We’ve officially entered October, and the clock has started ticking for businesses that usually start preparing for the crazy in-person shopping season starting on Black Friday.
With COVID-19 safety precautions in place and the uncertain times we’re all living in, this holiday shopping season will surely be a completely new experience.
If you haven’t thought about it yet, now is the time to focus on and strengthen your marketing plans; from keeping your website up-to-date to restocking online inventory, delivery, and anything else that you offer.
Your main goal should be keeping things safe and easy for your customers to do business with you.
Here’s how Google can help your business:
“To help retailers plan and respond this season, we have insights and resources available in our 2020 retail guide, and, in June, we surveyed global consumers to better understand how the coronavirus pandemic will impact their holiday shopping.”
Here are the three ways people plan to shop differently this year, as listed by Google:
- People will discover and buy even more things online.
- People will plan ahead and do their research online before in-store shopping.
- People will look for safer, digitized ways of in-store shopping.
Google also notes,
“Last year, 71% of holiday shoppers used three or more channels to do their holiday shopping, and 57% of shopper-reported purchases were made online. This year, we expect those numbers will grow, as over 70% of shoppers who plan to shop this season said they will shop online more for the holidays than they did in previous seasons, and a similar number said they would browse for gift ideas online and not in store.”
Plus, the desire to support and shop local is higher this year
“67% of shoppers said they plan to shop more at local small businesses.”
Which is why Google also announced a new focus on shopping ‘nearby’
“Want to see an item in person before purchasing, or can’t wait for shipping and delivery?
Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s a new laptop for working from home, a baby jacket for fall, or a grill for backyard barbeques, Google makes it easy for you to see what’s available locally. Simply tap the Shopping tab, and select the Nearby filter at the top of the page or add “near me” to your search to view product options available from stores located near you.”
Source: https://blog.google/products/shopping/shop-safely-and-easily-stores-your-community/
Google aims to take guessing out of the picture by offering customized recommendations to help small businesses reach their customer base wherever they are, across Google Search, Maps, and Shopping.
Introducing Grow My Store
Google’s new Grow My Store feature is an automated retail store evaluator tool that allows people who sell products online to get tailored tips.
Source: https://growmystore.thinkwithgoogle.com/
Here’s what the all-new Grow My Store feature promises to do:
- Boost your business with a quick and easy evaluation of your retail website.
- Strengthen your business by analyzing your retail site, getting an overall score, and offering detailed insights and recommendations.
- See how your site compares against retailers/competitors in your sector.
- Identify areas of improvement to upgrade effectively.
- Provide access to personalized market and consumer trends to reach new customers.
- Grow with advice from Google’s database of resources and curated Google tools
Although some of the tips may feel very obvious, it’s the little things that tend to get overlooked. Make the most of the Grow My Store tool by putting your retail site through it. Who knows, you might even end up with some top tailored tips that help boost your sales this year!
What You Can Do:
Review the post here, study the 2020 retail guide, and go over the recent enhancements to shopping search. After this, put your retail site through the new Grow My Store tool to get quick tips that can maximize your presence throughout Google.
Alongside Grow My Store, email marketing can be crucial to your retail website’s success this year. Make the most of it by connecting with your customers. Let them know you’re open, what you have to offer, and provide enticements for customers to support you in this important and unusual selling season.
The countdown has begun. Get to work now!