On today’s agenda is email marketing. Odds are, you’ve checked your email this morning. Depending on what your job is, you’ve probably checked your inbox several times since the day started. 

Who would have thought that when we first started sending emails back in the 70s, it would dominate such a big proportion of our lives today?

It started in 1965 when the first electronic message was sent as part of a program at MIT. In 1971, Ray Tomlinson introduced the @ sign to email, as a way to allow messages to be targeted at certain users on certain machines. He was the pioneer of sending emails between different computers across the forerunner to the internet, and its potential quickly evolved from sending internal messages across academic platforms. Microsoft got involved in the late 80s into what eventually became Microsoft Outlook. Other large corporations didn’t take long to follow, with IBM, Hotmail, AOL and Yahoo just behind. 

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“You’ve got mail”

The late 90s mark the milestone in email history. Everyone with access to the internet had an email address, which undeniably changed the work environment. It’s also the time spam became a real problem. The word was inducted to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1998, and the practice became known as “marketers jumped on the practically zero-cost outreach proposition and inundated our inboxes”.

In fact, the growth of internet users around the world changed the face of electronic messaging, and with it, communications and marketing strategies shifted. 

Emails became more than an internal “work tool”, it was transformed into a marketing tactic that some may even call aggressive. One can argue that the rise of social media platforms brought some relief to marketers, as they shifted their attention away from inundating our inboxes. We’re not talking about outbound marketing with intrusive ads on TV or those incessant pop-ups on websites to get you to click. 

Actually, the last decade has seen a lot of attention being given to social media networks and its potential to take marketing to another level. Adding to that, the emergence of end-to-end shopping platforms – sometimes integrated into social media networks – just seemed to change the face of marketing. 

So marketing teams rolled up their sleeves and dove into paid campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Adwords. Companies dedicated a big budget to get the ball across platforms. Think of witty tweets, quick tip videos, memorable memes. However, the truth is, during all this time, emails never died. You might be thinking that there was a big “return of the Jedi” or something, but it’s actually quite simple. We’re all dependent on emails. 

To give you an idea: 306 billion emails were sent and received daily in 2020, and Gmail has over 1.8 million active users worldwide. This year’s circumstances, imposed by the pandemic, brought to light how much we depend on the internet, and these numbers go a long way to demonstrate their importance today. Email makes up a major part of the digital economy and is one of our main channels of communication online.

In the e-commerce landscape, email marketing is more relevant than ever given the important role it plays in generating revenue. According to a VentureBeat Insight study, the  return for email marketing is approximately $38 for every dollar spent, making it a critical pillar of every organization’s multi-channel marketing strategy. Part of the reason it’s effective is because of, on the one hand, the number of users and, on the other hand, because it allows businesses to talk directly to the consumer and to create a community. It is a powerful channel that businesses should leverage to reach current and future consumers.

While email marketing remains relevant, there are different strategies and trends that businesses should adopt to maintain effectiveness. What worked in the 2000s may not work anymore.

While it is a tool that holds great potential, it also holds challenges. Spam messages accounted for 53.95% of global email traffic in March 2020. That’s quite a lot. It indicates that the market is densely populated. On the bright side, it means it holds potential, and we’re big fans of looking at the positive side of things.

Another challenge is to develop a strategy that is appealing and informative, fit to face competition from not only other brands but other platforms. A handy way to “get rid of the competition” is to incorporate it. In other words, email should be an essential pillar of a business’s marketing strategy, used as a complementary tactic to your overall marketing campaign, including but not limited to social media, Adwords, blogs etc. 

There’s no need to panic – you don’t need to do all of that to get noticed. The key here is to do it right. Tailor your email marketing strategy to your business and your audience and use it to start a conversation and make your audience feel heard.

Here are some tips to improve your email marketing strategy.

1. Customize and connect – truly get to know your audience 

This point comes first for a couple of reasons. To connect with your audience, you need to know who they are. So firstly, this will help you avoid sending emails that will get lost among the “unopened” list. This requires some research into your industry and your customers, but the hard work will pay off because you’ll send the right message to the right people. That’s the second point – you can use the feedback you’ll get by being in touch with your audience. 

Find out more about the importance of your business’s added value by defining your golden circle.

So, customize email campaigns for target groups. By segmenting, you’ll get more specific insights about the open rates, email relevance, and opt-out or unsubscribe rates.

You can segment based on age, gender, location, latest purchase, and many more. Here, going beyond the basic segmentation in your email personalization will work in your favor. This can include purchase frequency, previous purchases, and researched products that weren’t purchased. 

Google Analytics is your best friend, use it to get more advanced insights into who your audience is and tailor specific messages. Gather feedback and keep focusing on that personalized experience to increase conversions. 

2. Be unique

There’s so much noise out there, users have become numb to information. They are multi-taskers and are adept to the scroll culture. To stand out from the crowd, you should be straight to the point and clear. But attention, no click baits!

As a way to formulate creative ways to grab attention, you should be unique. This may sound cliché, but it’s how you’re going to connect to your audience. Be funny, witty, use gifs, memes or wordplay. “But how can I do that?” you must be asking yourself. 

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. What do they buy from you, why do they choose your brand, what are they looking for, and how can you help them fulfill their needs? Once you’ve got these answers, you’ll be able to tailor unique messages. It won’t happen overnight, do your research, be consistent with your efforts and gather feedback relentlessly. 

There are platforms out there that can help you create your emails and segment them accordingly. Try dynamic email design settings as a personalization technique; this will automatically update the message based on the information gathered on the users. Mailchimp, Sendinblue and Hubspot are examples of affordable and easy to use email marketing platforms.

Leverage these to unleash the designer inside you and to track your campaigns’ performance.

3. State your CTA clearly

So you’ve sent a nice unique email that got the attention of your target audience. They read your email entirely, and then… what? Define a clear purpose for each email and state it with an effective call-to-action (CTA).

There may be some consumer psychology behind achieving an effective CTA, but it’s how you’ll know if your content is being valued and appreciated. Reports show that emails with a single call-to-action increased clicks of 371% and sales 1617%. Meanwhile, where you place the CTA on the page can give different results, with conversions ranging from 0.5 – 1.5% on sidebars, 3 – 9% on feature box, to 10 – 25% on welcome gates. 

 Decide what you want your readers to do: sign up to the newsletter? Read your latest post? Purchase your latest product? Tie up your content with your CTA. 

4. Hold that itchy finger! Don’t overdo on those email blasts, limit them with a purpose

The average office worker receives 121 emails per day. That’s a lot! You don’t want your message to get lost somewhere in an inbox in that forever “unread” status, or worse, sent to the spam folder. So hold your horses, don’t get too enthusiastic in contacting your subscribers just yet! 

