Customers start their Christmas shopping much earlier than you might expect, as spreading the cost of Christmas is a very real necessity for many households.
Retailers generally start seeing an upturn in sales from October, though people are reported to be starting their Christmas shopping in earnest as early as September. That’s a trend that the big retailers have been quick to pick up on.
Each year we monitor the big brand Christmas marketing campaigns, noting when they launch their Christmas ranges online. In 2014, Matalan was one of the first, with their Christmas landing page going live in the last week of October; this year, however, M&S, John Lewis, Next and Matalan had all launched their Christmas offerings much earlier, by the second week in October.
Below we look at a selection of UK retailers Christmas landing pages, and highlight some of the best bits. Scroll to the end of the article to find takeaway tips you can use for your own Christmas marketing.
John Lewis
Without wanting to focus on just one clear sector above the fold, John Lewis have used a slider which shows 3 different banners. This is a good tactic if you have a very diverse seasonal product range, though that first slide in the sequence is always the most successful in terms of generating clicks.
Curating content by theme is a great way of presenting products, providing a cohesive selection of related products which gives people an alternative way to browse for Christmas decorations.
Marks & Spencer
Here we see a clear design which focuses attention on their 3 for 2 gift promotion. The colour red is seasonal and it effectively draws the eye to their main offering. Enticing people with a tempting offer means M&S stand to benefit though the upsell of related items like Christmas cards and gift wrap.
Debenhams
Over on the Debenhams Christmas landing page, they are pushing their free next day click and collect service alongside their competitively priced next day delivery service. Their key messaging is interesting too. “Found it” suggests an air of confidence, hinting at a large range where you’ll find the perfect gift for anyone. A subtle but clever cue to get people past their landing page.
Debenhams also promote their Gift Cards prominently on their Christmas landing page.
Again on the Debenhams landing page, we see a banner announcing new products arriving weekly. This is a clever way of priming people to come back to look around the site again, even if they don’t find what they are looking for on this visit.
Paperchase
This year there is a more natural muted look to the Paperchase Christmas landing page, and like M&S, they’ve chosen to focus attention on their 3 for 2 offers.
Tesco
Tesco has a Christmas countdown taking pride of place on their homepage which provides a sense of urgency, and they use evocative imagery which effectively creates a sense of warmth and fosters a feeling of trust. The landing page then goes on to promote their 4 key sales areas relating to each of Tescos main websites; groceries, wine, clothing and Tesco Direct.
Next
The focus on the Next website is clearly on gifting; their his and hers banners promoting luxury, hinting that if you want quality, you won’t be getting any 3 for 2 deals here.
Next day delivery is also high on their agenda, which pushes the convenience factor of not having to wait to receive products, and they also mention their free store delivery option.
Quick Christmas Landing Page Tips
Our round-up also revealed the following takeaway tips that you can use for your own landing pages.
• Group products by theme to help shoppers find what they are looking for.
• Decide on your focus, and work your messaging around that.
• Provide suggestions based on gender, age and price to give people gift ideas.
• Make the most of related products like gift vouchers and wrapping paper.
• Promote a variety of different delivery options, including free store delivery if possible, and price check to make sure you are competitive.
• You don’t have to go down the discounting route (e.g. 3 for 2) to attract buyer attention, focus on other benefits like luxury or style.
• Create a sense of urgency by offering time-limited incentives.
• Use seasonal imagery that invokes warmth and trust and/or the feeling of excitement.
This article was originally posted here.