With the holidays quickly approaching, you need to find simple and easy ways to capitalize on the season for your online shop. Nearly 25% of total U.S. retail e-commerce sales—equaling nearly $56.43 billion—take place between Black Friday and Christmas. If you’re an Amazon seller, you could take a cut of a $63.7 million industry on Amazon’s marketplace alone during this holiday season. Such a large market means a lot of competition, though. So what can you do to get your products noticed during the holiday rush?

 Below are the five best ways to showcase and sell your goods this holiday season.

 1. Stock up on inventory.

 Having more product available means more potential holiday sales—but that’s not the only reason to stock up. Did you know that your inventory levels affect your Amazon search optimization? Products with one to five units available are less likely to show on the first page than items with significant stock. Similarly, users trust a product and company more if they do not see that only a small quantity is available. (This is the reverse if it is an exclusive or luxury item.)

Thus, focus on increasing your stock levels to: 1) optimize your real-estate location on Amazon; 2) appear more professional to consumers; and 3) have more inventory available to sell during the busy holiday season.

 2. Optimize your listings.

You want to optimize your listings so your products are towards the top of the search results. Amazon ranks items by search terms, price, inventory, selection, and sales history. The more information fields you complete, the more visible the product will be. Customers often search using filters: the more fields you complete, the more likely your product will appear during a filter search. Make sure all of your information is comprehensive and accurate to best appear in search listings. Offering more information will also instill trust with consumers and ensure they are happy when they receive the product.

You should also use relevant search terms and tags. The number of page views increases exponentially by just adding one additional, relevant search term. When determining your appropriate tags, think of what the customer would type into the search bar to find your product. For example, if you sell dryer sheets, consumers would often search “dryer sheets.” However, they may also search “static-free” or “dry products.” You don’t want to miss out on a great sale just because the user typed something different into the search bar.

 3. Make your return policy known.

If you fill out your fields correctly, consumers shouldn’t need to return the product—but it still happens. Consumers demand 100% satisfaction with their purchases and want the option to send it back if they’re not pleased. Make sure they understand the return policy so they feel more comfortable purchasing your product. Address your A-to-Z Guarantee claims promptly by checking your claim pages daily.

 If applicable, reach out to the consumer after the holidays to get feedback on why they returned the product. This should not be an accusation, but simply a way for you to gain helpful information to grow your business moving forward.

4. Offer expedited shipping options.

 People will only buy a product for the holiday season if they are guaranteed to receive that item by the holiday. Thus, offering expedited shipping as an option can increase your volume. Last-minute shoppers are often the most profitable, and expedited shipping lets those consumers order from you even a few days before Christmas. You can find Amazon’s shipping rates here.

5. Provide quality customer service.

Holiday shopping is a stressful time for consumers. If you “wow” them with service, they’re more likely to tell their friends and come back to your company for future purchases. They will also give you a better review on Amazon, which can lead to better search optimization. Respond to all inquiries within 24 hours, add personal touches and thank you notes inside the packages, and be courteous and professional. This helps you to get good feedback, good reviews, and repeat customers.

 It’s go-time at Amazon this holiday season, so make sure you are prepared to sell. Stock up, optimize your listings, offer great return policies and shipping options, and provide unbeatable customer service. You’ll be on your way to taking a slice of the holiday retail pie, and you’ll set yourself up for future business after the holidays have passed.

Contact HomeRev to make sure you're stocked up on the best products to sell this holiday season!

Also, check out this article about increasing your margins to make this your most profitable season to date!