People have signed up for your newsletter and updates because they want to stay connected. They’ve shown interest, and now it’s your turn to nurture it. This doesn’t mean to bombard them with emails. When it comes to newsletters, use this opportunity to communicate the latest updates, offers or your latest articles. This can be once a week, or 1-2 per month depending on your business.

The same principle applies to customer service. Let them know once the order has been shipped, ask for a review and programme an engagement message based on what they bought.

Plan them and space them out wisely. 

5. Catchy subject lines

Remember what we said about being funny and witty? Well, keep that in mind when you’re writing up your subject line and headlines.

MailChimp conducted an email marketing study, and they found that subject lines kept short and descriptive caught readers’ attention. So here are some tips: 

• Add personalization
• Be descriptive
• Keep it short
• Limit punctuation
• Use emojis carefully

Keep an eye at the open rates to gather feedback and keep testing!

6. Avoid spam filter trigger keywords 

Deliverability issues can handicap any email campaign. To avoid these, make sure you follow the best practices for your mailing lists. These include email validation such as double opt-in confirmation, building IP credibility and avoiding spam filter trigger keywords.

Spam filters can be triggered for several reasons, making your emails go directly to the spam folder. To avoid having your domain being signaled as spam, steer clear from email subject lines that have trigger keywords. Some of these are: 

• $$$ 
• Free
• Act / Apply Now 
• Affordable 
• Cheap 
• Compare Rates
• Credit
• Incredible Deal / Traffic / Sales
• Info You Requested
• Limited Time Offer 
• Free offer / gift / info
• Be Your Own Boss 
• As Seen on 
• Do it today 
• Money back 
• No fees / gimmicks / obligation / purchase necessary

Think of periodically scrubbing your marketing lists to remove inactive or illegitimate emails. Tools such as NEVERBOUNCE and ZeroBounce are widely available in the market. This will help improve your engagement and open rates. Also, review if your IP address has been blacklisted. You can use MXToolbox Email Blacklist Check.

7. Mobile-friendly emails are your best friends

It’s no surprise that we do a lot on our phones, from shopping to answering work emails. 

2020’s marketing statistics show that 73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email, and 35% of business professionals check their emails on a mobile device. In fact, 46% of email opens come from mobile phones.

So, the order of the day is: make sure your emails are mobile-friendly. This includes avoiding large chunks of text, heavy images and overflowing page formats. 

8. Email automation 

Creating email templates for specific situations will help you gain time and increase in performance. It’s a good way to show your user that you’re present and that they’re appreciated. Here are five automated email campaigns that you can benefit from:

• Abandoned cart email

According to the Baymard Institute, 70% is the average online shopping cart abandonment rate. Recover this revenue by implementing a savvy, abandoned cart email sequence.

• New customer / sign up

This email will be the first contact with your customer, so getting it right is crucial. Use it as an opportunity to develop a relationship that could lead to a long-term value. Think about email flows to say welcome, check-up and announce new products. 

Don’t forget about drafting content and linking it to an effective CTA. 

• Re-engagement email (to active old leads)

This is designed to spark interest in inactive customers. It may be that your customers may have grown accustomed to your marketing emails, so crafting a unique and catchy email flow can help regain their interest in your products.

• Back in stock

If there are products that historically sell out, you can add an opt-in button on the product page so that customers can be alerted when they are back in stock. 

• New products and offers

Use this opportunity to introduce to your customers your new products or offers tailored to their previous purchases, in the style of “You might also like”.

The final word

It’s undeniable that emails are part of our lives, playing an important role across different industries. We may not even realize it since it has become the way of doing things. It can be to get the confirmation order from our supplier, updates on your parcel’s shipping or feedback on a sales proposal, and that’s just scratching the surface. When it comes to marketing, it can be leveraged as an important pillar of your overall strategy, to reinforce your e-commerce presence, provide customer service and communicate with potential customers. 

It might be that we are “going back to basics”, and if that’s so, it’s because it works. Create a community, engage with it and build. Email marketing can be the key to growing your business.

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This December, our Merchant of the Month is JB Hi-Fi. Created in 1974 by John Barbuto (JB) in East Keilor, Victoria, it has since then expanded nationwide and to New Zealand. 

JB had one philosophy when he first started: “to deliver a specialist range of Hi-Fi and recorded music at Australia’s lowest prices.” He began trading from a single store, and the business has grown tremendously since then. Sold in 1983, by 1999 nine other stores were opening their doors. JB’s model was taken to the national scale when JB Hi-Fi was purchased in 2000. Three years later, the company was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange and began operating under its listed holding company, JB Hi-Fi Limited. 

In 2004, JB bought the Queensland Clive Anthony, a chain that sold consumer electronics, white goods, cooking appliances and air-conditioning. Now, these locations were converted into JB Hi-Fi HOME stores, where users can find everything you need in the whitegoods & appliances sector.

Fast forward to today, Mr Barbuto’s original philosophy has carried on alongside the business’s expansion. JB Hi-Fi sells consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, home entertainment and much more. From Melbourne to your homes, through a TV, a smartphone, a camera or a guitar, JB Hi-Fi has been offering some of the best brands and products since ‘74. They’re proud to offer customers great prices and genuine personal service from specialist staff.

JB Hi-Fi has a solid online e-commerce presence through their website. When the pandemic struck, online shopping was strongly suggested, and the stores quickly made available the click and collect service. 

As part of their corporate social responsibility, JB Hi-Fi founded the “Helping Hands”, a program that allows JB Hi-Fi employees to donate to charity partners. Over $20 million has been raised in the past eleven years. 

The JB Hi-Fi Group, which operates under JB Hi-Fi Limited, comprises JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys. Together, they have over 300 stores in Australia and New Zealand, as well as their online shop. The Group also services the commercial, insurance and education sectors and offers information technology and consulting services, through its JB Hi-Fi Solutions business.

JB Hi-Fi has trusted Shopbot since 2014, and we’re proud to be their partners. Find their products here.

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The cold months have arrived. As we bundle up for the season, it doesn’t mean we have to stay indoors. December’s Merchant of the Month is big on outdoor activities, and they’re quite the experts: Altitude Sports! 

1984 marks the opening of the first store on St-Denis Street in Montreal. Back then, they were called Altitude Sports Plein Air. Their goal? Promote the outdoors by selling and renting outdoor apparel and equipment.

