As the holiday season approaches, there’s one shopper every ecommerce retailer must prepare for: the last-minute shopper. These customers wait until the eleventh hour to complete their purchases, often driven by urgent needs and forgotten gifts. With the right holiday marketing strategies and urgency messaging, retailers can effectively target this audience and turn their procrastination into conversions.
Here are key strategies to reach last-minute shoppers and ensure they hit that “Buy Now” button before it’s too late.
1. Leverage Urgency Messaging in Your Campaigns
When dealing with last-minute shoppers, urgency is your best friend. They’re already feeling the pressure of the holidays, so your marketing should tap into that sense of time running out. Use phrases like:
- “Limited Stock Available!”
- “Order by [date] for Guaranteed Holiday Delivery!”
- “Hurry! Time is Running Out!”
Highlight limited time deals, low stock items, and seasonal gift bundles to let shoppers know they need to buy now before it’s too late.
2. Run Limited-Time Flash Sales
Flash sales create the perfect environment for urgency-driven last-minute shoppers. Running a 24-hour or same-day flash sale with discounts or free shipping offers can attract shoppers who are waiting for the right moment to make a purchase. Make sure to market the flash sale prominently throughout the website and in marketing emails, emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of the deal:
- “Today Only: Get 30% Off – Ends at Midnight!”
- “Hurry! Flash Sale – Last Chance to Save Before the Holidays.”
3. Emphasize Expedited and Free Shipping Deadlines
Shipping is critical for last-minute shoppers, and many will abandon carts if they think their order won’t arrive in time. Highlight express and overnight shipping options at checkout, using urgency-driven messaging like:
- “Get it by Christmas with Express Shipping!”
- “Still Time to Shop! Next-Day Delivery Available.”
Free shipping is another powerful incentive. Promote deadlines for free shipping across your marketing with messages like:
- “Free Shipping Ends in 24 Hours – Don’t Miss Out!”
By combining clear shipping options with urgency messaging, you can drive quick purchases and avoid customer disappointment over late deliveries.
4. Incorporate Countdown Timers Across Your Marketing Channels
Countdown timers are a visual representation of urgency and can be a powerful motivator. Whether on product pages, abandonment, or during checkout, timers that display how long customers have left to make a purchase for guaranteed delivery can create a sense of immediate action. You can also integrate countdown timers for your on-site promotions, pushing last-minute shoppers to finalize their orders before the clock runs out.
5. Utilize Cart Abandonment Solutions
Last-minute shoppers tend to be indecisive and may leave items in their carts as they weigh their options. To combat this, use targeted cart abandonment solutions that remind them to complete their purchase.
When shoppers attempt to abandon, present them with messages such as “Your item is almost sold out!” or “Act fast to get your order by [date]!” You can also reiterate on-site promotions and highlight their cart discounts to emphasize the deal they’re getting if they buy today.
6. Maximize Mobile Usability
Last-minute shoppers often make purchases on their mobile devices while on the go, so it’s essential to have a mobile-friendly site that makes checkout fast and seamless. Optimize your site’s mobile experience by ensuring it loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and offers simplified checkout processes. Optimize your abandonment modals for mobile so they receive the same targeted engagements that increase conversions.
7. Highlight Gift Cards as a Backup Option
Sometimes, last-minute shoppers simply can’t find the right product in time. Offering gift cards as an easy, fast alternative can be a lifesaver. Feature gift cards prominently on your site with messaging like:
- “Still Time for the Perfect Gift – Send a Digital Gift Card Today!”
- “Instant Delivery: The Easiest Last-Minute Gift.”
By emphasizing the speed and convenience of gift cards, you provide a fallback option that ensures you don’t lose out on a sale even when time is tight.
Tap Into Urgency to Convert Last-Minute Shoppers
The holiday season is crunch time for both retailers and shoppers. To capture the attention of last-minute buyers, it’s crucial to implement holiday marketing strategies that emphasize urgency and convenience.
By leveraging tools like countdown timers, cart abandonment solutions, and flash sales, ecommerce retailers can capitalize on the last-minute shopping frenzy and drive conversions when it matters most.
Drive More Conversions with Upsellit
Looking for more holiday marketing strategies? Download Upsellit’s Black Friday Cyber Monday Case Study and uncover top solutions that reduce website abandonment and personalize the customer journey to drive incremental revenue.
