Good morning,
Have you targeted your last-minute holiday shoppers yet? 🕤
This is the time to send out a last-call email before Christmas and emphasize express shipping options if you are still able to do so.
Or promote your digital gift cards as an alternative for those still scrambling to find the perfect present!
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:
⏰ Five urgent messaging tactics to boost holiday conversions and ease gifting anxiety.
🗞️ We take a look back at the biggest news stories in 2024 that disrupted the ecommerce landscape.
💡 And… marketers, never struggle to sell again with this valuable tip.
You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Hope’s Therapy Dogs, Mauve on Main, and Baja Designs. 👋
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It’s time to jump into the future. 😎
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⏰ Five Urgent Messaging Tactics to Boost Holiday Conversions and Ease Gifting Anxiety
From now until Christmas, urgency messaging should be your go-to strategy.
After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, shoppers shift their focus from great deals to something even more critical: ensuring their gifts arrive on time.
As a DTC brand, your mission is clear: reassure your customers and communicate effectively. Adding urgency throughout your messaging can boost gifting conversions and help shoppers overcome purchase objections.
Here are some quick and effective tactics from the Pilothouse Meta team:
1️⃣ Countdown timers
Place a timer prominently on your webpage or presell page to count down to shipping cut-offs.
2️⃣ Low inventory alerts
Highlight limited availability in your ads or product pages. Use phrases like “limited inventory,” “sold out [X] times,” or “last chance” to drive action.
3️⃣ Order deadlines
Clearly state the final date to place orders for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
4️⃣ Delivery assurance
Add a simple “Will arrive in time for Christmas” message to product pages for peace of mind.
5️⃣ Easy returns and exchanges
Promote extended return windows and hassle-free exchanges, emphasizing it’s the perfect safety net for gifters.
✨ Bonus points if you can incorporate three or more of these strategies into a single webpage or ad creative!
🗞️ 2024: Full of TikTok Drama and Tightening Ad Restrictions
What a year it’s been!
2024 has been full of highs and lows – a looming TikTok ban, AI advancements, and regulatory changes impacting the advertising and ecommerce space.
Here are some of the top news highlights this year.
📝 Biden Signed Off on TikTok Ban
President Biden signed a bill in April to ban TikTok in the U.S.
The news shocked marketers, advertisers, and TikTok creators who rely on the platform for monetization.
😲 TikTok Sued the U.S. Government
TikTok retaliated by claiming the U.S. ban is a free speech violation and will affect over 170 million American users and many small businesses reliant on the app.
In recent years, TikTok has become an ecommerce powerhouse, quickly making products go viral. But will brands be forced to seek alternative options in January 2025?
🔍 Google’s Search Algorithm Leak
In May, over 2,500 pages of internal Google documents were leaked online.
The pages outlined there were over 14,000 ranking factors the search engine looked at (some of which Google had said in the past were not ranking factors).
This marked the first ever look SEO experts had at the inner workings of the search giant’s algorithm.
❗ Meta Accused of Violating EU's Digital Markets Act
All year, the EU’s Digital Markets Act has warned tech companies like Google and Meta to overhaul their ad targeting practices.
In July, the EU came down hard on Meta for violating the DMA with their ‘pay or consent to ad tracking’ policy and forced the platform to make changes or face hefty fines.
👉 This movement towards customer data privacy means less personalized ads, making it tougher for advertisers to target audiences.
🆚 Walmart and Amazon Battle It Out (Twice)
Both retailers hosted mega sales events in July and October to capture additional sales.
Amazon’s Fall event unofficially kicked off Black Friday festivities early.
🤖 Google Introduced AI Overviews
Google started to implement AI summaries into their search experience with mixed results.
Users were shocked by the amount of incorrect and dangerous misinformation promoted by Google’s AI Overviews, as well as how much information was gleaned from sites like Reddit.
💸 Amazon Launched a Discount Store to Compete with Temu
Amazon’s solution to increased competition?
Offer their own store with lower costs to compete with challengers like Temu and Shein who are quickly gaining market share in the U.S.
📈 All Time High BFCM Ecommerce Sales
Inflation may still be high, but customers were still spending during BFCM thanks to the rise of Buy Now Pay Later options, which made budget planning easier.
Ecommerce sales soared 10.2% YoY, approaching $11 billion in U.S. sales on Black Friday. Cyber Monday sales hit a record $13.3 billion.
Follow us on Instagram @DTCNewsletter so you don’t miss out on any breaking stories!
🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE
Want to become better at selling? Rewrite your headlines and focus on identity-driven messaging.
E.g. “Better results, guaranteed” 👉 “For problem-solvers who won’t settle for anything less.”
💸 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
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🗓️ January 23-25, 📍 Whistler, CA 💰 $3,000
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🗓️ March 3-5, 📍 Nashville, TN 💰 $2,295 - $4,495
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
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