In 1999, Altitude-sports.com was launched, servicing Canada and other countries. They were one of the first online outdoor retailers in the country, in a time where e-commerce was taking flight. With a focus on hiking, camping and travel, the website grew and became renowned for catering to customers searching for specific products. The end of the 2000s brought change. A new version of Altitude-sports.com was launched in 2008, and one year later they were outselling the brick-and-mortar store. So in 2009, they expanded into a larger locale in Montreal’s Little Italy. It was also the year they launched their blog, which became a reference point to everything outdoors in Canada. 

Adventure seems to be etched into Altitude Sports’s DNA. Growth made them move to another location again in 2010. They also organize their first warehouse sale, which proves to be a big success among deal hunters. In that same spirit, they launched a partner site called TheLastHunt.com that proposes great deals all year round on the biggest outdoors brands. The website has a different concept and is based on different purchasing rules: all sales are final, customer service via email only, and shipping isn’t included.

Altitude Sports started branching out of the hiking, camping and travel focus in 2011. They brought in brands renowned for their urban wear, ski and running apparel, such as Nobis, Oakley, Patagonia, JanSport, Burton, Harricana and Ecco. 

It was also the year that Alexandre Guimond and Maxime Dubois, two employees that worked at Altitude Sports since 2004 and 2008 respectively, bought the company and become majority owners. They had the mission to give the customer a complete shopping experience in both worlds – online or in-store.

The co-presidents, of Altitude Sports, Maxime Dubois and Alexandre Guimond, at their new warehouse at Saint-Laurent, Montréal. Source: Le Journal de Montreal

In 2012 they created the project “Don’t Dump that Downie”. People can bring in their old insulated jacket that’s still in wearable condition and receive a $75 discount by the store to be put towards a new jacket. The collected jackets are then donated to the Old Brewery Mission to help those in need. 

Throughout the year, they’ve been adding more brands and products to their catalog to accompany their expansion online and on physical stores. These include Moncler, Sorel, Goldwin, Canada Goose and much more.

The list of projects is long and goes a long way to say how much they’re engaged and passionate.

Altitude Sports have trusted Shopbot since 2011, and we’re proud to be their partners. Find their products here.

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iDrinkCoffee.com was founded in 2009 on one simple principle: to bring fresh, high-quality coffee to everyone. November’s Merchant of the Month is located in Milton, Ontario, and they take quality very seriously. That’s why they’ve curated an unparalleled selection of the finest coffee equipment, espresso machines, and accessories.

Their showroom is in Alliance Road, where the beans are roasted. For coffee lovers from outside the Ontario area, an online store is also available and super comprehensive. iDrinkCoffee caters to different tastes by getting the best beans from around the world, then locally roasting and delivering to their customer’s doorstep. 

“Whether you’re a coffee aficionado, cafe owner, or simply looking to refine your morning brew, iDrinkCoffee delivers everything you need to brew superb coffee anywhere.”

iDrinkCoffee is devoted to coffee, and they pride themselves in their top-notch customer service. They’ve got expert baristas in their team, and they’re also available by phone in case of enquiries. For them, it’s important that every customer knows how to use and maintain their machine. Also, by offering competitive prices, they provide everyone with the opportunity to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee. 

“Our product line is indicative of our commitment to coffee. We continue to scour the globe for unique products that are of interest to coffee enthusiasts, even if those products are small volume or impractical. We have hands-on experience with every item we sell.”

To top it off, they really do bring the community out of the passion for coffee. Coffee lovers can join the iDrinkCoffee.com Club and access exclusive rewards as well as exciting perks. In addition, they offer educational resources for enthusiasts interested in learning more about finely crafted, cafe-quality coffee. In times like these, where we’re spending a lot of time at home, having a fresh cup of coffee at hand can really make the best out of the experience. 

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Created in 2003, Camera Warehouse is a camera shop based in Sydney, and they’re November’s Merchant of the Month! Customers can drop by the physical store at Princes Highway, Tempe, where they can buy Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, and other brands “without breaking the bank”. They also have an online shop – a great plus during the lockdown -, with deliveries happening Australia wide.

Camera Warehouse’s goal is to provide photographers with quality products, honest service and competitive prices. They are also proud to provide 100% Local Australian Stock & Warranty (no grey imports) and top-notch customer service. 

Buying a camera is an investment if you’re a beginner, an enthusiast or a professional. There’s a whole experience behind it, and it goes without saying that this art didn’t disappear with the rise of smartphones. Camera Warehouse is an example of a business that understood the needs and challenges of a niche market and went above and beyond to keep servicing their customers. 

They’re dedicated to providing an excellent customer experience, allowing customers to talk to photographers, and not salesmen. It’s their goal to help customers find the best camera or equipment. 

 “We strive to educate every person out there why Photography is Fun and ‘how a picture is worth a thousand words.’”

Plus, they provide free post-sales support for 12 months to assist customers in improving their photography and getting the most from their purchase. For anything else, they’re also present on social media channels, frequently giving tips on how to master the art of photography.

Source: Camera Warehouse’s Facebook page

Oh, at Camera Warehouse, they care for the welfare of animals. For every order that is placed, they donate $1 towards the Animals Australia Charity Group to support ending animal cruelty in Australia and around the globe. So if you’re a fellow animal lover and passionate about photography, Camera Warehouse has everything you’re looking for!

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It’s no secret that the last quarter of the year is usually the busiest and most profitable time for e-commerce businesses. The combination of back to school, Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas Eve followed by Boxing Day means that shops get a chance of closing their year well. In the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of online shopping during the holiday sales season as customers flock the world wide web looking for the best deals.   

But now more than ever, the e-commerce world has taken the front stage. The sequence of events that unfolded in 2020 brought to light the importance of the e-commerce industry to today’s world. As countries around the world went into lockdown, people relied on online stores more than ever. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the many businesses that worked around the clock to ensure shipping orders were delivered to the customers, from supermarkets, home appliance stores to local restaurants. 

There’s no denying it: the pandemic has accelerated the shift away from physical stores to digital shopping by roughly five years.  

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But it’s time to face the truth. This also means that the Peak Period this year will look different. It’ll look different because everyone is shopping online. Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BFCM) sales season is no longer limited to the end of November, it’s been extended, and it starts now.

Black Friday Season 2020: Earlier & Longer

The reason is simple, even if the consequences are complex: buying behavior has changed, spending has taken new forms and businesses are constantly adapting. Growing adoption of e-commerce services and business-to-consumer deliveries means that there’s been a lot of stress on the entire chain, from fulfillment, shippers to carriers. The best deals are going out of stock quicker than usual, and a lot of the popular products are unavailable. We even saw the largest retailers struggling to keep up with the unprecedented consumer demand. 

