This is the busiest time of year for retailers, the preparations over the last few months mean you are now ready for the season’s rush.

But there’s still time for a few last-minute actions to ensure you really stand out in the market –

 

1. Make sure your website is working hard for you. Download our Top Tips for website optimisation

2. This is the time to go heavy with promotions – during Black Friday customers expect to see them.

3. Audit your inventory – run through all the products on your website and check the stock levels. Make plans for items running out – perhaps offer a gift card. Tag customers to automatically notify them by email as soon as the product is back in stock.

4. Review your shipping and return policies. Customers will be checking these. The ease of returns and cost savings on shipping could make the difference between you getting the sale over your competitors.

5. Make sure your communications are effective, from social media ads to emails. Content needs to be optimised, clear CTA will lead to as many conversions as possible.

6. Flexible sales dates – you don’t have to wait for Black Friday. Teaser promotions, early access to loyal customers and offers throughout the run up to Christmas.

7. Use automations to save time. Welcome and thank you emails are easy to automate. By tagging contacts on their purchase behaviour, you can then send targeted automations like abandoned basket emails and product reviews.

8. Finally test your web and sales experience. Starting from the homepage, navigate the customer experience from start to finish.

 

If you need any assistance with last minute fulfilment, we can help. Our experienced warehouse team and advanced tech systems means a seamless integration with all eCommerce marketplaces.

You can be selling to your customers in 24 hours….

Black Friday scams to avoid…

With Black Friday sales running across the whole of November, scammers are taking advantage of online sales opportunities in the run up to Christmas.

One of the products targeted in previous years has been luxury Advent Calendars. Brands have been evolving these to offer everything from beauty products and jewellery to luxury food and drink items.

Last year, scammers advertised Jo Malone’s £350 advent calendar for just £30. This year cosmetics retailer Space NK are urging their customers not to be fooled by fake adverts on social media, claiming to sell its £250 advent calendar for just £28.99. The calendar is currently sold out but platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are showing ads with big discounts on products including the calendar.

The consumer group Which? is urging people to watch out for fraudsters offering deals that appear too good to be true ahead of Black Friday sales.

The old adage ‘If it looks too good to be true, usually it is.’

Compare product prices offered by different retailers, and avoid any that look exceptionally low. Focus your shopping on reputable retailers that have real company registrations, addresses, and contact information.

To check how good a deal really is, you can use a tool such as Price Runner to compare prices across retailers.

There are a few ways consumers can protect themselves from online scams.

1. Check the URL of any website carefully to see if it is the legitimate company. Scammers will doctor domains to make them seem like something they aren’t. In this example http://google.com.cust_login.ie, the domain is cust_login.ie, not google.com.
2. Scam websites use really low prices to lure shoppers. Products are either fake, counterfeit or non-existent. Before purchasing, question why the product is such a low price.
3. Watch out for poor English, the obvious ones are spelling and grammar mistakes, or phrases that just don’t sound quite right to you. Take time to look at other pages on the website particularly an About Us, Refunds and Returns or a Terms & Conditions page.
4. Another thing to check is whether the website lists any contact information. Most legitimate companies will list ways to get in touch with them. So if the website doesn’t have Contact Us details or social media links, it could well be fraudulent.
5. Read reviews.
6. Enable Two-Factor Authentication. By turning on multifactor authentication on your device and online store accounts, you can prevent cybercriminals from gaining access even if they get your username and password. Your account will also require a one-time code or biometric scan to complete the login process.
7. Use your credit or debit card for payment. If you’re asked to pay for something online via a bank transfer, you should think twice about making the purchase. Should you end up buying something that turns out to be fake or non-existent with a credit or debit card, you have some rights to get your money back. But if you pay by bank transfer, it can be tougher to get your money back.

Suspicious sites can be reported to the national security centre

Here are a few more tips to avoid shopping scams on social media:

Scammers can create social media accounts and pay to have their message advertised to you on your timeline.

Study Facebook Ads and their purchase CTA’s. Often scammers will redirect you to a dodgy website to login, purchase or find out more, check the URL – does it match the site you are trying to visit. As well as checking for bad spelling and grammar does the page have a refund or returns policy?

Check the profile name – sellers often use a random profile name unrelated to the brand. Such as this Jo Malone advert.

To report a scam ad on Facebook, select the three-dot icon on the right-hand side of the page and press ‘report’.

 

Be wary of scam adverts on search engines

Adverts from scammers can appear in your search results. Anyone can pay to advertise products and services on search engine results.

Search engines like Google or Bing suggest a list of websites relevant to what you’ve searched for. Some results in the list will be paid for adverts. If you’re using Google, the ads usually appear at the very top of the search results list and are labelled with ‘Ad.’ You might also see ‘shopping’ results, which show products being offered by retailers at competitive prices. These are also paid for advertising.

 

What About AI Scams?

• Modern AI tools have made it easier for scammers to create:
• Convincing fake websites that look identical to real stores
• Personalised phishing emails that sound like they’re from legitimate companies
• Realistic-looking social media ads with too-good-to-be-true deals
• Counterfeit shopping apps that mimic popular retailers
• Fake customer service chatbots that steal your information

But by applying some of our tips you should be able to protect yourself.

Is Black Friday or Cyber Monday worth it?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday can offer great savings, it’s best to plan and research specific products in advance.