Getting ready for the holiday season at Collage.com
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November has always been a crazy month in my professional life. For years, I worked on campaigns and in the political world, where obviously November election days were critical.
Now, I find myself equally busy in November – as the marketing director for Collage.com, a custom photo gifts ecommerce company. We're coming up on our busiest time of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Week, and our team has been working for months on getting everything ready.
What goes into this from a digital marketing standpoint?
We look at products our customers would be interested in getting great deals on, like our bestselling fleece photo blankets or our 12-month photo calendars. These are always products people like to give or receive as gifts around the holidays, so we plan out special promotions that include them.
As we discussed in this class, email marketing is still a major way brands reach out to their customer base – even though most people don't consider email to be "social media" in the same way Twitter or Facebook is. We have hundreds of thousands of previous customers or people who signed up for discounts on our email list, and we've mapped out a series of emails between Thanksgiving and the end of Cyber Week that relate to our customers' interests. We've then scheduled those same promotions to go up on social media throughout this critical sales period.
Throughout the whole holiday season (and all year round), we pay close attention to which products are selling the most. Not only is this important for purposes of our inventory, it's also useful to constantly refine and improve our marketing efforts. If a product isn't selling that we expect to, we can look at ways to make it more attractive to customers. If a product surprises us and sells really well, we might expose it more to other customers, or look for other ways to keep its success going. We use tools for this like we covered in this class, like Google Analytics – along with a variety of other data analysis resources, from SQL databases to millions of pivot tables in spreadsheets.
Do you shop online for Black Friday and Cyber Monday? What do you look for when you shop online? What do you like and dislike about online shopping experiences? I can't wait to see what you think!
Comments & Feedback
As an international student personally I would like to have Black Friday due to the big sale. the currency exchange rate between Chinese yuan and US dollar is like 6.5:1 this is not affordable for some students. I want to save money and enjoy the holiday, therefore, Black Friday could be my First choice.
As an international student, I am care abput the black friday becuase it helps me save a lot of money and all most brand will on sale on that day. However, many product are last sales so that I can not retrurn it if I do not like. So that, it have risk on it. Did you ever heart about Chinese shopping day? I think it is better than Black Friday
I am not a huge fan of Black Friday because of how crazy and aggressive people who are out shopping get. However, I really do enjoy Cyber Monday sales. When I shop online for Cyber Monday I look for deals that are not seen as normal year around sales. I like online shopping a lot because it is simple and I get to brows the items I want at my leisure. The only thing I do not enjoy about online shopping is that when I’m shopping for clothes I don’t know how it’s going to fit on me and can make shopping for certain things hard other than that I love the convince of online shopping.
This season I did make a few purchases online. I look for deals and cross check other websites for similar products in order to make a smarter buy. I also like to just scroll through a store's entire product base before choosing something to buy unless I know exactly what I want. The online shopping experience is for the most part much more pleasent since there are no lines but a down side is that I don't truly know how clothes will fiot on me. For other products this isn't a big deal. For example I know exactly what I'm getting when buying electronics online. That said, the issue can come in handling of the pacakge for these devices.
I shop online for Cyber Monday but not for Black Friday. I like being in the comfot of my own home when I do online shopping and also shop a lot for myself, my family and for my pet cat. Most of the things I order are for my cat and when ever my mom or family need things - I usually go through Amazon. Sometimes I dislike online shopping for clothes because they could be ordered and look great but not fit and that's a waste of time.
I typically don't online shop for black friday of cyber monday because I like to see the product first rather it be clothes or electronics. I like to be able to compare products and ask questions in person. However, when I do online shop I look for other consumer veiws, Do they like they products? Did it work for them? If not why? What did they use the product for? Was it true to size? I'll even go on youtube and look up reivews and watch videos. I like the convenice of not having to go out in the craziness and having it brought to my front door, but I don't like waiting and being able to use it NOW! I also hate if its wrong there's a possibility I'll have to return it in the mail and that can take forever.
I love online shopping. It is easy and you can do it from the comfort of your home or even bed! I definitely did online shopping for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.To me, it is easier. You can narrow down your search and search for specific items instead of searching around the store. The only thing I dislike is not being able to try things on.
I don't do much Black Friday shopping or Cyber Monday shopping online. Personally, I didn't need anything this year so none of the deals really appealed to me. I also don't really care for shopping online because I like to try stuff on, touch it, and see it before purchasing it. A lot of times the shipping costs really turn me off from buying online as well. Fortunately, most shipping fees were waived for Black Friday and Cyber Monday which was nice for customers. When I browse online, I usually look for an option to pick up the item in store. This makes it more convenient for me. Plus, I don't have the paitence to wait for the items to be shipped to me.
