Carnival is one of the most anticipated times for Brazilians after the end-of-year festivities. Some people take advantage of the holiday to travel, while others prepare to skip the street parties or go for a walk with their family. This movement becomes important for merchants, especially those operating in e-commerce.
For brands aiming to achieve sales success during this year's Carnival, it is important to start planning strategies and preparing as early as possible, especially in e-commerce, which has become the main purchasing channel for consumers. Daniela Torres is a Partner and CEO ofSimple Innovation, a company focused on business modeling for e-commerce, believes that this is the best way to get ahead of the competition.
"It is important for brands to take advantage of this available time to structure their online stores. The first steps to orchestrate the future are to analyze last year's data, see what can be done differently, stay attentive to trends, new technologies, and the main changes in consumer behavior," he comments.
Thinking of helping entrepreneurs and retailers with this preparation, Daniela has set aside other simple tips for the period. Check it out
Keep an eye on your cash flow
Economically, this is the most important process for businesses, as it determines the financial health of companies. During periods like Carnival, when there tends to be a higher cash flow, it is important to be attentive to the inflows and outflows of money to prevent any loss of control. Planning issues such as promotion and discount values, free shipping, average ticket, supplier payments, and investments should come first.
“It’s very difficult to know what will happen in a month’s time, especially when it comes to online sales. We can’t have an exact idea of how many people will buy, what the best-selling products will be, inflation, among other metrics. So, the idea is to outline possible financial scenarios, so that you have greater control over the situation of your business,” explains Daniela.
Organize your inventory
Managing inventory is no longer an easy task, especially when there is a high number of orders in a short period of time. To avoid problems such as product shortages, merchandise waste, shipping delays, and other difficulties, it is ideal to prepare the storage and distribution logistics in advance.
Mapping stock data can help identify which products sell the most and the replenishment frequency of each item. Another tip is to maintain a good relationship with suppliers, as they will be responsible for restocking and delivering the goods, even urgently. Still regarding stock products, it is important to pay attention to quality and expiration date, as this influences the customer experience.
“Investing in inventory management solutions is a great path for companies that are just starting out or that are experiencing difficulties in this area. Technological advancements require tools to keep up with this evolution,” says the executive.
Manage your shipping logistics
The shipping stage of the goods is also an important point in the consumer's purchase decision. Companies need to be concerned with delivery logistics, as customer expectations for receiving their products easily, quickly, and correctly will be on the rise.
Some tips for efficient shipping logistics are: planning delivery processes, mapping out possible unforeseen events along the way and creating alternative routes; investing in product tracking technologies, which reassure and empower the customer, contributing to a good experience; and investing in reverse logistics, which facilitates the exchange and return of goods, avoiding major problems and further improving the purchasing journey.
