As a small business owner, you’ve probably already started to think about the upcoming holiday rush and how you can best prepare to serve customers in the face of almost as much unpredictability as in 2020. It comes as no surprise that last year’s holiday shopping season looked a lot different than most, with the Covid-19 pandemic keeping many consumers out of brick-and-mortar stores and opting for curbside pickup or online retail instead.
According to an Adobe Analytics study, those businesses that offered curbside pickup saw 49 percent higher digital sales year-over-year compared to a 28 percent digital sales increase for those who only offered in-store shopping. And of course, internet retail saw a huge increase as shoppers browsed from the safety and comfort of their own homes: online shopping surged more than 32 percent in 2020 from the previous year.
In November of 2020, e-commerce sales surpassed $100 billion for the first time ever, and online sales for the holiday season as a whole reached $188.2 billion. However, internet spending was actually down 20 percent year-over-year during the week of Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, in part due to an earlier push of sales and deals in October that appealed to shoppers hoping to avoid crowded malls and stores and take care of their holiday purchases earlier in the fall. Deferred payment features like “buy now, pay later” also rose by 109 percent in 2020; possibly a reflection of budget-tightening efforts on the part of consumers who experienced financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. Home-centric products like appliances, books, and groceries grew in popularity as well.
While businesses have slowly reopened in the past year, the emergence of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has reintroduced another layer of uncertainty into the retail landscape right as shoppers consider their options, so small business owners can likely expect a bigger push toward online shopping once again this year.
Budgeting for Online Business Presence
In light of this, it’s more important than ever for small business owners to make sure that their websites are prepped and ready to act as a home base for prospective and current customers buying their holiday gifts online. This means including features like product photos and descriptions, robust online purchase capabilities, substantial inventory, and a secure payment portal. While you may have already left room for these costs in your annual budget, it can help to map it all out so you don’t go over your limit.
Sourcing Your Small Business Cash Flow
If it turns out that you’ll need some extra cash to cover the costs of this holiday season, you have a few options. While the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ended on May 31, 2021, you may qualify for loan forgiveness if you’re an existing borrower. Otherwise, there are conventional small business loans, which…
Read More: How to Prepare Your Retail Company’s Finances for the 2021 Holiday Season