I am not a black Friday shopper but I am a huge cyber Monday shopper. Things are changing now where the cyber Monday sales start sooner and end later. Having more time to make decisions is always a bonus, especially when you're indecisive like myself. I am a very fortunate individual and in the last couple years have found trouble finding things I want for Christmas. I will make a mental list all year long and when it comes to December, I never seem to remember anything! I think if I were to receive emails from the stores I shop at, it would push me to buy from them. By receiving an email about cyber Monday deals, the link takes me directly to their website and eliminates my issue of not knowing where to start or what to buy when I start my cyber shopping.
I've replased Black Friday shopping in stores with online purchases for the last few years. Most sales are available online and I can choose from more items while staying in bed. This year, I got my husband a video game he wanted for half the in store price. I usually make my mother a calander online through Meijer Photo and and pick it up in the store the next day. I like that I can reviews other experiences and ppinion on what I'm buying, but I can also find myself being bias if there are lot of negative reviews and always wonder if I would have actually been relly with it. I wonder if Black Friday will ever go back to Friday and not start on Thanksgiving. It highly irritates me that people are working horendous hours on the day they should be spending with their family.
I do the majority of my shopping online, not only during the holiday season, but all year round. I enjoy the simplicity and efficiency of online shopping, which offers relevance searches that can quickly locate very distinct products. I have noticed that retail stores carry a limited supply of the most basic, stock versions of products, whereas the online market contains a much wider range of physically and functionally diverse products. As a consumer, it is much easier to find the particular product you seek using online shopping sites.
I also believe the internet is useful in revealing financially efficient buying options. Consumers are forced to pay higher prices at retail locations, but online sites can quickly identify the best deals available. The only apparent disadvantage I have experienced while online shopping is the inability to test or try on products before purchasing. There are cases in which the wrong product is delivered, or it does not accurately resemble the listing. Despite this setback, I feel that the perks of online shopping prove its utility.
Because I prefer online shopping, I do not participate much in Black Friday. Instead, Cyber Monday is the major promotional event in which I do most of my holiday shopping.
Do you shop online for Black Friday and Cyber Monday? What do you look for when you shop online? What do you like and dislike about online shopping experiences? I can't wait to see what you think!
I do not shop during Black Friday, but I do shop during Cyber Monday. They are two opposites. I don't like to shop during Black Friday because I have worked during 5 Black Friday's in a row at Forever 21, and hate it, so I don't want to do it anymore. It's too many people, people are crazy, and its just too much. It gives me anxiety and I hate the feeling of having to hurry or feel like I am in a rush when I shop. On average during a regular shopping day I spend about 2-4 hours at the mall during a typical Saturday, browsing, trying things on, eating, and buying clothes. I don't like to ruin it by doing that in under an hour, with surrounding myself with crazy people, and long lines. I don't care about the deals really, a lot of stores don't even have deals, they just trick people with their bright signs thinking they do. Forever 21 does that. But I love Cyber Monday, because the pressures's not there, you have basically all day to purchase items, and it on your own time. Today, I bought a 40 inch smart TV for $180 bucks, I think its the best sale I got! So I'm a happy camper!
I shop online but I didn't buy anything. When I was browsing, I looked for good deals especially on Black Friday. It was all about sale. Online shopping is pretty convenient and offering much more options. However, the disadvantage is that you cannot really see or try the product, which could undermine the satisfaction.
If I weren't a broke college student I would definitely shop on black Friday and Cyber Monday. I look for the best of the best deals and coupons online. I do most of my shopping online in general, so I probably wouldn't participate in the craziness of black Friday.
I dont really shop online at all for black friday or cyber monday. My family does and I know that they look forward to having clothes that they get deals for. One thing I dont like when I do shop on line is not seeing the product. I am A hands on type of guy and want to feel what I am getting.
I do shop online for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I look for deals that are inclusive of the total inventory; such as 50% off entire store, as opposed to just certain items. I, as I can imagine most people agree, do not like to be fooled into thinking certain deals are greater than they are. I much prefer straight forward Black Friday deals that aren't clearly trying to get the worst selling items off of their shelves.
I have never shopped on Black Friday. I personally am not a fan of huge crowds and the antics that go along with standing in long lines with people who can potentially act crazy due to deals that are not that much better than the usual in my opinion on most things. I am a fan of cyber monday. I'm an avid online shopper so any extra online deals on my favortie site from the comfort of my bed is awesom. I look for better deals than usual on the sites that I always purchase from as well as items that are not old and in season not the old stuff they had and just put on sale. I dislike how fast things go out of stock when online shopping and if something may not fit right. Overall, I've had good cyber monday experiences and I prefer online any day.
