Online retailers have found their groove in 2010 with online sales increasing by a little over 15 percent by total sales volume. It seems that after reviewing the last few years and their business consulting options, many online firms began to understand that the sales were only coming if they went out and got them. The old standby, the email list, was dusted off, checked twice, and then used to create some very innovative marketing strategies that helped to raise online sales to a whopping $36.4 billion dollars this year.

Got Off to an Early Start

This was probably the best strategy that helped to reap more sales. Instead of waiting until late November, many retailers started their campaigns in early November. They had their marketing campaigns already rolled out and their strategies for ringing up the sales clearly planned out.

Buying Incentives

They used strategies like limited-time offers and free shipping to help persuade online visitors to convert into online shoppers. Online merchants did not wait until Cyber Monday to begin to offers these deals, either. They decided to compete directly with the brick-and-mortar stores holding “web only” Black Friday specials. Retailers who held Black Friday events also used this strategy to augment their sales for people who weren’t going to be enticed by door-buster specials. Those people they didn’t convince on Black Friday were then marketed for the following Cyber Monday, giving retailers two chances at the sale instead of just one.

Online Discounts

In-store retailers did not discount as much as they did last year. Regardless, the shoppers were hungry for deals and looking for them. They may have found more of them online as online retailers tried to differentiate their offerings versus those in a regular retail outlet. They may have had specific merchandise set up for special discounts and free shipping to move the items and wrack up sales.

Will the Trend Continue?

It’s a hopeful sign, but the trend for online shopping may or may not continue. There are still numerous variables that can cause problems. For instance, the jewelry sales had been increasing online for a while, but this year, they did not do as well. It’s possible that the jewelry retailers did not meet the expectations of the public, or the consumer has opted to buy more expensive jewelry in person instead. Part of the satisfaction of buying online is getting exactly what you want for a good price, if that ideal isn’t maintained, the consumer will opt to buy in person. Return policies for online sales are much more difficult than at regular storefronts and this can be a reason why someone might opt to buy at a regular store than opting for an online venue. As online retailers become more savvy about their customer’s motivations, they can design marketing programs to help enhance the online buying experience and overcome any subsequent buyer objections. It is definitely a learning process that will continue to evolve and adopt not only to the consumer, but also to the current economic conditions.