E-Commerce for the Holiday Season: AI, Prime Days & Carousel Posts

With Prime Days, personalized recommendations, and creative marketing tools, the online shopping high season has begun. Here are some updates and tips to help you make the most of the key sales phases in the fourth quarter – whether you’re a retailer or a consumer.

The “Golden Quarter” in E-Commerce

The fourth quarter is often referred to as the “golden quarter” in e-commerce. During this time, events like Black Friday, the Christmas shopping season, and seasonal sales opportunities like Halloween take place. Amazon kicked off the major shopping season in early October with Prime Days, and many retailers and comparison sites followed suit with their own promotions.

For marketing and sales teams, this means going into overdrive. At the same time, consumers eagerly await the best deals. Here are some valuable tips to help you align your campaigns so that you can look back on a successful Q4 by the end of the year.

Shopping in Q4: Increased Attention and Tailored Offers

During the holiday and shopping season, users are browsing various platforms in search of products. These could be early Christmas gifts, new autumn outfits, Halloween costumes, or the latest tech gadgets. Product launches like Apple’s also drive sales during these months.

In addition to these shopping habits, special promotional days in October lead up to Black Friday (this year on November 29). Amazon, for example, held its Prime Days on October 8 and 9 to excite bargain hunters and kick off the season early.

New Programs and Opportunities for Retailers

These promotional events offer a fantastic opportunity to maximize retail potential on marketplaces. Amazon has introduced its “Export Central” program, which allows merchants to export products to 39 European countries that do not have their own Amazon stores.

Additionally, Google now offers an integration for Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment in its Merchant Center. This logistical convenience allows retailers to sell their products more efficiently across multiple channels.

Another useful tool is the AI Shopping Guide, which optimizes product searches and helps retailers target potential buyers more precisely. For detailed tips on Amazon SEO, check out our guest post!

Competition for the Best Deals

Amazon isn’t the only one using Prime Days for its sales events. Many other brands plan their promotions around these days as well. One example is the Opodo Prime Day, held from October 1 to 6, 2024, featuring travel offers. Such parallel events give consumers more options and increase competition for the best deals.

AI Tools for Product Presentation

Product presentation on websites, search results, and marketplaces can be enhanced with various AI tools. Companies like Amazon, Adobe, Pinterest, Google, and Meta offer features that allow retailers to easily adjust product image backgrounds. These visual adjustments not only attract more customer attention but also increase sales by making products appear more appealing.

Personalized Recommendations for Higher Conversions

Another feature strengthening e-commerce is personalized product recommendations. For example, DooFinder now offers personalized recommendations based on user behavior and preferences. Iván Navas, co-founder and CEO of the company, explains:

“Our goal is to make the online shopping experience more human and personalized. Compared to other solutions, we combine search behavior and browsing data to offer truly relevant recommendations.”

These personalized suggestions enhance the customer experience and increase conversion rates.

New Advertising Solutions for Modern E-Commerce

To drive sales, products need to be introduced to relevant target groups. Before potential buyers begin specific product searches, they must first be inspired. AI-powered advertising solutions help marketers achieve more conversions and a better return on ad spend (ROAS) with eye-catching creatives and optimized campaigns.

Platforms like Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, and Google offer tools like Advantage+, Performance Max, Smart+, and Performance+ to make advertising even more effective. Additionally, BVDW now provides a One Pager that allows for standardized ROAS measurement, bringing greater transparency in managing advertising budgets.

“The ROAS stages help precisely control advertising budgets down to the article level, allowing advertisers to make their investments more efficiently,” says Dennie Trost, member of the Retail Media Circle and Principal Channel Sales at OBI First Media Group.

Campaign Optimization with Performance

Pinterest focuses on the lower funnel of purchasing decisions and offers advertisers Performance+ campaigns to promote brand preference, conversions, or catalog sales. With Performance+, campaigns can be fine-tuned—from targeting to budget management and bidding strategy. The best part? Advertisers save up to 50% of the effort when setting up campaigns, saving both time and money.

Conclusion

The fourth quarter offers huge potential for e-commerce. By utilizing AI tools, personalized recommendations, and innovative advertising solutions, you can capture the attention of consumers and boost your sales. Use these tips to make the most of the online shopping high season and take advantage of the best deals!

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