The season of peak: four key areas to improve customer experience

A cost-of-living crisis, worries of postal delays and supply chain issues have led to consumers looking for earlier bargains, with retailers reacting by offering its promotions earlier, too. 

Research last year by Sensormatic of more than a thousand shoppers for its annual UK Retail Shopper Sentiment Report, found half had started their Christmas gift buying by October, with two-fifths planning on shopping earlier than before.  

For many industries, the New Year has become a key trading period as customers kick off the year with new hobbies and holiday plans. 

“Historically, retailers have built their strategies around Singles Day – which takes place on 11 November, this year – onwards,” said Tom.  

"Traditional Christmas gifting peaks are tapering off as consumers worry about delivery times. For clothing, travel, and wellness brands, the peak period is extending to include New Year’s Eve events and fitness and decluttering missions.

"Christmas gifting peaks are declining as consumers worry about delivery times. For clothing, travel, and wellness brands, the season now extends to New Year’s Eve and the push for fitness and decluttering in the new year.

“Peak starts earlier and goes on longer. We are now seeing a season of peak and retailers must adjust their strategies, accordingly.” 

While many traders have their peak season strategies in place and a November code freeze ready, there are still changes that can be actioned. Here, UX and experience design expert Tom picks out four key areas for retailers to focus on.

Shape your content around different customer missions 

With many more customers visiting your site during the season of peak, it is vital to shape your content around different customer missions. 

Tom said: “What are the cut-off dates to your delivery times? Mid-December may feel very close to Christmas Day and unreliable. Shape content to meet different customer needs and signpost key information. 

“Think about gifting as a whole mission and break it down. Can you funnel customers towards categories of products that have a natural cost threshold, like gifts for under £50 or £20?  

“Many brands see a huge uptick in sales during this period if they categorise collections of products to fit certain lifestyles, which are often easier for customers to navigate than the more generic, gifts for him or her.”   

Ensure the right balance between promotional and brand messaging 

What does your brand stand for on a day-to-day basis? With a season of peak, brands must ensure their usual brand proposition isn’t diluted by an over-extended promotional period. 

Tom said: “A heavy promotional period can leave the customer unable to imagine paying full price for a product. Ensure the promotion is short-lived and special, so customers know that when it’s over, the price will be back to normal.  

“Understanding who you are as a brand, what you stand for and how promotion plays a part of that, is paramount. You may need to frame a narrative around having items you’ve had to archive or are close to the end of season and that’s why you are selling them at a discount. 

“Ultimately, try not to come across as a brand that is just about promotion and discount, especially if you want customers to buy your brand as a gift during this extended period. It can be difficult to recover from that perception of being a shouty discounter.” 

Help your gifting experience stand out 

How do you promote your gifting products? Are you ensuring they are easy to find and helping the customer understand how these will be delivered?  
 
Tom said: “Are you showing the packaging that the product comes in so that the person buying it knows what the experience will be like for the person that receives it? This is particularly important for gifts such as spirits and wines, and fragrance.

“What will the message inside look like? What will it be on? These are essential areas for gifting, as the customer needs reassurance around exactly what they are buying.  

“It’s also important to signpost what the returns process looks like. Does the brand offer an omnichannel proposition where the customer can buy online and the recipient return in-store, for example?” 

Manage customer expectations 

Do your descriptions, images and video, cover all scenarios to reduce the risk for the customer? This can minimise disappointment and returns.   

Tom said: “Brands must describe the product in as much detail as possible to reduce the risk of not meeting expectations. Can you get across size, or how something will work with different skin tones? Can the watch or lipstick be shot on different skin tones for contrast?  

“Are you able to service customer questions and answers and incorporate reviews, as these can work particularly well during peak trading periods? Reviews add a layer of trust into your proposition.” 

In conclusion 

The season of peak has led to some retailers over-focusing on promotion. While many have their strategies in place, areas to now focus on, include:  

• Shape content around customer missions. Can you include delivery times and categorise gifts? 

• Balance promotional and brand messaging. Don’t go overboard with your promotional offerings. 

• Elevate your gifting experience. Include descriptions and imaging of packaging, for instance. 

• Manage the customer expectation. Minimise surprises by including extra detail of products and reviews. 

Tom added: “Help your customers navigate your site and products and add value to your brand, rather than just knocking a bit off the price. The core message with peak is, don't slip into a race to the bottom.”