Want to Unlock Secrets for Boosting Holiday Sales? Here’s How! 🛍️

#HTE 332 -Strategies, examples, and much more!

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How to E-commerce by Almund
October 05, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes

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Hello there, HTE rock stars! 😎

Welcome to our latest newsletter! 🌟

Welcome to this month’s newsletter! As we approach the holiday season, it’s crucial for retailers to adopt effective strategies to keep their shelves stocked. In our feature, "Strategies to Keep Retail Shelves Stocked," we provide tips to ensure product availability during peak shopping times. With online holiday sales expected to rise in 2024, we also discuss "How to Boost Online Holiday Sales in 2024." Additionally, for those launching new websites, our section on "Google's SEO Tips for Quick Site Visibility" offers essential advice to enhance your online presence. 📈🤔

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- Strategies to Keep Retail Shelves Stocked 💡 

- How to Boost Online Holiday Sales in 2024? 📈

- Google's SEO Tips for Quick Site Visibility 🚀

- Brand of the Week ✨

- Top Reads - Real-Time News Right For You. 📚

- HTE Job Board- Get Your Dream Job With A Click! 🧐

Strategies to Keep Retail Shelves Stocked💡 

The pandemic may have ended, but its long-lasting impact on global supply chains continues to reverberate throughout the retail sector. While many anticipated a return to pre-pandemic normalcy, the reality has been more complicated. Although there has been notable progress, such as retailers finally clearing backlogged inventories and factories resuming operations, retailers still face a range of supply chain challenges that threaten their stability and profitability. 

According to a PwC survey, 34% of U.S. business leaders view supply chain disruptions as a significant threat to their organizations, with 70% focused on bolstering supply chain resilience. The problems facing retail supply chains are multifaceted and involve global challenges that cannot be easily controlled by individual companies. To protect their businesses, retailers must proactively address these issues through innovative strategies and technologies.

The Biggest Challenges Facing Retail Supply Chains

Before retailers can enhance their supply chain management strategies, it’s essential to understand the most significant obstacles they’re currently up against:

1. Labor Shortages:

A lack of qualified workers is one of the most pressing issues for supply chains today. Whether it’s manufacturing products, packaging, or shipping, every stage of the production cycle relies heavily on human labor. According to MHI, 57% of supply chain executives list hiring and retaining skilled workers as their top challenge in 2023. Without a sufficient workforce, supply chains risk grinding to a halt.

2. Climate Change and Extreme Weather: 

Global warming has become an undeniable force impacting supply chain efficiency. Recent examples illustrate the severity of the situation: In 2022, many Chinese factories had to shut down due to unprecedented heat waves and droughts. Even more recently, the Panama Canal faced severe restrictions due to a significant drop in water levels caused by extreme weather in Central America. This led to a 36% reduction in the number of ships passing through the canal, one of the most critical trade routes globally. As the World Economic Forum reports, 66% of experts view extreme weather as today’s top global risk.

3. Rising Operational Costs:

Inflation continues to be a major factor increasing supply chain costs. In 2023, the cost of labor in supply chain operations, including staffing factories and paying workers, rose by an average of 5.2%, and this trend is expected to persist. This increase in operational expenses creates additional pressure on retailers, who must find ways to mitigate these rising costs without passing them on to consumers.

4. Lack of Supply Chain Visibility:  

In today's data-driven world, having real-time visibility into supply chain operations is crucial. Yet, 45% of companies in an IDC Global Retail Survey cited a lack of transparency in inventory availability as their top challenge. This lack of visibility impedes a company’s ability to make informed decisions, optimize inventory levels, and respond quickly to disruptions.

Solutions for Retail Supply Chain Resilience

While these challenges are complex, there are several strategies retailers can employ to mitigate risk and fortify their supply chains. Here are four key approaches experts recommend:

The pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of relying on a small number of suppliers, prompting retailers to adopt strategies like supplier diversification and “friendshoring.” By expanding their supplier base and collaborating with countries that share their values, companies can mitigate risks and reduce the impact of disruptions. This approach helps ensure more resilient supply chains, particularly in a world where geopolitical instability can quickly upend operations.

Retail supply chains remain under considerable strain, but there are ways to mitigate the risks and build resilience. By diversifying suppliers, reshoring production, focusing on talent recruitment, and leveraging AI technologies, retailers can position themselves to better navigate the complex, globalized world of supply chain management. Proactive strategies will be key to staying ahead of disruptions and ensuring long-term success in a volatile retail environment.

Gartner, meanwhile, says half of supply chain executives plan to implement generative AI this year, 14% are in the process or have already done so, and 5.8% of their budgets are being dedicated to these deployments with an eye on boosting productivity and cutting costs.

How to Boost Online Holiday Sales in 2024? 📈

U.S. online holiday shoppers are expected to spend $240.8 billion  this November and December, according to a forecast by Adobe. This is an 8.4% increase from last year's holiday season, which had a growth rate of 4.9%.