Typically, if I am to go Black Friday shopping, I do so in person. I've never been a huge fan of online shopping for a variety of reasons but honestly it's mostly because I am extremely impatient. If I'm going to shop, especially if I make a large purchase, I like to be able to physically have the product I'm buying at the time I buy it. Also, I often shop for clothes and I find that online shopping can lead to a lot of confusion when it comes to proper sizing and fit. I'm very lazy when it comes to mailing things back so I often just opt to go in person so that I don't forget to return an item I dislike and get stuck with it permenantly. All in all, what I'm saying is that while I can definitely see the appeal, I'm simply not cut out for online shopping.
I have never shopped online for cyber monday before because I do not like to buy things online. I have looked online for black friday deals to know if there is a good enough reason to go out and shop on Black Friday. I only look for electronic items that will have good deals on them. I do not like shopping online because I never know if I am going to get what is being shown or if it will show up at my house in good condition.
I dont do a lot of shopping but I tend to search for things that are easy to find. I really enjoy the ease of online shopping but there is always that fear of not knowing exactly what you get until it arrives. There are reviews and things out there but theres nothing like being able to hold the actual product before purchasing. There is something more real and exciting of being in the store and experiencing the product first hand.
I usually online shop for Black Friday and Cyber Monday but I couldn't this year. When I online shop I usually looks for gifts for family members and friends or just clothing for myself. I love online shopping I think it's so easy especially when shipping is free. The main thing I don't like about it is when you buy clothes you obviously can't try them on so if they don't fit you have to go through the hassle of returning items. Also, sometimes colors are different online than in person.
I don't shop Black friday because it's very hectic and I'd rather save time than money. Even as a college student I value saving time over saving money and honestly it takes a lot of preperation time to really take advantage of Black Friday. I also think most of these items aren't that much cheaper. I stay away from Cyber Monday because a lot of the good items are sold out and I just end up buying things I don't need.
i shopped online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year. I started receive emails from retailers about two weeks before Black Friday. Because of it's the best time to shop during the year, retailers will have the best price and deal to consumers.
When I shop online, I am looking for the best price and consumer service such as return service. I like shopping online because the price online is normally lower than in shop. I think the only disadvantage of shopping online is you can not try it in person, and the wait of getting the products is annoying. Such as shop online during Black Friday, the delivery time will be longer.
I don't shop on Black Friday because I dont think the hectic environment is worth dealing with just in the hopes of finding something cheap. If I have the opportunity I may participate in Cyber Monday but I never have been much of an online shopper so the idea doesn''t really appeal to me. When I shop online its usually clothes so I'm looking for credibility in the website and the price and make of the clothes. Half the time websites don't have as nice of material as they appear in images so its hard to differentiate. I dont really enjoy not being able to try it on before purchasing it but I also like the conveneince of simply looking at a screen to find all the sweaters instead of searching a store to find one.
I was just in the middle of shopping online for cyber monday when I remembered that I had to write a post for this class. Last night when the clock struck 12 I immdiantly checked my favorite online stores deals for cyber monday. And sadly, I was dissapointed. Some of my favorite stores like Lulu Lemon did not even have a promotion. And to the companies who only offered free shipping... all I have to say is you let me down. I like when companies offer discounts and they show the exact price instead of you having to calculate the percentage off more becuase it is straight to the point and I will more likely buy it. I don't like when companies have the same old deals like just 25% off, throw me some love and include a free mini gift.
I do shop online black friday and cyber monday (every year!) The biggest things I look for is brand and price, as well as style and color. Price is the number one thing that plays into it, and how great of a deal you can get for high end brand items. The things I like about online shopping is that it's a quick process, and it's really easy to see variations in price. Not to mention, skipping the lines! The thing I dislike most is you don't entirely know what you're getting until it arrives at your door. There's just something so much more reassuring having an item in stores in your hands so you can see and feel in real time exactly what you're buying. This is especially true when it comes to clothes -- being able to try something on and knowing it'll fit takes a lot of stress out of shopping.
