7 quick tips to give your eCommerce website a festive flair

(Last Updated On: September 1, 2023)

Just like the festivities and decorations on the street, wouldn’t it be awesome if your online store gave off that same vibe? It’s finally that time of the year again! And we want you and your customers to enjoy the celebrations and shop till their hearts soar! 

But how do we go about infusing our website with the same festive magic? Start with: 

• Lively banners
• Cheerful colours
• An inviting atmosphere.

Make your online store a hub of festive excitement for customers. Here are some quick tips with real examples on making your eCommerce website as captivating as the cherished celebrations you love.

Here are 7 tips for elevating your online store with festive flair 

Decorate your online store for the festive season and transform your digital space into a hub of celebration, making shopping a joyful experience for everyone.

Hero theme banners 

Think of banners as the welcome signs to your shop’s party. We’re talking big, colourful pictures that show off the festival’s excitement.

Whether it’s rakhies for Raksha Bandhan, flowers for Onam, or diyas for Diwali, these banners set the festive mood. Design banners featuring festive elements like snowflakes, ornaments, etc.

It’s called the “hero banner” for a reason. When your customer first lands on your eCommerce website, this is the area that their eye will go to first,

You can also use this space to highlight special offers, promotions, or events related to the season.

Boat Lifestyle has provided an exemplary and visually appealing illustration. 

Special festive-themed category names 

Now, let’s take things up a notch and give your website sections a festive twist that’s simply enchanting. 

Instead of regular boring names for your sections, let’s make them festive, and special! Imagine clicking on “Funky Rakhies for Brothers” or “Handcrafted diyas.” It’s like walking into a special festive aisle in a real store. 

Make your product pages awesome

It’s important that your overall store looks cohesive and in line with the festive theme. Customers come to your store either because they searched for it (which is where SEO is important) or because they saw a specific product on social media and they now want to buy that specifically.

In the second scenario, your product page becomes the star of the play.

Here are a few ways to ensure you have your customer’s attention when they show interest in a specific product:

1. Good-looking pics

To decorate your online store for the festive season, do not ever forget to update your product pictures – clear and from different angles. Let shoppers zoom in for a closer look.

Update product images to align with the festive theme. The products could be placed in festive settings or with relevant props.

An excellent example by Bumblebee Candles! Their Laddoo candles and their product images are honestly mouth-watering! 

 

2. Writing that hooks

Write super descriptions. Tell the story of your products – how they’re great gifts, with a touch of festive magic. 

Related read: How to write product descriptions that sell: tips + real examples

3. Buttons that Say “Click Me”

 Use bright and inviting buttons like “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now.” Make it simple and easy. 

Remember to follow the simple rules when creating CTA buttons. Do A/B tests to see what colours, shapes or locations seem to be getting more clicks by your customers.

Pro-tip: You can use the Warm Earth Tones or Contrasting Colour Palettes for designing your website.

Festive-themed exit intent pop-ups 

Have you ever almost closed a tab and then, surprise! A little box pops up. Well, those are exit pop-ups, and they can be like festive party invitations.

Fill them with festive colours and offers. If visitors give you their email, they get secret festive deals, and you get to invite them to your party even if they leave your site.

Presenting a prime illustration of exit-intent pop-ups by Biryani By Kilo that will certainly prompt you to reconsider closing the tab.

Festive product launches 

Just like giving presents, launching new festive products is exciting!

Hence, decorate your online store for the festive season by making a big deal out of these new product launches by putting them in front and centre.

Limited-time items, festive-themed stuff – it’s like giving customers a special festive gift.

See how Stree Kolkata has launched a product catalogue, especially for the upcoming Navaratri season!

Offer special sales/discounts 

Well, everybody loves a good deal, especially during the festivals. People are in the mood already to shop. Give them a little incentive in the form of discount coupons or by holding special festive-themed sales!

A survey done by a top research institute actually showed how 56.673% of the respondents wait for a festival sale before they decide on purchasing a product.

Put these sales on banners, pop-ups, and pages all over your store, so everyone knows about them. 

Related read: Offering festival discounts? Here’s how to do it right

See how Happilo did it. For this Raksha Bandhan, they were offering a straight 32% discount on dry fruits! Look at the extremely festive banner that highlighted this offer. 

