As holiday lights start to go up and shopping carts fill up, e-commerce brands face their most profitable — and most competitive — time of the year. The holiday shopping rush, with marquee events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, represents an enormous opportunity for online businesses. To help brands make the most of it, we reached out to e-commerce experts and digital marketing pros for their tried-and-true strategies for holiday success.
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Featured in This Edition
In this edition of The Bulletin, we featured quotes and expert advice from these sources:
- Michael Erickson Facchin, CEO of Ad Badger, who specializes in Amazon PPC optimizations that boost sales with dynamic, data-driven tactics.
- David Chen, Director of Finance at Srlon, a packaging manufacturer known for innovative holiday pricing and ad strategies that helped grow their sales by 25%.
- Brian Kroeker, President of Little Rock Printing, who leverages early planning and strategic bundles to maximize order value and conversions.
Set Up for Seasonal Success: Key Strategies to Drive Sales
From product bundling and tailored ads to real-time bid adjustments, each brand approaches the holiday season with precision, but one core idea unites them: meet customers where they are, and give them what they want — fast.
1. Use Data-Driven Advertising and Real-Time Adjustments
For brands selling on Amazon, Michael Erickson Facchin from Ad Badger emphasizes the importance of holiday-specific strategies for advertising. “During the holiday season, we implement our ‘Bids by Badger’ algorithm, which makes real-time bid adjustments to optimize for increased traffic and competition,” he says. This technology has been instrumental in driving major revenue gains for clients, such as Rocketbook, which saw a 448% revenue growth in one holiday campaign by strategically focusing on high-performing keywords.
Michael’s team also prioritizes seasonal keyword optimization, aligning with high-intent searches like “holiday gifts” and “last-minute deals,” which capture shoppers’ attention during the peak period. A carefully crafted ad campaign can boost visibility, and Michael’s advice to other brands is clear: “Capture that attention with relevant ad creatives that speak to the season.”
2. Strategic Pricing and Bundling for Increased Volume
On Shopify and Amazon alike, competitive pricing is key, and David Chen at Srlon has seen major success with tiered holiday pricing. Last season, Srlon ran a ‘Buy 3, Get 2 Free’ campaign, capitalizing on bundle deals to increase their overall sales volume by 25%. “Offering bundle discounts appeals to a broad range of spending capacities and encourages bulk purchases, which not only increase sales but also build brand loyalty,” David explains.
The combined effects of bundle pricing and platform-specific ad optimizations, including Amazon Sponsored Products Ads, allow Srlon to reach customers ready to buy. “By targeting holiday-centric keywords like ‘holiday baking,’ we guide potential customers directly to our product page,” David notes. These kinds of specific keyword choices ensure that ads are highly visible to relevant shoppers.
3. Early Planning and Limited-Time Offers Drive Urgency
Brian Kroeker of Little Rock Printing underscores the importance of early planning and creating a sense of urgency to drive conversions. His brand’s “Gift Pack Bundle” promotion last season offered a curated set of best-selling products at a special holiday price. “This created urgency and encouraged larger purchases,” Brian shares. Using a dedicated email sequence that targeted customers based on past engagement, Little Rock Printing achieved a 15% boost in conversions from their email list alone.
Beyond just discounting, early planning allowed Little Rock Printing to prepare its customer service team for a spike in demand. “Quick response times to inquiries — particularly around shipping and customization — can make or break a sale during the holiday season,” Brian explains. This well-oiled customer service strategy ensures buyers have a seamless experience from start to finish, creating positive impressions that last well beyond the holiday season.
Metrics and Lessons for a Profitable Holiday Rush
The takeaway? For e-commerce brands, success in the holiday shopping season comes down to meeting heightened consumer demand with targeted advertising, value-packed offers, and streamlined customer service.
- Michael Erickson Facchin advises brands to test their campaigns early: “Plan ahead, but also be ready to make quick adjustments as data rolls in. Even a slight shift in keyword strategy or bid adjustment can mean a big difference in visibility.”
- David Chen stresses the power of bundling, noting, “Customers appreciate a deal, and bundling not only provides value but also moves more products, enhancing overall profitability.”
- And Brian Kroeker encourages brands to build urgency with time-sensitive offers and attentive service: “It’s all about positioning products as solutions to shoppers’ holiday needs, right when they’re ready to buy.”
As you approach this holiday season, consider applying some of these expert tactics to make the most of the rush — and finish the year strong.
