With Cyber Monday quickly approaching, the majority of consumers’ focus will be on which retailers are providing the best deals, shipping terms and value. Below are some examples, taken from an article in RIS News, of what some retailers are doing this Cyber Monday:
JCPenney: The department store is offering free shipping and screenbusters which highlight high-quality gifts at sharp price points. The retailer also announced it will offer its Cyber Monday promotions a day earlier this year on Sunday, November 29. The two-day online sale will feature special offers exclusive to jcp.com on more than 30,000 items.
Blue Nile: The jewelry retailer will offer free overnight shipping on all orders placed on Monday, November 30 and premiere holiday exclusives at midnight including limited edition jewelry items that will be offered at a significant discount and only available for 24 hours or while supplies last.
Walmart: The big box retailer is offering free shipping for home, electronics and baby items as well as 80 percent off select clearance orders. The retailer also is offering major discounts on popular gift items including Guitar Hero, Nintendo and the Garmin GPS.
Undoubtedly the lure of 80 percent off and free shipping is tough to resist, and disseminating the news about these deals through both traditional and new media campaigns is a key component of retailers’ strategy to get customers into their virtual “doors.”
But once customers go online on Monday, it’s important they stay in the store, shop, and buy…and keep coming back.
Customer reviews, blogs and online video have gone a long way in connecting brands to their fans and improving their online experience. But pioneering brands like Mattel, Charlotte Russe and more are taking it to the next level this holiday season using social shopping tools like ShopTogether.
When a shopper sees a new toy they think would be perfect for their nephew, or a pair of flats that would look great on their best friend, ShopTogether can move that person from the spark of inspiration to action, by letting them chat and browse products, in real-time, with someone that can give their instant “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” on the purchase, or recommend alternatives.
The purchase process, which, without ShopTogether, otherwise may be a time-consuming hassle, can now be a fun way to reach a decision while introducing the brand to new customers. Whereas deals and promotions will likely drive millions of customers online on Cyber Monday, social commerce tools like ShopTogether will go a long way to ensuring those customers come back on Tuesday, Wednesday and into 2010.
Tags: Cyber Monday, e-commerce, e-tail, real-time, s-commerce, social commerce, social shopping