manage large volumes, use solutions such as CRM systems or automated help centres. Automation can simplify easy queries, allowing your team to focus on more complicated requirements.

• Taking a Proactive Approach: Instead of waiting for clients to seek assistance, contact them first. For example, an email check-in a few weeks after purchase can address any difficulties while also gently encouraging positive reviews from happy consumers.

#4 Holiday marketing and promotions

Holiday discounting strategies 

• Offer percentage discounts, early bird deals, or buy-one-get-one-free offers.
• Add incentives like free shipping or gift-with-purchase to sweeten the deal.

If profit margins are short, think about alternate incentives such as a small gift card for future purchases. This induces repeat business and turns holiday consumers into loyal clients.

Organize with a holiday marketing calendar 

• A well-organised marketing calendar makes it easier to organise promotions and maintain campaigns throughout the season.

• Setting crucial dates and preparing ahead of time will help you simplify your marketing, eliminate overlapping messages, and give yourself ample time for creative planning.

Increase sales with product bundles 

• Bundling products is an excellent strategy to raise the average order value. Customers receive a package discount, while you profit from delivery efficiencies.

• Use sales data to identify popular item combinations and package them into a single offer. For example, baggage and travel accessories make up a convenient and appealing bundle for vacationers.

Expand your sales channel

While your online storefront is your main sales hub, branching out to other channels can attract more holiday shoppers. Consider adding popular sales platforms like:

• Shopping apps (e.g., Shop)
• Social media platforms
• Online marketplaces

Target the right audience with Shopify shop

Shopify Audiences finds people who are likely to buy from you, allowing you to maximise customer acquisition. These focused lists can be uploaded to platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok to create optimised campaigns, lowering client acquisition expenses by up to 50% and increasing retargeting conversions.

Final Thoughts 

The holiday season brings both enthusiasm and strain to every ecommerce business. Demand grows year after year, and with your customer base expanding over the last year, this season's rush may just outperform expectations.

It's the ideal time to plan ahead! Use this checklist as a go-to reference to ensure that everything is prepared for the Christmas surge. With careful planning, you'll be confident in your ability to provide outstanding client experiences and run your operations successfully from the start to the end.

Author

Rutvik Boghara

Rutvik, the head of our Shopify department, is your go-to Shopify aficionado, turning complex ideas into smooth-running, scalable stores. With a passion for writing, he blends storytelling with tech to amp up your ecommerce game. When he’s not optimizing or creating content, he’s probably lost in a tech rabbit hole.