With the fourth quarter holidays accounting for about 30% of sales, rivaling the Valentine’s Day rush, CuddleWorks.com, a retailer of teddy bears, prepares for the season with measures that ensure site performance, increase shipping options and closely monitor search engine spending as the season approaches, Jim Richardson, co-owner, tells Internet Retailer.
To prevent slow loading of web pages, the retailer optimizes photo images to reduce graphic file sizes. “This has been implemented since day one. Customers simply are not willing to wait for a slow web site, and during the holiday season bandwidth is at a premium,” Richardson says.
CuddleWorks also puts a special ordering option in place for the season. Most of its products are warehoused locally, meaning that orders generally ship the same day they’re placed. Starting in November, however, the site adds the option of “delayed shipping,” for customers who want their package to arrive just before December 24.
With search advertising spending tending to rise during the holidays, in part due to increased competition for position on keywords, CuddleWorks takes care to monitor search marketing results. “We have a dedicated employee who targets what she believes will be keywords searched for by our customers. We focus on making sure CuddleWorks shows up within the first few results,” Richardson says. That focus on optimization to place high in natural search helps hold the line on paid advertising spending during the holidays.
CuddleWorks also does merchandising specifically for the season, creating holiday packages consisting of different bears, decoratively wrapped for the season with the packages carrying a personalized greeting card designed by the customer. “Our greatest success during the holiday season is with our holiday packages,” Richardson says. “Our customers enjoy knowing they are sending something more than just a simple gift with little or no holiday appeal or personal touch.”
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