Peak selling days Black Friday and Cyber Monday are here. Here is a practical guide addressing common challenges throughout the entire Cyber 5 period (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), based on real-time pain points from online retailers and brands.

1. Manage your inventory and product organization throughout Cyber 5.

• Audit your stock: You’ve made sure your warehouse or fulfillment partner is prepared for high demand. Make sure you have clear processes in place to switch distribution centers as demand increases.
• Product organization: Confirm that single, bundle and variation SKU assortment is in place. This is not the time to test anything new in a live environment.
• Backorder and restocks: Have a backorder system ready if you are not already prepared for fast restocks for items that sell out quickly. Amazon does not allow inventory replenishment until the new year. Make sure you have backup with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) should you run out of inventory.

Assign responsibilities to the inventory management and logistics/operations team.

• Inventory manager: Perform the inventory audit and set up alerts for low stock and immediate communication to front-facing e-commerce channel managers.
• Logistics/operations team: Coordinate with fulfillment partners to confirm stock levels and restock procedures and open lines of communication for delays.

2. Finalize discounts, promotions and bundles.

• Advertising and retail media strategy: Ensure your campaigns are optimized to the most profitable target audience, prioritize products for the holiday sales season and ensure product listing data, images, video and content are recently updated. This is not the time to have your campaign hit their daily spend cap. Increase your bid ceilings or run uncapped and ensure your ads are visible the entire week.
• Discount Strategy: Set up Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) promotions, including sitewide sales, category-specific discounts and flash deals. Clearly define the terms and conditions for each.
• Communication Strategy: Finalize days/times – down to the minute – for when email, text and social communication will be sent out.
• Bundle Deals: Consider offering product bundles at discounted prices to increase average order value (AOV).

Assign responsibilities to the marketing team, e-commerce manager and creative team.

• Marketing: Finalize and schedule promotional campaigns, including discounts and bundles. Have promotional banners and visuals ready for launch. Ensure you have a clear, by the hour breakout of when communication will occur across customer outreach channels.
• E-commerce manager: Ensure discount codes are properly implemented and working on the site. Update product pages with the correct pricing and offers.
• Creative: Design banners, pop-ups and other assets that highlight discounts and promotions.

3. Double-check automated reporting and dashboard report set ups.

• Key metrics: Monitor conversion rate, traffic and AOV. Set up automated email alerts for stock levels, sales performance and ad spend ROI. During peak selling periods, search trends can fluctuate. Ensure someone is checking auto campaigns to capitalize on trends and move those to manual campaigns to maximize opportunity during Cyber 5.
• Monitor ad spend: Set up integrations between your ad platforms and e-commerce store to track ROI on paid campaigns (Google Ads, Facebook, etc.). Ensure someone is watching this in real-time to adjust spend, monitor competitive threats and be able to adjust. This includes tapping into a larger bucket of spending if a clear opportunity presents itself.

Assign responsibilities to data analyst/business intelligence teams, marketing and e-commerce manager.

• Data analyst/business intelligence: Set up and monitor dashboards to ensure key KPIs are automatically tracked and actionable insights delivered.
• Marketing: Keep a close eye on paid ad performance and adjust budgets, targeting and creatives as needed. Paid marketing managers or agency managers are available, real time.
• E-commerce manager: Monitor sales performance and pivot promotions if certain products or categories are underperforming and communicate this to marketing. Make sure ads across your website are relevant to the page and experience. Irrelevant ads reduce the likelihood that a shopper will purchase a product.

4. Prepare customer support systems and FAQs.

• Expand support channels: Ensure live chat, helpdesk, and other support channels are active and capable of handling increased volume.
• Proactively answer questions: Update the FAQ section with anticipated BFCM-related queries like shipping times, returns, or promotions.

Assign responsibilities to customer support, marketing and e-commerce manager.

• Customer support team: Ensure enough customer support employees are available to handle high-volume inquiries. Prepare scripts for common BFCM issues (order status, shipping, returns).
• Marketing: Update the FAQ section on the website with clear, concise answers to common questions.
• E-commerce manager: Ensure clear communication with fulfillment and shipping partners so customer support can give accurate updates on delivery times.

