Maximize Your Holiday Sales: 9 Actionable Tips for Retailers

'Tis the Season to Be Selling: 9 Tips to Make Your Jewelry Store Sparkle (And Your Competitors Jealous)

The holiday season is approaching faster than Santa's sleigh on Red Bull. You've been prepping all year, and now it's time to finalize your game plan. We get it - this season is more important.

So, let's dive into 9 actionable tips to ensure your jewelry store outshines even Rudolph's nose this holiday season.

THE MARKET

Timing is Everything (Or Is It?)

When should you start decking those halls? According to a survey by Bazaarvoice, 62% of people think October is too soon. But plot twist: 55% of shoppers start their holiday shopping by October, with some early birds beginning in August. Apparently, for some folks, it's never too early to get into the holiday spirit. Maybe they're the same people who leave their Christmas lights up all year round? 

This trend raises an interesting point: Is holiday spirit tied to the actual decorations, or is it more about the mindset?

For those who shop early, it may be more about getting a head start and being prepared, while the festive décor can wait until it feels “just right.” Regardless of when the decorations go up, one thing is clear—many shoppers have already made their lists and checked them twice long before the first holiday ad hits the airwaves.

The timing of when to start celebrating the holidays can be deeply personal, driven by tradition, convenience, or just a love for the season. Whether you’re a last-minute shopper or someone who begins preparations months in advance, the holiday spirit tends to sneak up on us all, eventually!

DIGITAL MARKETING

Cast the Net for a Bigger Catch

Digital marketing is your golden ticket to reaching a wider audience. Use platforms like Instagram and TikTok - because nothing says "buy this necklace" like a 15-second dance routine, right? And don't forget Facebook ads - because if your aunt's friend's cousin's dog walker can't see your jewelry, did you even try? We have a great digital team here at WJW. If you need any help or advice reach out here.   

Holiday Digital Marketing Tips

Take some time to take another look at your social media planning for the next few months. You are going to want to use this time to bring in a wider audience that you can later remarket to.

Social media content can be narrowed down to three categories:

• Engagement Shots: The goal of an engagement shot is to get more shares, saves, and comments on your content so that you can later retarget those engaged people. Unlike sell shots, engagement shots aren't about selling directly. Instead, they focus on educating or entertaining your audience.

• Sell Shots: A sell shot is content designed to sell your product or service. It typically has a strong call to action. When creating a sell shot, be clear about what you're selling and why people should buy it

• Culture Shots: Culture shots are often overlooked, but they're crucial in 2024. A culture shot is your chance to connect with your audience more deeply. It might involve telling your company's story, sharing behind-the-scenes content, or highlighting your company culture. The goal of a culture shot is to help your audience feel connected to your brand. When people understand and respect your story, they're more likely to support you when you do ask for a sale.

Your focus should be creating content that your target audience is looking to view and interact with. As you're deciding on what to post on your social accounts, break it down to roughly 60% engagement shots, 30% culture shots, 10% sell shots. 

GIFTING

Make It So Easy, Even Your Cat Could Do It

Gift-giving can be tricky, especially when it comes to jewelry sizing. Make things easier for your customers by adding adjustable pieces to your assortment. Curate holiday bundles, such as matching sets of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. 

Tap into bundling gift options for all of your customer's gifting needs. These make for perfect, ready-to-gift options.  If you are online there are great bundling apps you can find on most of major platforms like Shopify. These are terrific ways to increase your average order value. 

So, what is it about something that makes it the perfect gift?

The emotion that it brings. 

TRENDS

Jewelry that captures emotion

• Birthstone Jewelry:  Birthstones are the perfect way to add sentimental value to jewelry while also adding in a pop of color. Expand your holiday gift options with a variety of birthstone jewelry to include birthstone necklaces, bracelets, rings, and charms! 

• Personalized Jewelry:  Personalized jewelry is a forever classic when it comes to holiday gifting. Whether you are personally engraving jewelry or adding premade letter charms and pendants, adding this personal touch creates thoughtful gifts for everyone on the gift list. 

• Rings: Stackable rings, fashion rings, and promise rings are popular for their versatility and symbolism.

• Necklaces: Charm necklaces, layered necklaces, and symbolic pieces that help people express their unique style. 

• Bracelets: Charm bracelets, bangles, cuffs, and beaded bracelets are timeless holiday gifts that appeal to various styles. 

