Even with inflation top of mind, 81% of resilient shoppers are looking to spend the same or more as compared to their Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending this year. In fact, data shows that U.S. shoppers spent $201.32 billion online last holiday, and Gen Xers accounted for the highest Christmas spending, with an average of $782 in the U.S. and £425 in the U.K.!  

In order to provide a great shopping experience, improve engagement and boost sales, it is important for e-commerce businesses to optimize their website and app.  

While most e-commerce businesses start this optimizing process months before the holiday season, they end up missing a thing or two. And although Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have come and gone, as per studies, the final weeks leading up to Christmas Day present the most significant online shopping opportunities for e-commerce retailers.  

In this article, we list five last-minute UX tips that can help you deliver a great user experience for shoppers looking to spend money on gifts for friends, family, and themselves. And what’s more? These tips can help you deliver a good user experience even after the holidays are over.  

#1 Bundle Holiday Offers and Discounts Throughout the Website

With stretched budgets, the hunt for bargain deals is on the rise. In fact, discounting is one of the most popular and effective ways to drive sales.  

According to Deloitte, 81% of consumers fully expect to be swayed by holiday deals, discounts, and promotions. And according to one survey, 70% of respondents will actively seek promotions and coupons when holiday shopping, and 45% said discounts would be one of the most critical factors in deciding where to shop.

Ensure your holiday offers are featured prominently on your homepage, so shoppers can find them without looking for them. American luxury department store Saks Off 5th is following this approach:

#2 Provide a Quality Mobile Experience

Mobile e-commerce is on the rise. According to a report by Insider Intelligence, total sales made via mobile devices came in at $359.32 billion in 2021. And this figure is expected to more than double to reach $728.8 billion by 2025.  

According to IronSource Report, 64% of consumers plan to shop on mobile phones this holiday season, and you must pay attention to these figures. Reassessing and improving the experience for mobile customers during this holiday season can be a huge opportunity for every e-commerce business. If you want to boost sales, you should tap into it.

#3 Offer Easy Returns

According to Invespcro, 92% of consumers said they would buy again if the product return process iseasy. So, if you want people to buy more from your site this holiday season, make sure that your return process is simple and quick. By highlighting the return conditions clearly, you can increase the trust and confidence of your visitors.

When customers know that they can get their money back just as easily as they can spend it, they’ll shop with more confidence and spend more.

                                                                                       — Sanaz Hajizadeh (Senior Product Manager at Happy Returns)

Remember, easy return policies can drive more sales and increase customer satisfaction during the holiday season. Because during holidays people buy gifts for others, it can often happen that the size needs to be corrected. Or maybe the recipient doesn’t like the product or already has a similar one, so they need to return it.  

So, we recommend extending your holiday returns window beyond the standard timeframe you have in place already and communicate this clearly on your site or app. American luxury department store Saks Off 5th is following this approach.

They have highlighted their shipping and returns policies on their product page and offer an extended return window to their holiday shoppers.

#4 Feature Your Discount Offer Near the CTA

It is no secret that offering discounts is a fantastic way to boost sales, but it becomes even more critical during the holiday season. Why? Because people go crazy shopping for the holidays and eagerly look for discounts and offers during this time. And this year, with inflation top of mind, customers are looking to stock up on discounts to beat future price hikes.

Statistics show that:  

• Last week, consumers spent a record-breaking $9 billion in online sales while hunting for the most competitive deals and cost savings.  
• Klaviyo discovered that 65% of consumers plan to spend the same amount or more on 2022 holiday gifts compared to last year (the survey was conducted on 3.5k consumers in the US and Canada).

If you are offering discounts, it is a smart idea to highlight your deals near your call to action and trigger FOMO among shoppers.

American department store Macy is no stranger to this tactic. They have highlighted their discounted price just above the CTA. Also, just below the CTA, they have featured how many customers have purchased the product to induce FOMO in shoppers.

#5 Convert Cart Abandoners by Driving FOMO at Checkout

With a multitude of options at their fingertips, an average 68.8% of shoppers add an item in to theircart and leave without completing the purchase. This number goes up during the holiday season as people go from one retailer to another hunting for the best deals. Providing a simple and seamless path to purchase will ensure that shoppers complete their purchases in your e-store. Another quick and easy step to take is to add a simple exit pop-up like the one below.

Rapid Testing to the Rescue  

With Christmas just around the corner, there is little time to redesign your website completely. However, you can identify the most critical user journeys and UI elements that are causing friction for your customers by conducting rapid usability testing. Affect UX‘s AI-powered platform helps you conduct in-house usability testing faster so you can make quick changes to your retail site to maximize conversions and get the most out of the holiday sale.

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