Date: September 24, 2024
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
The holiday shopping season is fast approaching, and Cyber Weekend is one of the biggest opportunities of the year to supercharge your sales. Spanning November 29 – December 2, this weekend is jam-packed with shopping events like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. While there may not be a special name for Sunday yet, please be assured that people are still shopping that day, too!
Last month, eRank covered Early Black Friday Prep. Today, let’s focus on the other two “big days” that weekend. Here are some tips and ideas to help you prepare your Etsy shop to maximize visibility, attract eager buyers, and boost your sales during the most exciting shopping weekend of the year.
Summary (TLDR)
- Cyber Weekend is November 29 through December 2.
- Small Business Saturday offers opportunity to share your brand’s story, sell in-person at a local holiday craft fair, and offer special promotions.
- Cyber Monday is a great time to offer steeper discounts and free domestic shipping to attract last-minute shoppers.
- This tips help to maximize your shop’s visibility and increase sales during the holiday shopping weekend, as well as gain repeat customers.
Small Business Saturday: Build Connections and Increase Sales
Share Your Story
Have you ever shared your brand’s story in a social media post? If you haven’t, Small Business Saturday is the perfect day to do so. Think of what inspired you to start creating, what values your business stands for, and some other interesting facts about yourself and your craft. Oftentimes, people who “shop small” want to get to know the person behind the items they love. Even if you posted your brand’s story in the past, consider reposting it for Small Business Saturday. Don’t be afraid to introduce—or reintroduce—yourself!
Sell at a Holiday Craft Show
If you can produce a large amount of inventory to have on hand, consider vending at a craft show in your town. This helps you create a presence for your brand in your local small business scene. Some refer to fall as “craft show season,” since many people start Christmas shopping soon after the leaves change colors. Check your city or county’s website for information on craft shows in your area.
Offer Promo Codes
Regardless of whether you’re selling online or in person, it’s never a bad idea to include promo codes with your customers’ orders. This encourages them to come back and make a purchase in the future.
Do you have your own website? Add a coupon with a promo code for your website in with the packing slip for orders placed both on your site and on Etsy. This encourages your Etsy customers to check out your website next time they want to buy something from you.
Cyber Monday: Catch Last-Minute Shoppers
Run a Separate Sale
Come Cyber Monday, everyone will be scrambling to snag last-minute deals. Prepare your shop by running a sale with steeper discounts than your previous sale. This helps grab the attention of that final wave of shoppers. Also try offering a free item with purchases over a certain price point. This provides another good incentive to get shoppers who are “on the fence” to place an order.
Offer Free Domestic Shipping
Do you offer free domestic shipping on Etsy? Listings with a free shipping guarantee get priority placement in United States search results. Shoppers tend to prefer free shipping since there’s no “surprise” fee at checkout. Here are instructions for setting up a free shipping guarantee on Etsy. Not in the US? This guide discusses strategies for offering free shipping without losing profit.
Don’t Miss Out
These tips help to prepare your Etsy shop for the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Cyber Weekend is a great opportunity to expand your brand’s presence, offer too-good-to-pass-up purchase incentives, and encourage your audience to shop small during the holidays.
Check out other recent blog articles on the eRank blog page such as Is Your Etsy Shop Holiday Ready? and Fourth Quarter Holiday Guide for Handmade Sellers for additional help this holiday season and watch eRank’s Trend Buzz and Monthly Trends reports to see what’s rising in popularity as the holidays progress!