Usually, BFCM is an opportunity to boost sales and attract new customers over a few limited days. This year,  trends suggest that the peak season will not take place during one weekend, or one week. Actually, it has already started and it’ll extend well into December. Will there be the usual peak in traffic during BFCM weekend? Can we expect the same influx as the one the world saw in March and April during lockdown? Most probably not.

The odds are that we’re going to see a sustained period – probably months – where every day is like Black Friday. According to the annual Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey, 75% of consumers say they will do at least some of their holiday shopping online – that’s a 65% rise compared to last year. In comparison, 43% of shoppers plan to shop exclusively online this holiday season.

According to Google Trends, interest for the term “Black Friday 2020” worldwide began its ascent in the beginning of October.

We saw it happen a few weeks ago. Amazon conducted its Prime Days on October 13 and 14. Two days later, on October 16th, the next day, they were already kicking off the “Holiday Dash” deals event, which they pegged as a way for shoppers to “beat the holiday hustle” and enjoy “Black Friday worthy deals across the most giftable categories”. Indeed, a-typical market conditions and pandemic-induced consumer buying patterns call for a strategy adaptation. 

So, business owners and marketers, you need to gear up and prepare for the next 2 months of 2020.

And how can retailers, big and small, begin to prepare?

1. Prep time: Start early and plan for a longer season

According to a survey by Shopkick, 34% of shoppers in the U.S indicated that they would make their holiday purchases before Thanksgiving. That’s on November 26th, a day before Black Friday. So if you haven’t already started preparing or advertising new deals, don’t worry! You still have time. The important thing here is to make sure you’re communicating your offers as early as possible. 

If it’s operationally and financially feasible, think about extending them beyond the BFCM period as well. This requires planning. Once you’ve gotten your best products and deals figured out, there are three things to consider. 

Double down on your top sales channels

Since this Black Friday season is going to be much more competitive than usual with more and more businesses going online, you’ll want to reap the benefits of multichannel selling. If this is already your reality and you’ve already mastered selling on multiple channels, now it’s the time to identify which ones have been most lucrative for your business. Double-down on them during this season and consider some paid native advertisement in-platform. This can come in the form of sponsored products or ads placements. 

If you want to explore the world of online channels, check these out:

•  All you need to know about PCWs – Choose the best price comparison websites for your business with this detailed list and learn how to use price comparison engines to reach your audience.
• Acquisition Channels Explained – Marketing costs can come out high, so it’s important to pick the best acquisition channel that suits your needs and provides you with a positive return on investment.

Create contingency plans

“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” That’s how the saying goes, but you can prepare for the best and the worst. Even though this is a sensitive subject – we don’t want to touch any sore spots – it’s important to prepare for tough situations. That’s what contingency plans are for. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

• Are your backups in place in case anything in your website goes awry, or worse, it crashes? 
• What happens if your regular shipping company becomes too busy or runs into a bump? 
• What’s the plan if your inventory doesn’t arrive in time? 
• How quickly can you adjust your product plan? 
• Are those emails ready to be sent to your client for each scenario?

Creating these contingency plans now will help you troubleshoot much easily in case things get complicated. You don’t want to have a crisis in the midst of the most popular weekend of the year, so prepare for the unexpected and the worst-case scenarios for your business. 

Test and ensure your website can handle a surge in traffic

That being said, this next step is of utmost importance. Surges in web traffic can potentially cause your website to crash. It can also slow down your website, which can scare shoppers away. Consumers expect a “Ferrari Fast” reaction of online stores, and 4 to 10 people leave a website if it takes more than a few seconds to load. 

So talk to your tech team, make sure your servers are ready to receive a high influx of shoppers and prepare a contingency plan for the worst-case scenarios. You can test the server load capacity of your store with tools such as k6 Cloud.

2. Marketing

Now, to the marketing part. It’s an important part of any business strategy as it takes you to your audience. It’s definitely a bridge you don’t want to burn.

Optimize your website (Work on your SEO will pay off!)

A study found that in 2019, 81% of shoppers will research online before buying, and that was before the pandemic made e-commerce sales soar even higher. This is the time to check your landing page and to optimize your website’s SEO. Shoppers are researchers. Creating a dedicated page for Black Friday offers might not be the best idea since Google will have less time to rate your website. If you want to be listed on top of the search results when a consumer searches for a product, you need to make sure your website is optimized. 

What are the keywords you want to target? Are your meta tags and descriptions updated? 

Start email marketing earlier

Email marketing is the oldest strategy out there, but it works. Everyone does it, and you should invest in creating an email marketing strategy that goes beyond the holiday sales season. It’s a great way to build brand loyalty and grow a community around your business.

For the Black Friday season, here are some tips to take into consideration when setting up your strategy:

Build suspense and buzz around your upcoming sale. Make sure you collect emails from shoppers that visit your website. They might not be ready to buy before you announce your deals, so creating a buzz around your upcoming sale can encourage sign-ups. Nothing speaks more to undecided users than a (subtle) pop-up about an upcoming sale. Plus, giving them a chance to be the first ones to know about your deals will give them a sense of exclusivity and a great incentive to sign up. Don’t forget that these shoppers can become long-term loyal customers; that’s why preparing ahead is important.

Send “warm-up” emails in the weeks leading up to Black Friday teasers – and maybe some pre-game deals! It’ll all depend on how your business is doing and how much you’re willing to give as a discount. For that, make sure you have a clear view of your inventory and that your pricing strategy is refreshed.

Your offer can be a discount, an exclusive product, free shipping or a one-time bundle. If you start teasing it early, your subscribers will be on the lookout for the announcement, and you’ll less likely end up in spam. Don’t forget to send tailor-made offers to different customer segments.

Thank your customers when your sale ends. After the BFCM weekend, you might think that the work is over, but not necessarily. Plan a thank you 5-7 days after will keep your audience warm and add a nice touch. Don’t forget they’re going to be receiving order-related information, so try not to overdo in terms of communication. 

Create abandoned cart emails.  According to a survey by Statista, 69.57 percent of digital shopping carts and baskets were abandoned, and the purchase was not completed. On Black Friday 2019, the average cart abandonment rate in the US was 82%. This can happen for a few reasons, the main ones being:

• Shipping costs
• Better deal elsewhere
• Out of stock

Take these into consideration to review your strategy. Is it possible to offer free shipping or parcel tracking? And how can you avoid out of stock situations (think of the contingency plans) or what is your strategy for when the products are available again? Create a compelling email for when a customer adds a product to their cart but abandons it to bring them back.