With people on the hunt for gifts and clothes, they would always be delighted if there were multiple coupon codes to choose from!

Additional festive elements around the website 

In addition to the above-mentioned additions, do not forget to add fun things like firecrackers or twinkling lights. It’s like adding festive decorations to your store.

You can use simple snippets of code to insert these GIFs or animated decorations around your website.

Don’t forget to use festive icons and backgrounds to keep the festive feeling going. You can also change your logo JUST for the season! See Blinkit’s logo for example. Or – 

See how this D2C brand Nutriglow has decorated their website with mandalas. Bring out the Indian culture on your website with similar elements like mehendi designs, warm tones, fireworks, Indian deity symbols, red tassels, summer florals etc.

How do you attract customers during the festive season?

Now that the online store is looking bright and pretty – what’s next? Actually making those sales. You need customers to come to your store.

Attracting customers during the festive season requires a mix of creativity, strategic planning, and a touch of festive spirit.

Here are some easy ways to attract those impulsive shoppers and convert them into your loyal customers: 

1. Gift guides that rock

Be the gift-giving hero by creating easy-peasy gift guides. Help shoppers find the perfect presents without the hassle.

Guide the customers through a curated selection of products, making their gift-giving journey smooth and satisfying. Also, you can offer creative ideas for DIY gifts using your products. This can inspire customers and showcase your offerings.

Related read: Increase Sales During The Festive Season With This Marketing Course

2. Smart ad moves

Pop up where your customers are. Use online ads with festive keywords on platforms they love to browse and grab impulse shoppers! 

3. Tag in the influencers

Join forces with social media influencers who vibe with your brand. Let them help spread the word about your festive goodies.

4. Answer with a smile

The rush season comes with its own set of challenges. The biggest issue is continued quality customer service. Don’t slip up. Hire additional customer support executives for that period if necessary.

Give A+ customer service. Answer questions lightning fast and help out during this bustling season.

Related read: Online customer service: Tips from eCommerce business owners

Tips to preparing your eCommerce store for the festive season

What is the point in all the festive rush and increased demand if your eCommerce store can’t handle it?

You need to prepare for the season! Especially when it comes to: 

• Navigating the rush
• Meeting customer needs
• Optimizing the shopping experience

So, think of each tip like a puzzle piece that helps you succeed. Don’t skip these steps; it’s like leaving your sleigh on Christmas Eve.

Gift your store readiness and dive in – your future self will thank you.

1. Stock up early

It’s essential to meet festive demand by preparing for increased customer needs like:
1. Anticipating popular items
2. Reordering ahead
3. Preventing shortages maximizes sales opportunities
4. Reflect your commitment to a seamless shopping experience 

Here are some eCommerce categories that should definitely prepare ahead for the festive season

2. Mobile-first approach

According to the latest festive report by Inmobi – Mobile reigns over India as the most popular channel for Indian consumers with 78% of respondents saying they would be shopping on their phones! 

Prioritize mobile-friendliness for eCommerce websites for online shopping. Ensure: 

1. Your website has a high download speed
2. Have lower-sized images so that they load faster on phones
3. Check if your online store homepage and product pages are showing up correctly on the mobile display
4. See if your CTA buttons and their links are still intact when accessed on a mobile

3. Order tracking and shipping info

It is hard to keep track of different order statuses during the festive rush! Shipping gets delayed quite often, and returns are slowed down.

The easiest way to ensure shipping is smooth during these rush times is to partner with suitable shipping brands.

They should have enough experience in running smoothly during peak seasons and should have alternate and emergency services that can step in when needed.

You should also update your shipping policy during the festive season so that your customers can manage their expectations for the order delivery timelines.

Here is our comprehensive guide on managing shipping during peak seasons!

Instamojo: Your path to a thriving online store

Ready to take the eCommerce world by storm? Instamojo is here to be your trusty sidekick! With the user-friendly platform and versatile toolkit, Instamojo guides you on the exciting journey of running your own online store.

From setting up shop to smoothly handling transactions through its own payment gateway integration, Instamojo has all the tools you need.

So, get ready to watch your online business thrive, at the starting cost of ZERO.

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