I have worked in retail for years and really prefer not to go Black Friday shopping. To me, it's a little silly. It's the day after Thanksgiving when I feel like people should be spending time with loved ones, rather than waiting in line for a product that is on sale. It kind of takes away the sentiment of Thanksgiving which makes me sad. I have also seen it bring out the ugly in people, so for that alone, I don't like going. As for Cyber Monday, I love the idea. Online shopping is great and who doesn't like getting a good deal while lounging on their couch in their PJ's?! The only time I really looked for something during Cyber Monday was when I needed to buy a TV. Other than searching for TV's, I like to browse the sales just to see whats out there. I strongly prefer online shopping over in person shopping, mostly for the convenience. You don't have to wait in a line and can shop from the comfort of your own home, on your own time throughout the day.
I have never really been a huge Black Friday shopper. I never really saw the hype of the dealing with so many people just to get a slightly better deal. I personally see myself as a huge bargain shopping and tend to find good deals when I shop all year round. I have do tend to look at the deals on Cyber Monday. I love online shopping and this that online shopping is just going to continue to grow. With today's technology it is awesome to be able to order so many clothes from the comfort of your own home with one click. I mostly online shop at places where i've already been a customer so I know what kind of quality to expect.
I have shop online for all my thanksgiving break. It is crazy for me and my friends to buy a lot of things that we want. we brought things for makes up, cloths, shoes, etc... however, i found that some website increase the price on black friday, so it was still the same price like before for some of the brands. I like to online shop more than go to a physical store, because i found that it is more easier to found the thing I want and like online compare to shop at mall. I do not like to go to mall on Black Friday because I knew it would be very crowed, and I might not be able to get the stuff I want.
I'm doing the online shopping for black friday because I do not want to go out with crowds of people. For the online shopping, I'm looking for good deals with lower prices. However it is also still hard to find. I like that for online shopping I am able to google and search. However, I dislike the online shopping because I can't see the products and while I may like the products I am sometimes dissappointed.
I focus more on cyber momnday than black friday. I dont enjoy all the craziness and all the pushing adn shoving. Cryber monday is so easy to do and I don't mind the little wait for my clohtes to arrive.
I definitely look at sales on black Friday and cyber Monday online. During this time there are so many ads being bombarded at me that I usually pay the closest attention to places I've already made purchases, so I think that emailing past customers around this time is a great idea. In fact, I went straight to my promotions folder to see what sales would be happening soon. My least favorite part of online shopping is knowing if a site is trustworthy, as there are a lot of fakes out there, and not being able to physically touch the product. Overall I like the idea of not having to leave my house and when my packages show up it feels like a present.
Personally I hate Black Friday shopping in stores but I don't mind it as much online, even though it can still be overwhelming. This year I did not do a lot of online shopping because I've recently had some bad luck with a few of my purchases and am hesitant to buy anything without trying it on. I've learned that reading the reviews on the products is very important and can have a major effect in my decision to buy a product. One aspect I dislike about online shopping is retargeting ads. I catch myself getting annoyed seeing the same product come up on my Facebook or the side of my webpage and it rarely will remind me or convince me to go back and buy the item.
During the holiday season, I only participate in online sales through Black Friday or cyber Monday. I personally find the concept of shopping in stores on black Friday to be completely unappealing. I do not enjoy the lines or crowds that come with the event. I believe that online shopping is an easier and more enjoyable overall experience. I like the simplicity and convenience of online shopping and i think it’s easier to find and recognize deals through an online format.
This year is the first year I have ever gone black friday shopping. I shopped at various stores in the Soo while I was up north in the UP, it was very relaxed. It's pretty crazy to me that some people act like degenerates and fight with others over a TV or computer. However, I typically shop on cyber monday. While online I usually look for items that dont typically go on sale often. This year I purchased a north face and come clothes on cyber monday.
The only way I ever participate in black friday or cyber monday is online, because its much easier to shop from the comfort of my own home, however unless there is something very expensive I want, i dont usually participate at all. Even ordering online is intense because everyone is trying to buy the latest and greatest thing, and i dont really feel the need to deal with all that to save a bit of money. However overall, i find online shopping to be much easier of a process overall.
I don't participate in Black Friday because the crowds really don't appeal to me, and I'd much rather sleep in. I do participate in Cyber Monday because I do most of my Christmas shopping online anyway, so I might as well take advantage of some free shipping. I really pay attention to shipping costs because even if an item is marked down, they can still get me with high shipping costs. I like how easily I can find things online and how there are so many different websites to choose from when shopping.
