From analytics to customer service tools, there’s a multitude of software at your fingertips that can set your eCommerce business up for success during the holidays and into the new year. Tools make your life easier and maximize productivity by optimizing workflow and keeping respective operations organized. These are especially helpful during the holidays when jumbled ticket management or messy inventory can negatively impact customer support. 

By definition, eCommerce tools are pieces of software like apps, platforms, and plug-ins that help business owners manage online stores. Utilize eCommerce tools to help you maintain business growth, better keep up with customer demands, and codify valuable analytics. Read through our essential eCommerce tools to plan for the holidays and reap the benefits this season and beyond. 

8 essential eCommerce tools for the holidays  

1. Email management/support software 

One thing to note when looking for the right email software is to check native plugin integration for better compatibility and ease. If someone signs up for the newsletter on your website form, you’ll want to make sure this contact automatically gets added to your newsletter subscribers so they don’t miss out on any holiday marketing or coupon codes. 

Besides integration, there are a few other key features to keep in mind: 

• Customer support is a collaborative, team effort and you may need an email platform with the ability to add internal notes. 
• Automation is a huge part of email campaigns from simple cart abandonment reminders to sign-up thank you messages or order confirmations. Look for tools that help you automate conversation sorting and tagging. 
• Organization is useful for separating messages and directing them to different support teams with specialization regarding the query. 
• Conduct research on ease of use and overall experience for customers and agents to find the right fit for both parties. 
• Analytics are vital for tracking success and reviewing insights quickly. 

There are so many different ways to use email campaigns. In a nutshell, email platforms are communication channels, so depending on your message, you can share information regarding your holiday hours, your seasonal sales, or new products you’re launching. Generate more sales and bigger profits by creating a well-thought-out holiday campaign strategy ahead of time to garner the most benefits. 

2. Customer loyalty program software 

Customer retention is critical because the cost of acquiring new customers is much higher than retaining existing customers. According to Annex Cloud…

Customers spend 67% more when they are part of a sustained customer loyalty program. 

As a powerful incentive for the holiday season, offering your loyalty program audience first looks at products or special offers can boost sales while keeping customers satisfied and engaged. 

Ask these questions when looking for the right loyalty program software:

• What features make this software stand out from competitors? 
• How much does this software cost in comparison to alternatives? Is it month-to-month pricing or an annual contract? 
• Is there a free trial? 
• What features are available to make customer service easier? 
• What do the reviews say? 
• Is it worth it? 

If you aren’t ready to set up a customer loyalty program before the holiday season, no worries. This is something that can be implemented at any time throughout the year. 

3. Advertising tools 

Advertising on Facebook or Google is awesome for the holiday season. However, you’ll want to prep a few things before pushing an ad out into the noise. Using free tools such as Google Keyword Planner for keyword research or Google Analytics to review top product sales and buyer personas can help in building a successful, data-driven ad. 

4. Live chat software 

During the holidays, customers typically need an extra layer of support. Live chat offers the functionality for buyers to chat in real-time with an agent without having to phone in or wait for an email response. 

When choosing a live chat software, keep these common features in mind: 

• Automated responses for answering common questions 
• A chat widget that customers can minimize while browsing your site 
• Analytics and reporting tools for tracking performance 
• Knowledge base integration to easily share helpful articles with visitors 

For more on live chat tips, check out our automated live chat tactics. 

5. Ticket management system

A ticketing system collects and manages all customer support interactions from different platforms, including phone, live chat, email, and social media. This management system enables support agents to route various types of tickets to the correct person, resource, or department to obtain the fastest resolution.

To help guide you in selecting the right ticket system, ask these six questions:

• Is the software easy to use? 
• How easy will it be to implement the system? 
• What support processes does it allow you to automate? 
• What system does your online ticketing system integrate with? 
• How does the software measure customer satisfaction? 
• How much does the software cost for your team size? 

A well-implemented helpdesk ticket system consolidates communication. Once you have your helpdesk tool in place, read through hacks and macro setting to automate operations. 

6. Order tracking software 

According to a study by Oracle…

93% of online shoppers want to stay informed and receive updates about their orders. 

Our evaluation criteria:

• The user interface should be clean with easy-to-view features 
• Usability should be simple to master
• Integration should be available for other tools like payment portals and customer care tools
• The software should offer great features with reasonable pricing

When ordering a package online, it’s exciting. Especially when it’s been purchased last minute, meaning the customer will want it as soon as possible. With order tracking software (and proactive communication on shipping expectations) it keeps customers up to date on when they can expect their package. 

7. Customer relationship management (CRM) tool 

CRM software was developed to make the process of customer management easier and less time-consuming. It helps businesses track and manage customer interactions, and record interactions between a business, its prospects, and existing customers. 

The benefits of CRM include: 

• Improving efficiency
• Having more transparency 
• Retaining customers 
• Increasing sales 

With thousands of CRM software to choose from, it can get overwhelming quickly. The truth is that there’s no right or wrong answer - only the best choice that fits your team and customer needs. As with other common considerations regarding price, integration, and usability, another extremely important factor in CRM software is choosing a provider with regular updates and high security. 

8. Analytics tools 

Analytics are key to marketing success. Review engagement stats and website traffic to create better strategies that keep visitors coming back for more long after the holiday season is gone. Here are four free analytics tools to take advantage of today:

Google Analytics 

This tool will measure certain goals, including which pages a visitor clicks on, how long they stay, and the actions they take. You can see whether a visitor is sharing content on social media or clicking on an ad. Google logs the conversion in your analytics report each time a goal is completed. This just scrapes the surface of Google Analytics’ abilities, and once you dig into the platform more you will find that it offers much to pay attention to. 

Bitly

This free tool is known for its link-shortening abilities. Once you’ve created your Bitly short-link, you can then view the performance on how many clicks each link generated, when people clicked, and where they clicked from. 

Clicky 

Clicky lists every visitor, including when they visited, where they’re located, where they were referred from, how long they stayed on your page, and what actions they took. Clicky also provides heat maps in real-time, not just for a collection of visitors, but for each individual. If your site receives more than 3,000 visits per day, you will be required to pay for the service. 

SEMrush

SEMrush can help you get ahead of your competitors by researching keywords in display ads, organic and paid search, and link building. Simply enter a domain, keyword, or URL in the search bar, and you’ll gain access to a wealth of insights. SEMrush is free with limited functionality. 

eCommerce holiday support 

The holidays can get hectic, and we’re here to offer solutions by providing an extra layer of support for your existing team. We help businesses scale by providing top-tier sales, lead development, and perfectly executed customer support. We can get you up and running in a week. Scale your business with support on demand.