Create offers that will stand out from the noise

Consumers will be receiving tons of emails during this period, and ads on social media will bombard them with infinite options of deals. 

While 77% of surveyed global shoppers say getting a special promotion is important to them when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from, you need to stand out from all the noise. Here are some tips for doing that: 

• Use email marketing to promote that *one* sale you know is the most enticing, instead of promoting all your products at the same time. Consider focusing on the one sale product you feel is the most enticing, instead of promoting all of your best Black Friday sales at the same time.
• Run a “jaw-dropping” sale on a popular item to attract customers to their store. This deep discount will attract them to your website, and the chances are greater they’ll add other items to their cart. This product serves as a loss leader strategy, which is when a product sold below cost, at a loss to the retailer, intending to get customers inside the (digital or physical) store. 
• Focus on other promotional ideas such as offering a product bundle, a combo ‘Best of’, or daily deals.

Create tailor-made deals to different audiences across different channels. Think of doing paid campaigns as well. If you start early, you can spread your deals through different days and avoid intense competition during the Black Friday & Cyber Monday weekend. Our guide will help you navigate the world of acquisition channels.

3. Customer retention and loyalty

This is a busy time for you and your customers, so it should be one of your priorities to make sure their experience with your brand is hassle-free. It’ll help save you time and money. 

Offer easy returns

What is your policy for returns? Due to the pandemic, many retailers are expanding the return period and facilitating the process. This not only helps keep the customer happy, but it reduces stress from both sides. Remember, delays in shipping are to be expected due to the pressure carriers are experiencing so flexibility can be your best friend. Take this opportunity to be the business that cares and goes above and beyond for their customers.

Establish a fair return policy and make sure you communicate it clearly on your website. For example, do you offer refunds where feasible? Decide and communicate on it. It helps convince on-the-fence customers to click the ‘Buy Now’ button since you’re showing confidence in your product and removing any potential risk. 

Also, prepare email replies for potential shipping situations. You don’t want to be scrambling to write a respectful email to an upset customer in the midst of peak season – get it done beforehand.

Reward customers and make them loyal to your brand

Remember how we talked about using email marketing as part of your marketing strategy? Well, BFCM is an opportune time to build relationships with your previous customers and to start one with the newcomers. 

Use customer marketing to improve your chances of reaching your previous customers and getting them to come back. Give them access to a pre-sale, and play with rewards and personalized codes for customers that recently subscribed to your email list. As mentioned, a sense of exclusivity acts as an incentive. Think of the 3 E’s:

Early access. Everyone can get your deals on Black Friday, but only a small part can start buying at special prices before the D-day. 

Exclusive access. On top of BFCM deals you’re offering to your entire customer base, you also offer special tailor-made only to a certain audience, such as VIP customers. 

Extra rewards. This can be in the form of a 10% off for the first sale if they sign up, a credit if they spend a certain amount or free shipping for purchases above a specified amount. 

Support, support, support!

Combine the first two tips with support to turn one-time shoppers into loyal customers. Before you say otherwise, consider this: 

Customers who chat with a brand convert three times more often and have a 10%-15% higher average cart value.

Think of ways to support your clients. This can come in the form of a live chat tool, or a social media application such as What’s App or Facebook Messenger to engage and support your customers.

Part of providing a fantastic experience is providing a quick response. The other one is being respectful and friendly. So, as mentioned above – having email replies ready will help you deliver more consistent service. If you have a team, make sure they’re briefed on how to handle some common issues, such as 

• A lost or delayed order
• An unsatisfied customer 
• A damaged package or product

Ensuring a provide prompt and personal support can make the difference. Be there for your customers, and they’ll remember you. 

4. Products (from shipping to prices, get it right now)

Inventory and shipping constraints have affected retailers of all sizes this year. The challenge has been to keep the retail supply chain up and running smoothly. Since this year BFCM is expected to start earlier and go on longer, the goal is to keep all operating systems running for longer. 

Make inventory decisions early

Again, planning is of the essence here. If you rely on suppliers to source or manufacture your inventory, it’s important to pick the products you want to promote for this Black Friday season as early as possible. Suppliers need a time margin to get your products ready since they’ve been under a lot of pressure since the pandemic started.

How to choose which products to offer? While there are different ways to forecast demand and prepare for a busy period – especially if this is your best season -, you should identify which products you want to re-up for BFCM. 

The goal is to avoid doing things last minute. So look at all of your products, review your margins and inventory to find suitable discounts, and plan your deals and discounts ahead of time. A good start point is to identify your best and worst-performing products and use them to drive revenue. A good strategy would be to feature your A-grade products with a modest discount, while at the same time offering a higher discount on the C-grade products. You’ll increase your opportunity to free up shelf space and save money in the long run. 

A-grade products are your “money makers”. They represent the products that make up 80% of your revenue. 

C-grade products are your “dead stock”. They represent the products that make up only 5% of your revenue. 

On Shopbot, make sure you’ve installed the Sales Tracker to monitor your products’ performance. You can also check your Analytics Dashboard to find out which categories spark the highest interest and push them to the top spots. This can help you optimize your listing and identify your targets. 

Then set up a calendar where all your marketing and pricing efforts merge. It’ll help you track your selling channels as well as your social media campaigns. 

Take into consideration pandemic product trends (for product placement and pricing strategy)

Sales seasons call for special attention to your best-selling products. However, it might be smart to consider products that have been in demand since the pandemic. There’s no need to change your entire business last minute, but it’s definitely worth considering updating your inventory. 

According to our internal Shopbot data, the top trending product categories since lockdown in March are:

• Home office equipment and accessories such as headsets, webcams and Bluetooth speakers
• Entertainment products such as video games (consoles and games), board games and puzzles
• Small kitchen appliances, from mixers, bread makers to coffee machines
• Home and gardening equipment

Shipping done right – Optimize order and fulfillment workflows

It’s a good idea to revisit your shipping strategy to make sure it fits with the Black Friday peak season. A high volume of sales can make it trickier to fulfill and get orders to customers on time. Here are some ways you can optimize your fulfillment workflows:

• Organize your fulfillment area. Clear out an area for quick picking and packing.
• Get some help. Now is the time to get your friends and family to jump in and give a hand. 
• Communicate. Don’t be shy, communicate clearly and regularly with the fulfillment and delivery staff to help avoid errors. 
• Prioritize and organize your orders. Think in advance how you want to prioritize your orders and group orders by a common need; this can be Customer Priority, shopping requirements and product type. 

