To thrive in Q4 2021, ecommerce operators must understand shifting consumer behaviors, especially the rise of "non-product" gifting like subscriptions and experiences. This episode provides crucial insights into holiday sales predictions, strategies for navigating the ongoing shipping crisis, and diversifying sales channels through platforms like Tophatter.
Key takeaways
Diversify sales channels by exploring live auction platforms like Tophatter to reach new customers and capitalize on impulse buying behavior, understanding their margin structure in advance.
Anticipate and prepare for continued supply chain disruptions and shipping delays by communicating transparently with customers and exploring alternative fulfillment options.
Re-evaluate your holiday product offerings to include experiential gifts or subscription services, aligning with the growing consumer trend of purchasing "non-product" items.
Analyze consumer behavior shifts towards discovery shopping and adapt your marketing strategies to engage customers on platforms where they are actively seeking new deals.
Proactively plan Q4 inventory and marketing campaigns, accounting for earlier shopping trends and potential last-minute surges due to supply chain uncertainties.
Things go by really fast in ecommerce, and as early as now, you should already be thinking about your plan of attack come Q4, what with all the issues online sellers have faced this past year. My guest today is Austin Henggeler. He is the Director of Sales and Account Management at Tophatter, a discovery shopping channel that lets customers participate in live online auctions and get deals on various products from third-party sellers. Today, we'll be talking about what selling on Tophatter looks like for newcomers and sellers looking to expand their business. We'll also go over Austin's predictions going into the holiday season as well as some consumer and merchant trends that he's observed over the past year, including how customers have been buying non-products (subscription services, experiences, etc.) way more and even considering those as gifts for the holidays. We'll also talk about the current shipping crisis and how the pandemic can still play into all this as 2021 slowly draws to a close. Timestamps: A little bit about Austin and Tophatter - 1:32 Austin's holiday predictions for 2021 - 3:44 How selling on Tophatter works and what your margins will look like - 13:26 Consumer and
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Diversify sales channels by exploring live auction platforms like Tophatter to reach new customers and capitalize on impulse buying behavior, understanding their margin structure in advance.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Anticipate and prepare for continued supply chain disruptions and shipping delays by communicating transparently with customers and exploring alternative fulfillment options.
What does this episode say about amazon & marketplaces?
Re-evaluate your holiday product offerings to include experiential gifts or subscription services, aligning with the growing consumer trend of purchasing "non-product" items.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Analyze consumer behavior shifts towards discovery shopping and adapt your marketing strategies to engage customers on platforms where they are actively seeking new deals.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Proactively plan Q4 inventory and marketing campaigns, accounting for earlier shopping trends and potential last-minute surges due to supply chain uncertainties.