How to organize your team for Black Friday and Cyber Monday peak holiday selling events

Conduct daily briefings to check in and review metrics, discuss any roadblocks and realign priorities. Ensure all teams are aware of their specific responsibilities during Cyber 5.

Cross-functional collaboration is key between marketing, customer support, logistics and the e-commerce team. Regularly share performance data, stock levels and customer feedback to stay on the same page.

Finally, plan for pre- and post-BFCM analysis. Schedule a debrief now. Schedule another after the peak sales event. Share a pre-read summary from each department containing what worked and what needs to be improved. There is limited time to enact changes to ensure a successful December selling period. Learn how Rithum can help your business here.

The post Four Tips to Help Retailers and Brands Be Successful During Cyber 5 appeared first on Rithum.

Growth opportunities abound for brands and retailers expanding their e-commerce businesses internationally. However, there are challenges to navigate such as managing inventory across multiple countries. Cross-border e-commerce entails managing complex logistical and regulatory requirements that differ from country to country.

Here are five ways brands, retailers, and suppliers can optimize selling to consumers globally.

1. Use automation to manage inventory, product information and catalog translations at scale.
   It can be challenging to manage inventory across diverse markets. Ensuring your product information such as product sizes, weight, and category are accurate can significantly impact shipping costs and compliance with local regulations. Translating product catalogs to suit local languages may also be necessary.
2. Optimize cross-border payments: Understand currency valuations and pricing in local currencies.
   As part of a seller’s pricing strategy, you should understand how currency valuations compare from country to country. Setting product prices in the target country’s currency ensures competitiveness and market relevance.
3. Track global logistics and shipping paths through one platform.
   It is necessary to accurately track inventory once the customer makes a purchase until they receive it.
4. Understand international legal entity, taxation and logistics requirements.
   Each country has its own tax and entity requirements that must be met to avoid legal complications.
5. Use technology to compete in cross-border e-commerce.
   Sellers must assess and analyze competitors in each market they are selling in. Consumer preferences can differ greatly from country to country. There is no blanket strategy to stand out against competitors.

“Selling cross-border is a strong growth opportunity for retailers and brands but it’s not without challenges. One of the biggest obstacles for businesses is converting local currencies. Each country has unique taxation and entity requirements. Businesses need a unified solution to help streamline their operations across geographies. Rithum can help sellers convert cross-border payments in real-time,” said Christian Gees, director, sales, EMEA at Rithum.

How to prepare for the global peak shopping season

The holiday season kicks off as early as October worldwide. By preparing early, brands, retailers, and suppliers can optimize their online retail and digital marketing strategies. The demand is there – 44% of global shoppers are willing to purchase an item from a retail site or online marketplace in a different country from where they reside, according to the 2023 Online Consumer Behavior Global Report by Rithum and Dynata.

Rithum partners with a network of the world’s leading fulfillment and logistics companies to facilitate seamless cross-border e-commerce expansion. The majority of Rithum’s brands in EMEA sell cross border e-commerce. These partnerships ensure that sellers’ products are efficiently tracked from purchase to fulfillment and delivery. Rithum’s network gives sellers the ability to leverage localized expertise to manage the complexities of selling internationally.

Localize product content

Selling cross border involves localizing content. Rithum’s features like Business Rules and Look Up List, can help brands ensure they are using the most searchable keywords for product titles and descriptions. For example, when an EU brand is selling into a US market or vice versa, Rithum must account for different keywords for items such as trousers vs. pants, or sneakers vs. trainers, etc. Rithum’s Replace Word List function also adapts translations to be more search friendly.

Using artificial intelligence, Rithum’s AI Magic Mapper feature helps brands reduce time-to-site by automating categorization. This helps reduce the time for sellers to onboard onto new global marketplaces.