The final word

To recap, planning is key to a successful Black Friday this year. Make sure you take the time to go through the main points laid out here, from an early prep, a marketing strategy that will help you stand out, a customer retention plan that will turn one-time shoppers into loyal customers, to smart shipping decisions.

If this is your first Black Friday, treat it as a one of a kind experience. Cover all your basis, stay motivated and set realistic experiences. It’s a great opportunity to learn so that in 2021 you’ll be even more prepared.

One thing that really helps us is to put ourselves in the shoes of our customers. So if you’re ever stuck on what to do next or how to handle a crisis, think of what you would like to hear if you were the customer. We’ve all been affected by this pandemic, let’s take the time to grow our community with kindness, respect, goals and – hopefully – sales! 

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Created in 2016, Healthy Being is based in Sydney. October’s Merchant of the Month is a family business that was born out of passion and struggle. Focused on natural and organic products, they aim to provide the best quality to their customers at competitive prices. 

But Healthy Being is not a typical business. The founder, Anthony Succar, started the business with his brothers inspired and guided by the importance of nature’s essential role in leading a healthy and quality life.  

Anthony’s story is unconventional, and it powers his drive and commitment to his customers. He suffered a spinal cord injury in his early teens which left him paralysed from the neck down. Modern medicine and its pharmaceutical drugs became part of his life. It was in his mid-20s that he embarked on his journey of discovery of natural remedies. After a lot of research, he transitioned from prescribed drugs to natural remedies, obtaining benefits that were unimagined beforehand. His noticeable health meant that his family and friends would go to him for health advice. He became the ‘go-to-guy’, and that gave him the spark to start a business.

Together with his brothers, Paul and Peter, they decided to make a business out of Anthony’s passion for natural medicine and organic products. Healthy Being became a family affair. Paul takes care of warehouse operations and logistics, while Peter is in charge of product research and development. Anthony managed the staff and day-to-day operations. 

“Healthy Being is not a typical business, selling products and offloading stock with a sole concern about the weekly or monthly bottom line. We believe in what we sell, and are driven by a desire to help people stay healthy.”

They meticulously assess their products, carefully selecting the best nature has to offer. They work towards offering everyone the opportunity to buy natural organic products. This is translated into affordable prices, a wide variety of products, and a solid online presence. This means their own e-commerce site as well as listing on several platforms. Their products range from aromatherapy to superfoods, catering to vegans, dairy or gluten-free and different types of diets. They also have a blog that covers guides, tips, routines and insights. Healthy Being has got all it takes to truly become a one-stop-shop for natural and organic products! Find out more about Anthony’s story here. 

“As a quadriplegic, paralysed from the neck down, healthy living is an absolute necessity! Achieving the goals for my own health, I am driven by a passion for helping others and promoting the benefits of a natural, healthy lifestyle – that is the very genesis of Healthy Being“ – Anthony Succar, Founder.

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Founded as a basement operation in 1989 in North Bay Ontario, Acclaim Sound and Lighting is the first and longest-running online musical instrument retailer in Canada.

Everything began at a wedding where things went wrong. The hired DJ couldn’t provide the service, so the hunt was on to find a replacement on very short notice. This proved to be a difficult task in the second week of September and because “in 1989 the internet was not around and phone calls to hundreds of yellow page ads” gave no results. Through referrals by friends and family, a new DJ was found, but on D-Day things started going downhill. He showed up with a tiny in-doors speaker (for 250 guests!), he didn’t have the music required for the first dance and all of the music was recorded off AM radio. To top it all off, one of the speakers caught fire during the first dance! After a hurried emergency rescue, a back up sound system was found, and the wedding continued.

From such experience came the desire to create a company that could offer better quality and far better service. To this day, they still function on the principles of serving customers with quality and excellence.

The company then began as a DJ operation and at over 1000 events per year. There was an important need for equipment, speakers, lighting, mixing boards, microphones and other gear which weren’t widely available in the nearby marketplace of central Ontario. This opened them to dealerships for many product lines.

After several years of incredible growth, the company opened its first brick and mortar retail operation in 1996 selling speakers, amps, mics, karaoke and a wide variety of other products. A rental department was also created to service the growing needs of other folks in the region.

2000 was the year they added a wide range of musical instruments to our catalog. It was then that they realized that Guitars were outselling many other products, so they decided to split the company into 2 brick and mortar locations that specialize in different client groups and their needs.

Throughout their trajectory, they pioneered many “firsts”. In 1992, Acclaim Sound & Lighting were one of the first 200 registered domains in Canada, when the internet went from green to colour and HTML 1.0.

“Back in those days the internet URL maxed out at a certain number of letters and could not include the word “and” which made it too long, so we chose www.acclaim-music.com, and we still use it to this day.” Explains Tim Hazelwood Director of Operations. “We were online before some of the largest companies out there today. Incredibly, most of our early customers are still with us today!”

They also were the first online mobile-friendly website in the industry and the first to offer free shipping. This goes in line with their principle of providing the “best possible products for the best possible price”.

Acclaim Sound & Lighting carries cutting edge technology in their DNA. Their business depends heavily on the latest technology to accompany the ever-expanding customer base. They’re also dedicated to providing the best customer experience, which comes in handy when buying musical gear. On-site, by phone or online, Acclaim Sound & Lighting has a top-notch staff to assist customers in their choices and needs. They are proud of selling more than a product, thus satisfying customer needs through expert advice.

“Our staff are patient and take the time to provide assistance and expert advice to clients. A rare commodity in this box store world. They also understand our story and where our principles were derived.”

Tim shared with us some words of wisdom from a seasoned pro:

“Stay true to your values. Believe in customer service and commitment to quality. It will pay rewards in the long term and have made our business stay relevant in a world that wants instant gratification.” He added: “When your team is passionate and love what they do daily, it creates a recipe for long term success.”

We can’t deny, in such niche markets, a good customer service, a solid online presence and attractive prices make up the right combination to a successful business strategy. It’s no wonder they’re leading the charge in the online marketplace in the Canadian music retail scene for the past 31 years.

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Lately, we’ve been talking about how things have changed. In the office, the break room is different. When we go grocery shopping, our masks have become an essential item. Yes, post-lockdown life is definitely different; and we’re still adapting. (We wouldn’t say “post-COVID” just yet. Hopefully, in 2021, fingers crossed!)

COVID-19 has also been making it hard to breathe for businesses. The buzz going around is that “business isn’t the same anymore”.  The U.S Chamber of Commerce reported that one in five small businesses had to temporarily close down since the pandemic started, with permanent closures increasing. Meanwhile, nearly one-quarter of all businesses were temporarily closed or paused in the United Kingdom as of April 2020. Companies have had to move online and change the way they do business while they wait to reopen their doors. 

