For David Sasson, president of OverstockArt.com, planning for the holiday season begins in July and is crucial to reaching fourth quarter goals. In an article posted by PracticalEcommerce, David highlights the four aspects of his business that make the holidays a success - and the areas that need the most preparation:
- Inventory and Selection: Sasson highlights the importance of placing orders early to ensure inventory availability during the holiday rush, stating, "If you don't have it, you can't sell it."
- Promotions: Begin planning your promotions as early as August. This will allow you to explore various advertising opportunities and prepare email promotions.
- Website & Technology Improvement: Website updates and new technology may take a long time to implement and test. If you plan to make updates, do so well in advance to ensure no problems arise during the busy season.
- Personnel: Building the right customer support team is crucial to e-commerce success. Doing so helps to ensure your company provides quality service day in and day out.
Take a look at the original article, "Preparing for the 2014 Holiday Season" for details about his strategy and other tips for online retailers.
