In our e-mail box this morning: lots and lots offers from retailers, the kind of offers that make the consumer in us want to get up off of the couch and go shopping. We've never seen a discount apply to cosmetics, yet Lord & Taylor sent an offer that includes 10 percent off these items. Ann Taylor has 30 percent off of everything, and Macy's has an e-mail exclusive offer that includes 20 percent off and free shipping. 
Independent retailers are enticing shoppers to their stores with discounted gift certificates. Note these discounted certificates are redeemable AFTER January 1, 2009, so shoppers cannot use them for their own holiday purchases. Smart. Remember, studies show that 80 percent of customers spend more than face value of the gift card/certificate, and 40 percent of customers spend more than twice the face value of the card/certificate.
Encourage gift certificate purchases! If Aunt Mary gives you a sweater, you either like it or you take it back to the store, and maybe you'll find something else. But if Aunt Mary gives you a gift certificate, it gets you into the store (that's a good thing) AND you'll choose your own gift (another good thing) AND you're likely to spend far more than the value of Aunt Mary's original gift (and that's a VERY good thing!).
Holiday 2008 is rapidly coming to an end. Christmas is just 13 days away. This weekend will be a big shopping weekend, but next Saturday, December 20, is the last Saturday before Christmas -- traditionally it's the BIGGEST shopping day of the year. Get those e-mail blast offers going! If you are not yet sending e-mail blasts go to http://www.emailcontact.com/ (formerly onlineitools.com) and sign-up for a free 30-day trial. You can create a professional e-mail blast in a matter of minutes.
There's not a lot of time left of Holiday 2008 to procrastinate. As Nike ad says: Just Do It.
Encourage gift certificate purchases! If Aunt Mary gives you a sweater, you either like it or you take it back to the store, and maybe you'll find something else. But if Aunt Mary gives you a gift certificate, it gets you into the store (that's a good thing) AND you'll choose your own gift (another good thing) AND you're likely to spend far more than the value of Aunt Mary's original gift (and that's a VERY good thing!).
Holiday 2008 is rapidly coming to an end. Christmas is just 13 days away. This weekend will be a big shopping weekend, but next Saturday, December 20, is the last Saturday before Christmas -- traditionally it's the BIGGEST shopping day of the year. Get those e-mail blast offers going! If you are not yet sending e-mail blasts go to http://www.emailcontact.com/ (formerly onlineitools.com) and sign-up for a free 30-day trial. You can create a professional e-mail blast in a matter of minutes.
There's not a lot of time left of Holiday 2008 to procrastinate. As Nike ad says: Just Do It.