Why It Matters

This news is positive for retailers with strong digital marketing plans. Recently, holiday spending has shifted to early sales events, like October’s Amazon Prime Big Deal Days on October 8 and 9. Many shoppers also buy gifts throughout the year, so understanding these trends can help businesses maximize their holiday sales.

Mobile Shopping Growth 📱

Mobile shopping is set to reach new heights this year, with $128.1 billion in expected sales, up 12.8% from last year. This means that mobile purchases will make up 53.2% of all online shopping. This trend can be attributed to several factors. First, mobile technology has become more sophisticated, allowing for smoother and faster shopping experiences. Retailers are investing in mobile-friendly websites and apps, ensuring that customers can easily browse, compare, and purchase products with just a few taps.

Cyber Week Boost

Cyber Week, which includes the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, is expected to generate $40.6 billion in sales, marking a 7% increase from last year.

Changing Spending Patterns

Adobe has found that, over the last five years, the sale of cheaper goods rose by 46%, while the sale of more expensive items fell by 47%. However, this year, sales of high-end goods are expected to increase by 19% due to discounts rather than an overall increase in shopper wealth.

Most consumers (80%) plan to spend the same or more than last year. Of those surveyed, 19% said they would spend more, while 61% said their spending would stay the same. Less than half (48%) said inflation affects their spending choices

 Generational Shopping Differences

Both Gen Z and Baby Boomers are likely to shop online and in stores, but more than half (53%) of Gen Z shoppers plan to do most of their shopping online, compared to only 25% of Baby Boomers.

Overall, understanding these trends will be key for retailers looking to make the most of the upcoming holiday season! 🎉

Google's SEO Tips for Quick Site Visibility

SEO Tip from John Mueller: A technical SEO tip to help new websites get noticed by Google faster by avoiding a common mistake.

Important Steps for Launching Your Site

Launch Opportunity: Use the chance to apply lessons learned from past experiences.

Learning from Mistakes: Mistakes are valuable teachers for future success.

Reddit Discussion Highlights

User Inquiry: Someone on Reddit asked for the top three things to consider when launching a new site, specifically to increase traffic in the first six months.

Ruling Out Basics: The user excluded adding the site to Google Search Console as a consideration.

Create Targeted Content: The most upvoted response was to “Create landing pages/content for your lowest funnel keyword opportunities and work your way up.”

  • Plan the website structure, including keywords, topics, and key pages.

Technical Advice

Keep DNS Disabled:

  • What is DNS?: Domain Name System connects your domain name to the IP address where your content is hosted.

  • Impact of Disabling: Keeping DNS disabled prevents Google from discovering your domain, meaning it won’t recognize it as existing.

Avoid Generic Holding Pages:

  • What is a Generic Holding Page?: It’s similar to a parked domain and gives a false signal to Google.

  • Result of Avoiding It: Disabling DNS and avoiding a generic holding page helps ensure Google won’t see a “nothing here” message, leading to faster indexing.

Key Takeaway: To maximize the chances of your new website being indexed quickly by Google, it is essential to keep your DNS disabled and avoid using a generic holding page. When the DNS is disabled, Google cannot discover your domain name pointing to any content, which effectively prevents it from recognizing the existence of your site. 

Using a generic holding page sends a misleading signal to Google, indicating that there is something at your IP address, but in reality, it displays a “nothing here” message. This can hinder your site's visibility and delay its indexing. 

By taking these proactive steps, you create a clean slate for your website, allowing Google to find your content sooner and improving your chances of ranking well in search results. This approach helps establish a solid foundation for your site, enabling you to build traffic more effectively and efficiently from the start. 🎉

Brand of the Week ✨

Alexa, the founder of BAKR, started her cookie brand out of a passion for baking and a desire to offer something better than what was available in stores. Disappointed by cookie dough brands that used low-quality ingredients, she set out to create the perfect cookies using real butter and premium ingredients. After countless hours of recipe testing, Alexa developed her dream cookies, aiming to bring moments of joy and pure indulgence to every customer. 

BAKR isn’t just about delicious cookies; it’s also about making a positive impact. Alexa ensures that the brand supports fair trade practices, promoting a better life for those involved in producing the high-quality ingredients that go into each batch of cookie dough. Additionally, a portion of all proceeds is donated to combat food insecurity, reinforcing Alexa's belief that while cookies are a delightful want, addressing basic needs is a crucial responsibility. 🍪✨

At BAKR, founder Alexa ensures that only the highest quality ingredients are used to craft cookies that taste just like homemade. Unlike many ready-to-bake cookie dough brands that rely on palm oil, BAKR is made with real butter, never compromising on flavor or quality. The result is a rich, buttery cookie that feels as indulgent as baking from scratch.

BAKR also emphasizes sustainability by using responsibly sourced chocolate. This approach not only enhances the flavor but also benefits the planet and the farmers who grow the ingredients. Each component is carefully selected to ensure a superior product, from the chocolate to the flour, bringing a bakery-level experience to every bite.✨

Top Reads📚

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Phew! That was a lot, right? But hey, knowledge is power🌟. We hope this edition gave you some insights and maybe even cleared up a few doubts.

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How to E-commerce