LOYALTY

The Power of Reviews (Or How to Make Your Customers Do Your Marketing)

Reviews are the unsung heroes of holiday shopping. While 56% of people don't review gifts they purchase, 40% still check reviews before buying. Millennials are more likely to leave reviews - probably right after they finish posting their avocado toast on Instagram. Because the gram eats first.  

Introducing holiday gifts early will give you time to gather reviews so you can have your product pages properly optimized for ‘no-brainer’ gifts.  If you don’t have a process to capture and promote you reviews you are killing your ability to convert sales. 

Quantity and Quality of Reviews:

The number of reviews and the average rating both matter. Having at least 5-10 reviews can increase trust, but consumers tend to trust products more if there are over 50 reviews, as it indicates consistency and reliability.

A higher volume of reviews assures customers that a piece has been tried and tested by others, which reduces the perceived risk. Jewelry shoppers also tend to look for specific details about the product’s size, weight, and appearance in reviews, making both quantity and quality of reviews important for decision-making.

Star Ratings and Negative Reviews:

Products with an average star rating between 4.2 and 4.5 tend to have the highest conversion rates. Too high of a rating (like a perfect 5.0) can sometimes be seen as too good to be true.

While negative reviews might seem like a deterrent, they can actually build trust if responded to appropriately. Customers may see them as a sign of authenticity, especially if the seller addresses the concerns transparently. A mix of positive and negative feedback provides a more realistic picture of the product.

Tips to make sure your store is optimized for collecting reviews:  

• Train your customer service to ask for reviews after a successful purchase or positive customer experience.

• Make review requests a part of your e-mail marketing automation. You can set up triggers. For example, send the review request e-mail a couple of days after a product was successfully delivered. If you’re not sure how long to wait before sending out a review request, 14 days is a good starting point.

MERCHANDISING

Create Festive Displays (That Don't Look Like Your 5-Year-Old Decorated)

First impressions count! A beautifully decorated store can draw in customers and elevate their shopping experience. 

Use the transition of the holidays to finally update your jewelry displays with styles that will enhance your merchandising.   

Use holiday-themed decorations, twinkling lights, and elegant display cases to showcase your jewelry. Highlight specific pieces with festive backdrops to help customers imagine them as the perfect gift. 

DISCOUNTING

Offer Attractive Promotions (This year more than ever)

Everyone loves a good deal, especially when inflation is higher than your holiday stress levels. Consider BOGO deals - perfect for those who want to gift themselves while pretending to shop for others.   

So, plan special discounts, bundle offers, and limited-time promotions to entice buyers. Think about customer lifetime value this year and give away a little more margin. We can help with our deals and closeout collections. 

You can also add value by offering free gift wrapping or a complimentary small item with a purchase to enhance customer satisfaction. 

Use this time before the holiday season approaches to test new offers, and find the best message to gain customer loyalty and incentivize repeat purchases with an attract post-purchase offer.

E-COMMERCE

Optimize Your Platform. Now.

If you are not online for this season you can scroll past this part.  For the rest of you, here are 4 quick tips: 

1. Optimize for Mobile Users. Get in a test your user experience.  When is the last time you shopped on your own website on your mobile device? But don’t stop there – test it on various devices. We promise you will find things you can improve for better conversions. 
   
   
2. Enhance Site Speed and Performance. Check your site speed by using tools like Google PageSpeed to identify and fix performance issues, ensuring your site loads quickly even during high traffic periods. 
   
   
3. Create Holiday-Themed Content.  No-brainer.  
   
   
4. Simplify the Checkout Process. Ensure your checkout process is simple and user-friendly, with minimal steps and clear instructions. Consider implementing a one-page checkout and offering multiple payment options to make the process as convenient as possible for your customers. 

ONE MORE TREND

Make it Personal (Because Generic is So Last Season) 

Offer personalization services like stamping & engraving. After all, nothing says "I care" like a piece of jewelry that literally has your name on it.  

The value of a personalized gift goes beyond just another product offering. Personalized jewelry is a great way you can make your business standout against competitors.

Personalize blank jewelry with names, dates, and special words of inspiration to make the perfect gift option for every person on your customer's list. Be sure to plan ahead of time and fill your ecommerce store and social media with engraved examples to spark gift ideas that can fuel their inspiration.

We have a full line of everything you need to get started or add something new to your current collection of engravable blanks.