I always think of HoneyBaked Ham when the holidays roll around. Not because the sweet and savory smells make mouths water. But more because the company makes the vast majority of its annual profits during Thanksgiving and Christmastime!
The same can be said for many of us eCommerce sellers. That’s why it’s critical to know how online resellers can prepare for the holidays.
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The 4th Quarter (Q4), the last three months of the year, include Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals and other online shopping opportunities.
Q4 is almost always THE most important time of year for most eCommerce sellers. My online reselling business, for example, earns nearly 50% of annual profits during this time.
That’s why you need a game plan packed with insider tips for how resellers can prepare for the holiday shopping wave. So join me as we prepare to S.O.A.R. in Q4! Yes, acronyms can be silly, but they also can be helpful memory tools.
S.O.A.R. loosely stands for source, organize, advertise, research, though I recommend doing these activities in a slightly different order.
RESEARCH POPULAR PRODUCTS
Researching popular products to sell should be an ongoing part of your eCommerce business, especially during downtimes like Summer.
Your goal is to identify trends and themes, including colors, brands and products that are expected to be popular this holiday. You can also find out the top-sellers and profit potential for your niche.
So exactly how do you research popular products to sell? There are several ways to find this info.
- Review your own year-over-year, month-over-month and season-over-season sales data to spot themes and trends for your shoppers.
- Search for terms like “fashion”, “toys”, “kids” and “holidays 2022” on Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Etsy, Instagram, TikTok and the like to see what’s most popular.
- Leverage tools like the Amazon Seller App and eBay’s Terapeak analytics to identify potentially popular items for the holidays.
- Discover the top-sellers on marketplaces like Facebook, Shopify, Etsy, Poshmark, eBay, etc. And be sure to check platforms you don’t currently sell on.
- Review marketplace trend reports released directly by selling platforms including Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, etc. Check their sites or sign up for their email lists.
- Attend seller conferences hosted by online selling marketplaces including Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, Amazon, etc. Many are virtual and free to attend!
- Consider popular products and trends in popular culture. A great place to start is social media sites including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
STOCK UP ON SHIPPING SUPPLIES
Shop, shop, shop and then shop some more!
Shipping, Packing & Listing
It’s imperative that resellers have enough supplies on hand especially for shipping (boxes, bubble mailers, bubble wrap, tape, etc.), printing (labels, ink) and packing (business cards, thank-you cards, etc.).
Make sure you have the reseller essentials on hand. This includes measuring tape, a durable, inexpensive scale (my #1 must-have tool!) and a letter opener.
Soft, Flexible Measuring Tape
Accutek Shipping Scale
Why something as old-school as a letter opener?😁 This is a secret weapon if you are reselling clothing, especially vintage, retro or delicates.
Solid Black Metal Letter Opener
Additional Resources
- Check out this 30-second video showing how resellers can use a letter opener for great photos.
- Free Priority Mailing Supplies for Poshmark and beyond
- Does Poshmark Pay for Shipping?
Inventory to Sell
You also want to ensure you have enough inventory to sell during the holiday rush. Most eCommerce sellers have zero extra time once the sales rush hits. Plus the shipping of supplies to YOU could be delayed just like order to your shoppers can be delayed.
PRO-TIP: If you have an eBay store subscription, don’t forget to use your quarterly coupon to order free shipping supplies. I currently have a basic store subscription which includes $25 per quarter. It’s not a lot, especially considering the cost of eBay supplies, but every dollar counts in our business🤑
ADVERTISE & ADJUST
Simply put, people can’t buy your products if they can’t find your products. That’s why marketing your shop is so important.
Social Media Engagement
This is the time to post more often on social media, being sure to leverage engagement tools such as Instagram Stories/Reels, YouTube Shorts or Pinterest Idea Pins.
PRO-TIP: One of the best, yet underutilized platforms, is Pinterest where 97% of searches are NON-branded. It functions more like a search engine because the majority of users are in “search and discover” mode. Use this to your advantage to show off the unique designs or features of your products with an Idea Pin that introduces your products and brand.
Email and Sales
Send regular newsletters if you have an email list. Actively post helpful tips (not spammy sales notes) on relevant Facebook groups.
Create “holiday sales” or “flash sales” to create excitement – and value – for your customers. [Grab FREE sales sign templates for Poshmark or Instagram!]
Search Engine Optimization
One of the most important marketing tactics that many eCommerce sellers overlook is optimizing listings.
Revisit existing listings to confirm you have correct inventory levels on hand, pricing is current and other details.
And don’t forget to optimize titles and descriptions for SEO (search engine optimization)! This goes for new and existing products.
Make These Adjustments
Adjust your prices to accommodate the temporary holiday shipping increases by the US Postal Service if you offer free or discounted shipping. Protect your profits!
If you don’t already do this, then outsource tasks! Seriously. Hire help for listings, shipping, prepping, SEO, copy writing, photographing … anything you don’t want to do or are not good at doing.
Fiverr is my personal fave for quick online tasks. They even have freelancers who focus solely on sharing your Poshmark closet. You can also try Upwork or hire a VA (which I also did on Fiverr).
ORGANIZE
This is a less-than-sexy part of business, but fine-tuning your processes can make or break your profits.
Ensure your inventory is easy to find, pack and ship. Ditto for shipping and packing supplies. You cannot afford to waste time looking for goods that have already been sold.
Consider pre-packing inventory, especially large or unusually shaped products. The last thing you need is to waste time running to a store last-minute hoping to find the perfect size box (assuming they are any in stock).
FINAL THOUGHTS
The holiday season, which is typically the last three months of the year, is an incredibly important time for eCommerce businesses. The 4th Quarter includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday and many other holidays.
These days, many of these shopping “days” have extended into weeklong events. Plus, the Q4 shopping surge can last throughout the following January.
So follow the tips I shared to know how resellers prepare for the holidays. This way, you can capitalize on this potentially profitable timespan.