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David Rusenko, head of e-commerce at mobile payments company Square shared his impressions: 

“Overnight, doing business in person was not really an option anymore, so everyone scrambled to get online. We saw a three-year adoption cycle get compressed to three weeks.”

Just like we gathered around virtually in our communities to find ways to cope with the lockdown, customers came together to support their favorite local businesses. Be it their favorite local bookstore or their preferred wine shop; it was a way to show support and keep life going. By creating these online communities, the goal was to keep our neighborhood businesses alive.  This could take the form of a Zoom happy hour drinking a locally brewed beer, an online fitness class or sharing recommendations of local shops and restaurants on social media. 

As a consequence, these communities grew, and connections were strengthened. Now, even though lockdown measures were removed and life is  – slowly – going back to ‘normal’, the goal is to continue building these communities online. And the reason is simple.

The way we’ve been buying has fundamentally changed over the years, and the lines between the physical and online world have been blurred. By now, if you’re a user or a business owner, we know that having an online presence is essential to have sustainable growth. Studies show the pandemic has accelerated the shift away from physical stores to digital shopping by roughly five years. For those businesses that already had an e-commerce store or a strong online presence before lockdown, the shift was softer. For those that had to start from scratch, it might have been more challenging. Nonetheless, you’ve got the opportunity to tap into the power of a community.

Whether you want to keep growing or you’re looking to start building your online community, this article is for you. Below, we’ll also cover the value and benefits of a community and what type of online communities are there.  

But what’s in it for you and your brand? 

Still not sure what an online community is? It’s a “group of people with a shared interest or purpose who use the internet to communicate with each other.” It can be seen as a “place for inclusion”, where people can bond over a common interest, share experiences and feedback and help solve issues and make decisions.  

These communities take the form of a 1+ million-people Instagram community, a 20-person community of artisanal coffee lovers in the same city on a private Facebook group, or a 100+ people community of permaculture gardening enthusiasts on a dedicated forum. You’re most probably part of a community yourself. Think of that newsletter from that organic products company you received this morning or those posts on Instagram from that clothing brand you like. Maybe you’re the community creator or close friends to one! For example, last weekend, I went to this workshop spearheaded by my friend who’s starting her own sewing school. We were 20! 

So, if you’re a business owner and you’re not sure if your brand is community-friendly, the answer is yes! That’s because online communities allow users to build relationships with each other and with your brand. Show your audience that you’re taking into consideration their feedback and thoughts – they want to be heard!

Users benefit most when there’s a strong sense of belonging and mutual understanding – they value this position. It brings trust and authenticity to your brand, and adds value to your community! Use this as a two-way communication channel and in turn it will translate into greater brand loyalty and increased sales opportunities. That’s because 74% of consumers consider word-of-mouth the primary factor behind their purchase decisions. Yup, you read it right. Customers referred by a friend are four times more likely to buy. Leverage the power of word of mouth through your community.

We talk about the importance of your business’s added value in branding, social media engagement and defining your golden circle. Here, your community will complement these strategies and bring you closer to your customers. 

The do’s and dont’s

Creating a community around your brand or business goes beyond maintaining an Instagram account. You don’t want to shout your message at your audience, with no engagement, no conversation or context. You risk having ghost posts and looking like spam.

Fostering a community clearly shows that you care about your customers. Trustworthy brands converse with their customers, sometimes even one-on-one. Now, we’re living in a time where things are happening online, more than usual.

So here are some tools you can use to help you grow your community: 

 GetApp and G2 allow you to search compare and download the best tools for your business. You can search and filter using categories.

Social media management tools include Buffer, Hootsuite,  Click to Tweet and Mention.

 LaunchCrew, Unbounce, SEMrush are tools to strengthen your marketing strategy.

 Slack and Intercom are customer relationship platforms, where communities can be managed in different ways.

So we’ve covered the value in building and growing a community. Now, the question is:

How can your brand benefit from a community? 

1) A community is a giant focus group

Building a community can help you identify ways to improve your business. As mentioned, this is a two-way channel, so you can learn what your audience’s needs and interests are by letting them lead the conversation. Pay attention to what they’re saying to you and each other. Then, build content around it. 

These are the top 5 functional processes enabled by community:

• Customer support (63%)
• Knowledge management (53%)
• Learning and development (52%)
• Marketing (48%)
• Product/engineering (39%)

Communities can be a great way to power innovation. It can be used as a question and answer space, where the brand gets to test products before it launches or to get feedback in its early stages. For example, in the early days, Product Hunt “built-in public”. They would share mockups and roadmaps to gather feedback from their community before writing any code. According to them, it led to better product decisions, and it engendered more trust and buy-in.

Communities have also proven to reduce customer support costs. 

2) Online communities to empower and reduce customer support costs

A great example is DEWALT, the industrial tool company. They say that they saved $6 million in research costs by launching their community. It became a “free focus group” that gave the company enough feedback to back major product innovations as well as reducing support costs. 

But how exactly does this happen? Let’s look at it in numbers.

Studies show that 63% of communities empower members frequently or all of the time, by 

• Asking questions (76%)
• Providing solutions (68%)
• Connecting (65%)
• Being heard (61%)
• Feeling seen (60%)
• Leading (35%)

Jama Software’s online support community is a good example. It serves as a primary knowledge base for customers to find help. 73% of Jama’s customer support have found many inquiries can be solved easily by linking a customer directly to links on the community. The number of formal support tickets created decreased, and the customer base continued to grow. 

Rachel Happe and Jim Storer from The Community Roundtable explained: 

“Community approaches accelerate our work, empower individuals, and create powerful feedback loops, helping organizations adapt and change.

Then why aren’t all organizations racing to adopt community approaches? Building and operating successful, productive communities require a radically different mindset – one that does not put your organization at the center.”

3) Community drives retention and creates brand ambassadors

Users are more likely to come back if they have a community they feel tied to. It’s the same principle as branding. Consumers stick around and become advocates of a brand if they relate to it, if it shares the same values, and pays attention to them. In other words, it hits close to home, thus driving retention. 

Here are some numbers that illustrate how a community can generate a return on investment: 

• Increasing customer retention rate by 5% can increase profits by up to 95% on the long-term 
• Increased engagement on community forums can result in up to 25% increase in revenue 
• Receiving recommendations from friends and family is a determinant factor influencing purchase decisions 
• It costs 80% less to retain a customer than to acquire a new one 

When customers are excited about your brand and the community around it, they’re more likely to get other friends to join. That’s where the word of mouth starts, generating on and offline reviews. After all, having a customer talk well about you is priceless!

