It’s the height of summer and while others are thinking about outdoor swimming, barbecues or vacations, many online retailers are already focusing on completely different things: gift sets, supply chains and big business in the fourth quarter. Sounds premature? It’s not.
If you want to get your retail business through the busiest time of the year in terms of sales, you should start planning in good time – and that means now. Experience has shown that warehouses and logistics are overwhelmed faster than you can say “Christmas business”. Small and medium-sized retailers in particular, but also large shipping service providers, benefit from thinking through and optimizing their processes, product data and marketing measures at an early stage.
In this article, we show you step by step how to prepare your store for the Christmas season. Included: practical tips from everyday eCommerce life and tips on how our software solutions can provide you with targeted support.
Plan early: you should ask yourself these questions now
Even before concrete measures are taken, it is worth taking a step back and taking a critical look at your own business model with regard to the Christmas business. After all, if you head blindly into the fourth quarter, you risk losing sales, dissatisfied customers or overloaded processes.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Finding well-founded answers to these questions does not necessarily require a huge analysis apparatus – but a centralized system for controlling purchasing, in stock and sales is worth its weight in gold. If you work with JTL-Wawi, you can recognize early on which items are selling well, which are in short supply and where automation can ease the burden on processes.
Optimizing product data - now is the right time
A well-stocked warehouse is one thing. But what good is the best stock if the products cannot be found in the store or on marketplaces – or if potential buyers jump off when they read the description? Experience shows that product data maintenance is one of the most important, but usually underestimated, levers for successful Christmas sales.
What counts now:
- Meaningful titles & structured descriptions:
People looking for gifts often have little time. That’s why product names should be clear, descriptive and search engine friendly. Structured information, bullet points and a sensible structure help in the texts. - Incorporate keywords & synonyms:
What do your customers enter on Google, Amazon or eBay to find your items? Use relevant terms and synonyms (e.g. “fairy lights” + “Christmas lights”) to increase visibility. - High-quality product images & media:
Emotions make all the difference, especially in the run-up to Christmas. Coherent, seasonally adapted images, zoom function or videos make all the difference – especially for gift items. - Maintenance on all sales channels:
Make sure that the information is displayed correctly and completely not only in your own store, but also on all connected marketplaces.
If you work with JTL-Wawi, you can maintain product information centrally and transfer it to all connected channels such as Amazon, eBay or your own JTL-Shop – including variants, images and attributes. This not only saves time, but also ensures a consistent shopping experience across all platforms.
Inventory & logistics: Preventing bottlenecks
If the warehouse is at its limit, shipping comes to a standstill or a top seller is suddenly no longer available, even the best Christmas business can become a stress test. That’s why it pays to ensure stable processes in good time – especially in warehousing and logistics.
What belongs on the to-do list now:
- Stock check & reordering:
Which items are doing well? What was sold out early last year? If you recognize trends or seasonal sales patterns, you can reorder goods early – and don’t have to rely on remaining stock in December. - Keep an eye on delivery times:
Especially internationally, there can be delays around Black Friday, St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. Plan for buffers and coordinate with your suppliers. - Check warehouse structures:
Are routes efficient? Are parcels picked quickly? Are there bottlenecks at packing stations or with staff? - Prepare returns:
Returns are particularly frequent in the gift business. Clearly defined returns processes save effort – and nerves.
If you map your warehouse processes with JTL-WMS, you can not only automate storage bins, pick lists and shipping preparation, but often identify bottlenecks before they become a problem. Even for smaller retailers, it is worth getting started with a structured warehouse concept.
Practical tip: Use the quiet period in summer to test shipping options, stock up on packaging materials and evaluate alternative service providers.
Make store & marketplace offers fit
The best product is of little use if it is poorly presented or the store does not run efficiently. Especially during the busiest time of the year in terms of sales, loading time, user guidance and product presentation can make or break a purchase. The same applies to marketplaces: If you want to be visible here, you need to have your data under control – and make regular adjustments.
What you should do now:
This is how JTL can support you:
With JTL-Shop, content can be flexibly designed – from landing pages for gift promotions to individual shipping instructions in the run-up to Christmas. Templates and widgets allow you to quickly incorporate seasonal changes without time-consuming development work.
JTL-eazyAuction is a powerful tool for merchants who sell on marketplaces: It connects your items directly to the platforms, takes care of inventory reconciliation, order transmission and even reverse processing. And all this centrally from JTL-Wawi.
Prepare customer communication & service
In the Christmas season, most people don’t buy for themselves, but for others. Expectations of reliability, delivery times and availability increase – and with them the burden on your customer service. If you think ahead early on, you will save yourself a lot of angry calls and tickets in December.
You should clarify these points now:
- Communicate delivery deadlines clearly:
Until when can customers order so that the goods arrive on time? Formulate realistic deadlines and make them clearly visible in the store and on marketplaces. - Present returns regulations transparently:
Many retailers voluntarily extend their returns period until January. If you plan to do this, announce it early – this creates trust and reduces queries. - Check automated emails:
Are order confirmations, shipping notifications or reminder emails up to date? Pay attention to understandable language, correct links and any seasonal information. - Define availability:
Which channels are monitored? Are there fixed service times or special Christmas telephone times? If it is not possible to answer around the clock: it is better to communicate openly than to disappoint expectations.
This is how JTL solutions support you:
JTL-Workflows can be used to automate many standard customer contact processes – e.g. notifications in the event of delivery delays or refunds. Multi-level escalations for unanswered inquiries can also be mapped in a meaningful way.
If you work with a helpdesk system such as GREYHOUND, you can record and prioritize customer emails centrally and process them as a team – even with an increased volume of inquiries. This allows you to maintain an overview, even if hundreds of messages are received every day.
Practical tip: Create an FAQ page for frequently asked questions (delivery time, returns, vouchers) – ideally linked directly in the store. This reduces support requests and provides customers with quick orientation.
Planning and timing marketing campaigns
The weeks leading up to Christmas are not only peak season for orders, but also for listings, discounts and special promotions. However, instead of frantically launching a campaign just before the first Advent, it is worth planning early – also to remain visible in the hustle and bustle.
What should be planned now:
Tip: Promotional banners, offer boxes or Advent campaigns can be placed flexibly in the JTL-Shop – also time-controlled, e.g. for changing daily offers. Thanks to the integration with JTL-Wawi, prices and availability are always up to date.
Better prepared than surprised
Christmas may not come suddenly – but in eCommerce, it arrives sooner than you think every year. If you think about it early on, you can avoid stress, inspire customers and exploit the full potential of the period with the highest turnover. Whether you are a small team or operate a large shipping structure: With a clear view of stock, products, processes and communication, year-end business can not only be managed – but actively shaped.
Would you like to find out more about JTL’s solutions and get advice on how to get the most out of your eCommerce? Then arrange a free, no-obligation consultation now.