Other ways Rithum can help include:

• Use Rithum’s team of experts. Experts with more than 20 years of experience in global e-commerce provide invaluable insights and guidance. For example, Rithum can help EMEA sellers and suppliers navigate complexities with VAT, local entity requirements, and picking the right channels to sell through. These also are hurdles for sellers selling from the UK into EMEA as well as US and APAC sellers.
• Receive extensive support by country. Rithum supports sales in numerous countries with platform support in local languages and currencies. Rithum’s conversion function is accurate, which is helpful for seller and supplier finance teams in reconciliation.
• Take advantage of strategic partnerships. Extensive collaborations with major global shipping carriers and third-party logistics companies enhance the efficiency and reliability of your international distribution.
• Receive marketplace guidance. Determine the potential and fit of various marketplace channels for your products.
• Use automated system logic. Thousands of automated rules ensure that products are listed appropriately based on compliance and profitability.

By automating inventory management, using global logistics networks, and providing expert guidance, Rithum helps you overcome challenges while unlocking new growth opportunities in the international marketplace. Learn how Rithum can empower your business to manage the intricacies of cross-border e-commerce here.

The post Five Tips to Grow Your Cross-Border E-Commerce appeared first on Rithum.

Holiday decor is now on the shelves, people are making plans for gathering and some even have their shopping well underway. That means it’s too late to make adjustments to your Q4 tactics or holiday e-commerce campaigns…right?

Not exactly. There’s still plenty you can do to manage the holiday rush and ensure a smooth season. Our Rithum Managed Services experts put together a list of “quick hits” to help you tie a bow around your 2022 holiday efforts. 

10 Last-Minute Holiday Planning Tips

You may have gotten a head start this year in anticipation of holiday challenges like supply constraints and economic pressures. Or maybe this holiday season got ahead of you and now your team is scrambling for holiday e-commerce best practices. Regardless, we recommend these quick tips to help you tie up loose ends as the holiday season approaches.

Ensure Stock for Fulfillment Services

If you work with a third-party fulfillment service like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), you should be in the process of stocking them with plenty of your top-selling items for the holiday. Ensure adequate supply now so you don’t have to spend money or increase stress rushing later.

Identify and Publicize Your Last Ship Date

Calculate your last possible ship date to ensure delivery by December 25. Pair this with your shipping carrier’s last send dates and make it clear to customers so there are no surprises.

Account for Lead Times

Review your on-time delivery metrics, and assess whether or not you need to adjust lead times for fulfillment and delivery.

Prevent Overselling

Keep tabs on inventory and listings to prevent overselling, especially on Amazon, resulting in frustrated customers. Implement a “supply buffer” so you always have some stock on hand.

Avoid Big Changes

Now is not the time to be trying something new. Avoid big changes in your e-commerce setup, including pricing strategies and product description page setups. Instead, adopt an “all hands on deck” approach that highlights your biggest strengths and doubles down on advertising and promotions. 

Know Your Deadlines

Anticipate marketplace cutoffs for adding new products to the site. Adjust accordingly and list all your items as soon as possible. 

Set Up Critical Data Monitoring

Make sure reliable monitoring is in place for your feeds, quantity/price updates, orders, listing errors and top-selling items. That way, you can stay focused on urgent needs and the bigger seasonal picture when you’re in the thick of holiday selling. 

Double-Check Promotional Pricing

Double- and triple-check any promotional pricing you have scheduled through a deal planner or promotional fields. Check pricing is correct and dates are formatted correctly. Make sure to allot extra time for your feeds on marketplaces that have longer processing times.

Boost Last-Minute Advertising

Go big! Plan to boost your advertising and retail media spend in the final weeks before Cyber 5 and Christmas. This is also an appropriate time to increase your budget caps. 

Watch Marketplace KPIs

Keep a sharp eye on your marketplace KPIs to avoid suspension during Q4. 

The Time Is Now

This is what you’ve been waiting all year to execute. Make sure your program is all buttoned up to not only put your best foot forward among digital shoppers, but also ensure the best turnout at the end of the 2022 holiday season. 