Personally, I do not shop online for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. I am a procrastinator and usually end up doing all of my holiday shopping at the last minute (which is not good). However, this year I have been more inclined too since I've started getting tons of emails from sites im subscribed to about holiday deals. I do not like receiving these emails and I've had to unsubscribe to a lot of lists I'm a part of
Over the last few years, I have done almost all shopping online. It is just a way easier process and it feels like whenevr I go in store shopping, they just do not have what I am looking for. As for black friday/cyber monday, I really online shop if I get emails about deals. I dont look forward to these days like others. When I do shop online it is usually for a specific product, I do not really browse. I have a good idea of what I am looking for, find it, and order it. I love how easy it is as well as convienient. I don't have to leave my home and I can get all my holiday shopping down in a couple of days.
I do a bit of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. I don't really go crazy and go out early to grab all the deals but I do like to see what kind of sales there are. Whenever I online shop I look at the sale items first and try to see if there are any new deals on the homepage. I don't actually buy a lot online as I do in the store because I like to try on things, but I do make some wish lists. I like how for online I can make a wishlist and then get notified when its on sale. My main dislike about online shopping would be not fully knowing what the product looks like. Sometimes the size is completely off or the fabric is cheap. These are things that you don't really know unless you are in the store.
I brought some cosmetics on Black Friday as well got many samples. For clothes or shoes, I would like to search hash tag through Instagram. When I do online shopping, I like some recommendation of some similar products. I however do not like some pre-order, like it would ship after three months later.
I do go cyber monday shopping. I don't spend all day looking for stuff, but I safe my Christmas present ideas until that day and then I shop around online to see if I can find any of those items on sale. That's really all I do. It kind of sucks though because I feel like I don't know any of the deals that are going on. I usually Google "best cyber monday deals" and look at a few lists but I always feel like I miss out on some of the really good stuff. I wished more deals were advertised. I get a lot of information from the things I follow on Twitter though, which is nice. But in general I don't usually spend money on myself so close to christmas and my birthday becasuse that's in Decemeber as well. I normally just use Cyber Monday as a way to get deals on presents I'm buying other people.
Yes, I participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales- I use these as opportunities to get most of my Christmas present shopping done. It has become somewhat of a tradition to go out with my mom on Friday morning to search for deals at outlet malls. However, I'm picky as to which deals I participate in. If they aren't really great deals (40% or better), I don't think the crowds and lines are worth it the day after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday is great, because you get all the deals but you don't have to go out at crazy hours of the night. The deals, however, tend to not be as good.
yes i shopped online for black Friday, i look for some luxury brand bag and shoes but still expensive, some famous brand almost no discount...... some dealers have big discount but quickly sold out or outdated style
but i still like the online shopping because it is convinient and you can buy what you what everytime everywhere, i can't save money because of online shopping....
I don't shop on Black Friday and am very against stores the open on Thanksgiving night. I commend stores like REI (Who was the first to close their stores for Black Friday), Target and so many others. I do love CyberMonday and mainly look for great deals. I like to shop for everyhting online but not so much clothing because you never know what to expect.
Yes I have gone black Friday shopping the past couple years, and have also done some shopping on cyber Monday. I do not stand in line over night or anything crazy like that, but I have noticed the deals are never as good as you may think. It seems that the best sales are near, or after Christmas. I do not tend to buy things just because of the great price, but I will look around for the best deals. I usually do most of my shopping in store because I like to try the cloths on before I buy them, but for non clothing items purchasing them online would not make a difference.
I personally don't shop online much. I sometimes purchase textbooks online, but I stay away for the most part. I know too many people that get addicted to online shopping and I don't want to fall into the trap. I'm someone who loves deals and plays with financial numbers all the time. If I shopped online for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, I would want to buy a million things simply because they were great deals. I don't like shopping online because of the shipping methods and putting my private information online. Has Collage.com ever considered putting up a brick-and-mortar shop?
I find myself shopping online for black friday and cyber monday deals because of emails I have received. At one point or another, BestBuy, Amazon and a variety of other companies have obtained my email and relentlessly blow up my inbox around this time of the year. While I can unsubscribe from these emails, a part of me hopes to find a great deal. This year I was not let down and I purchased several items off of Amazon at very discounted rates. I enjoy the ease of shopping online and not having to deal with the crowds at the store. I prefer shopping online and will continue to do it.
I do shop on Cyber monday! The best part about it is obviously not having to go out to the stores where all of the crazies are and ordering it from the comfort of your home. When shopping online I look for the best deals of course, mostly stuff that I know is a once a year deal and I know that come tuesday it will be gone! I also look for items that are free shipping, thats an important factor to my purchasing decision.
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I personally do not shop online as I am more traditonal and prefer to try on and see clothing in person before I purchase it. I also find returning the clothing to be more of a hassel than just going into the store to begin with. Overall it is a great option if you do not have a certain brand or store near you that you can physically go to but in general I prefer to shop in stores.