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If you work in eCommerce, you know that Cyber Monday and the whole holiday season are busy times that bring in a lot of revenue. However, this isn’t the only time of year when scores of customers shop online. It may surprise you to learn that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are also major online shopping holidays. In fact, Mother’s Day is the third largest retail holiday in the US.

Check out the stats:

Mother’s Day
– About 1/3 of customers buy Mother’s Day gifts online
– Overall spending is expected to reach more than $20 billion
– The average shopper will spend around $170
– Over 40% of shoppers will use a mobile device to find a gift

Father’s Day
– Over 40% shop online for father’s day
– Overall spending is expected to reach more than $14 billion
– The average shopper will spend around $126
– Over 40% of shoppers will use a mobile device to find a gift

So how can you capitalize on all of these online shoppers?

Email Campaigns
If you haven’t done so already, start crafting your Mother’s Day and Father’s Day email campaigns. If possible, emails should begin 3-4 weeks prior to the holiday. A campaign with 3 to 5 emails can help shoppers through the buyer’s journey: remind them of the date, show them some product offerings, offer a promotion or discount, and include clear CTAs. With so many shoppers on mobile, your email has to look great across devices – no exceptions. If you need a hand with your email campaigns, give us a shout and we’ll see how we can help.

Social Media
Like your email campaigns, social campaigns can begin around 3-4 weeks before the holiday. Get shoppers thinking about what they might want to buy and start teasing upcoming discounts and promotions. Ramp things up in the two weeks prior to the date, making sure to note shipping times and any limited quantities. You can also use custom URLs to track the effectiveness of your posts. Again, if you need assistance with your social media marketing efforts, let us know and we’ll be happy to help.

Gift Guides
Make it easy for shoppers to find the perfect gift for Mom or Dad by creating gift guides for your products that you can share on your website, social media, and email campaigns. Include a variety of items in a range of prices, use your best product images, and bundle items together when possible. This is a great opportunity to think outside the box and promote gifts other than ties and flowers. Moms and Dads are such a diverse demographic that almost anything goes.

Projects
Ideas and instructions for DIY projects can be a great way for retailers to promote their products while adding value for the customer. Projects can be used within gift guides or emails, or can make for popular social media posts. There are plenty of options here, from gift baskets to home and garden crafts to everyday use items or items for a hobby. Post step-by-step instructions with pictures, or make a quick how-to video (with captions). Encourage customers to share their completed projects with you on social.

Shipping
Shipping is always a major factor for online shoppers. Offer free shipping whenever and wherever possible, especially for special sales and holidays. Free shipping on selected Mother’s Day or Father’s Day products or free shipping during the week leading up to the holiday can help decrease abandoned carts and increase conversions. Retailers can also offer expedited shipping and make it clear on product pages and checkout pages how long it will take for the item to ship; this is especially important for any kind of handmade or customized products.

Gift Wrap
Offering gift wrapping for your products is another great way to satisfy customers this time of year. A lot of people buy Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts at the last minute, so gift wrap provides customers with peace of mind that their gift will arrive ready to go. For shoppers who are sending the gift to their parent, gift wrap prevents customers from having to get the product, wrap it, repackage it, go to the post office, and mail it. You can save them all that time and effort by sending the wrapped gift directly to the recipient. Include a card with a customized message to top it all off.

Gift Cards/Certificates
Last year, 43% of shoppers reported that they planned to buy a gift card for Mother’s Day. Take advantage of this opportunity by promoting gift cards in your emails, social media, and gift guides. Emailed gift certificates are a good way to go for ecommerce because the recipient can easily redeem the code in your online store. Plus, they’re a great option for the last-minute shopper. Just make sure that the email includes who the certificate is to and from, a friendly message, and clear instructions on how to use it.

Mother’s Day is approaching quickly, so if you feel you could use a hand executing your plan contact ParadoxLabs today.

Happy Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!