Internal and external communities generate over 6% ROI for organizations. ROI tends to follow this trend as communities age:

• At 2 years: 1,352%
• At 4 years: 6,295%
• At 7 years: 7,593%
• At 10 years: 10,158% 

Think of the process of the sales funnel, from lead generation to closing the deal. The power of a community can be leveraged to turn this customer into a loyal user. When you break down the traditional one-way exchange of information, you’re opening up your communication. Be it on Instagram, Facebook, or a private community forum, the community you are creating will deliver value beyond what meets the eye. A brand succeeds in its primary mission when it uses its community to convert clients to fans.

The role of online communities is becoming more evident in the buying process lately. Pushed by COVID-19, the move from physical stores to digital shopping has accelerated.  So, it’s time for you to kick your business up a notch and grow your community. 

An online community can take different forms and sizes. Understanding what type of online community is most beneficial for your brand is the first step in building your community. 

Types of communities you can grow for your business

When we think about creating a community, two types come to mind: social networks and community platforms. Although they seem interchangeable, they’re quite different, and they have their pros and cons.  

Social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, is composed of users that spend time connecting with their friends. One key pro is that these platforms are free to use and offer brands a space to create a community among many others. It comes with a “built-in” audience. Think of Facebook’s 2.5 billion active users and Instagram’s 1 billion. 

This means you can create your account and start publishing content for free. The goal would be to find and reach your audience on these platforms, and this usually takes a lot of leg work. 

The con is that you won’t actually “own” your community and are subject to decisions on how your content is served to others. Ever heard of the Facebook algorithm? It’s been making businesses constantly change their content strategy to retain users’ attention over the noise. Instagram also has its own algorithm, and it has been making brands work harder. That’s why, if you notice, you’ll see that these platforms are mostly used as a showcase window for a brand or business, to attract customers to their website, blog or store. 

Examples:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• G2 Crowd
• GetApp
• Quora
• Discourse
• Glassdoor

Community platforms, on the other hand, revolve around a specific issue, brand, service or product. Sometimes called “forums”, this is a place that is owned by the business or brand. They revolve around a specific issue, and it’s up to you to bring users to that platform to form a community that’s focused on your area. It has all the benefits of a social media platform, but you can have more control and flexibility on how you communicate with your members. 

One of the pros is that these owned platforms give you tighter control over your branding and messaging without having to worry about algorithms. Also, there’s no need to compete with similar communities on the same platforms. Think of it like this: a local jewelry store has a built-in audience on Instagram to engage with, but this business has to compete with a whole lot of other stores that the same audience is interacting with.  Features such as gamification and deep analytics are available on these platforms, and they allow you to create a better experience for your community.

The con is that from an audience standpoint, you’re starting from scratch since no built-in users come with the platform. You may have more freedom over your brand’s message, but you may have to spend some time promoting before starting to grow. 

Think about it this way: while an average user can “casually spend time” on a social networking site, members of a private online community are intent on investing time on engagement. 

The type of online community that you choose to create is going to be the answer to the next question, what community does your customer want? Think about it. Will the artisanal coffee lovers community be more comfortable sharing their coffee tasting experiences on a billion-people network, or a dedicated community forum? They might be looking to share their experiences with other coffee lovers that share a similar palette. On the other hand, a community of 1+ billion users might be the perfect place for bloggers that make a living sharing their lifestyle. 

Key takeaways

Before starting, it’s essential to understand what type of online community is most beneficial for your brand. This will depend on what stage of your business you are and how much time you have to dedicate. For example, if you’re starting, social media networks might be the best choice. You’re probably going to set up an account anyway to build visibility and promote your new brand to your audience. If you start a private community forum on the side, you might be looking at twice the work to promote it on social media and bring your customers to your platform.

Now, if you already have a business and you’re looking to add value for your customers, give them a place to interact with one another and an opportunity for you to engage with them directly, a dedicated community platform might be the best place! 

By tapping into people’s unique perspectives, expertise and knowledge, you’re inviting them to share it with others. This inspires engagement, loyalty and connection. In the end, those who feel like a critical part of the community through their contributions are also your most loyal customers.

“This cycle of distinctiveness – tapping into the unique qualities of people and allowing them to influence others – is just one way a community can enhance an organization’s ability to communicate, grow and remain relevant.” – Hunter Montgomery, Chief Marketing Officer at ChurnZero.

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We are debuting our Australian series of ‘Merchant of the Month’ with Appliance Giant, a home appliances & white goods business created in Sydney in 1991. 

Located in the southwest of Sydney, September’s Merchant of the Month for Australia is an example of a brick and mortar business with humble beginnings. Created in 1991 under the name Fairfield Discount Appliances, they’re proud of their customer knowledge harnessed since their grassroots level. They saw steady growth over the years, continuously adapting to an ever-changing consumer needs and a market ripe for expansion. 

In mid-2016, they ventured into the online industry and established the brand name ‘Appliance Giant’ in 2017. 

29 years and counting

Fairfield, NSW was the address of Fairfield Discount Appliances’s first retail store. Five years later, they moved from their 150sqm to an 880sqm storefront on Ware St, Fairfield. Their success and organisational growth continued, and in 2004 they joined forces with Bi-Rite Home Appliances, located in Queensland. 2010 marked their expansion into the commercial market, going beyond residential customers and serving builders, developers and the housing industry.  

After continual success in-store and commercial, the 2nd generational growth kicked in and called for an expansion to the online world. In June 2016, Evan, now director, decided to test the waters of the e-commerce industry by opening an eBay account. At first, they took the opportunity to clear out the stock of home phones. That proved to be a hit, so they continued to expand. The brand name Appliance Giant was created in 2017, and they opened a warehouse in Yennora, NSW. They explained: 

“We launched into the market to service the Australian market with a vision, striving to assist and make shopping for your appliances easy, convenient and available to you 24/7.”

In February 2019, Appliance Giant moved their Distribution Center to a larger area in Wetherill Park, NSW. And just a few months later, in May 2019, they created their website.

They designed a business model built around their customer with the objective of providing the best products, prices and services. That’s why they’re proud of their shopping process, that was designed to be as easy as possible, keeping the customer informed every step of the way. Over the last three years, they’ve changed locations five times due to out-growing of their spaces. 

“Customer obsession and making everything easier is the ground layer of our business. We are here because we love what we do and strive towards delivering a better tomorrow for our customers.”

 

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