Editorial Articles

Brands need to start gearing up to Christmas online earlier than ever before
The countdown to Christmas starts earlier every year. With themed shops already open in major department stores, it’s only a matter of weeks before other high-street shops follow suit. Yet given the current climate, brands need to be thinking hard about the ways they can maximise their sales potential and it’s not just the bricks and mortar stores that need to kick-start their festive campaigns early. Online retailers, a sector which is currently booming, are missing a trick by delaying their own campaigns.

The growth of e-commerce
If the recent IMRG Capgemini Index is anything to go by then e-retail sales are on the rise, with sales in September 2010 up 24 per cent compared to the same month last year. The same month also saw the highest level of year-on-year growth recorded since June 2008 and compared to 2009, year-on-year e-retail sales rose by 17 per cent in the run up to Christmas .

Evidently, online strategies should be at the top of the agenda for merchants of every shape and size. In practice, this means going above and beyond offering simply a discount to shoppers - it now goes without saying that consumers expect each and every pound to go further online. Instead, online merchants need to provide something extra whether a gift alongside a purchase or free postage, activities which will help to inspire sales without devaluing the brand or its reputation.

Affiliate marketing helps to make a merry Christmas
Affiliate marketing is one of the most successful strategies open to brands looking to reach Christmas shoppers in a more targeted and measurable fashion. It is expected to drive an estimated £4.62 billion in online retail sales during 2010 in the UK alone and is a tried and tested approach to driving ROI online. It’s also a fast and effective way of catching consumer attention in the build-up to Christmas and good tactics include handing out discount offers on flyers around the sale of Christmas hampers, Christmas cards or even decorations that also make reference to the same promotion online. Not only does this help to drive traffic to a site, it boosts the visibility of a brand both on and offline. It’s also essential to take advantage of the increased interest in the festive season by developing eye-catching creatives that have a powerful impact on the consumer on and offline, because ultimately a strategic presence in both worlds is vital in helping retailers to increase their sales and reach new demographics of shoppers.

Affiliate programs have the added advantage that advertisers and publishers can see who is clicking through to their website and track which website they clicked through from. This allows marketers to hone and refine every element of their campaign, especially at competitive times, ensuring that offers are presented in the most timely fashion possible.

Getting into the Christmas affiliate marketing spirit
There is no doubt about it; Christmas is a fiercely competitive time in the retail sector with players all vying for consumer pounds. Yet in today’s market, it’s more than price and to truly maintain a competitive edge, affiliate programmes should be high on the agenda. The brands that are able to align that marketing campaigns both on and offline line, while innovating in the way they target the consumer stand to prosper from not only greater brand awareness but also in an increase in online sales. Given this, it is time companies stepped up to the challenge by offering consumers incentives to encourage them to purchase online sooner rather than later, otherwise they run the risk of losing out on key sales to their more web savvy competitors. 

Liane Dietrich
MD, LinkShare
Twitter: LinkshareUKBlog
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