Need help? Rithum Managed Services leans on decades of holiday planning expertise to help e-commerce brands and retailers get ready for the biggest selling season of the year. Contact us for guidance and a more confident approach to your Q4 sales.

The post Scrambling Before the Holidays? Try These 10 E-Commerce Tips appeared first on Rithum.

Is it time for holiday planning already? You better believe it. It may seem like overkill to get started in August, but new research from eMarketer shows that 28% of US adults began their 2021 holiday shopping before November last year. 

Coupled with some of the struggles you’re likely to encounter this fall, including continued supply constraints, shipping delays and overall economic uncertainty, waiting until late fall could prove detrimental. 

Our recent webinar, Holiday Prep 2022: Smart Strategies to Implement Now for a Successful Peak Season, gives you a head start on the upcoming holiday season with answers to the challenges you’re likely to face. 

Get a sneak peek at our recommended deadline for confirming your plans, as well as tips for ensuring the best content across all of your digital channels. 

Holiday Challenge #1: Last-Minute Preparation

There’s a new normal for the traditional peak holiday season: an October kickoff to consumer gift searching and buying. Shoppers are eager to get their lists checked off, which means creating a prep list of your own. 

We recommend setting a deadline of October 15 to:

• Solidify your Q4 catalog assortment
• Audit your data across all active marketplaces
• Optimize for A+ content to tell a brand and product story 
• Review active listings and resolve errors 

To meet your deadline, start gathering and optimizing the priority assortment you hope to sell during the upcoming peak season. Review last year’s top and low performers, identify your existing and ideal inventory levels through Q4 and widen your net to a variety of marketplaces. Just be sure to activate any new marketplaces by October 1 to account for error resolution and inbound shipments if using fulfillment services. 

Holiday Challenge #2: Increased Economic Pressures

Inflation is at a record high, putting constraints on consumers’ wallets. But that hasn’t stopped them yet. Consumers have continued to spend despite rising costs, but they’re more selective about where they buy than ever. That means you need to outpace the competition with:

• Excellent customer service
• Positive reviews and ratings
• Helpful descriptions and data
• Faster shipping options

Experiencing your own constraints? Overcome supply chain challenges by making note of key Q4 inventory replenishment dates if using marketplace fulfillment services, or try variations and bundles as a second option to keep customers satisfied. 

Holiday Challenge #3: Not Meeting Your Goals

Despite your preparations, it’s still possible to miss your holiday selling goals. But remember: even though the holidays may see the highest sales peaks, the majority of sales occur throughout the rest of the year. Don’t “go dark” after the holidays. Instead: 

• Extend your seasonality with a more global approach to your catalog assortment and promotions. 
• Continue to provide excellent customer service, particularly in Q1 when holiday returns are high.
• Evaluate your top and lowest performers of the season to make better decisions for next year.

Need help evaluating your holiday performance? Rithum Managed Services for Marketplaces offers expert guidance to help you execute and iterate your plans at scale. 

Holiday Practice Run?

Amazon recently announced its new Fall Prime Day, totaling two Prime Day events in one year for the first time ever. The addition is most likely due to Amazon’s slowest quarterly revenue growth since 2001 this past April. Luckily for merchants, the day provides a chance to “practice” for the upcoming holiday season. 

To prepare, add deals to penetrate new segments or reach for Best Seller status. You can also ramp up ad spend and lower your return goals to maintain positioning. Fall Prime Day will most likely be in October, amplifying the “halo” effect of driving organic listing growth considering its proximity to the holiday season. 

Has your team started planning for the 2022 holiday season? Watch the full webinar, Holiday Prep 2022: Smart Strategies to Implement Now for a Successful Peak Season, for a deeper dive into holiday planning and find out how to finish the year strong. 

Rithum also offers complimentary services like:

• Multichannel advertising analysis. Optimize for success and product exposures across multiple channels.
• Marketplace health check. Leverage all the tools and options available before you hit the busiest weeks.
• Channel expansion analysis. Find out what channels are a good match to add to your bottom line, based on your category.

Contact us today to take advantage of these free services for your business!

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