Customers love to get little extras, especially around holiday seasons (Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, etc.) It can be as simple as offering gift wrapping services for all purchases. Or you can send packages directly to the recipient of the gift (with a note from the sender), as long as shipping costs would be the same either way (typically within the same country).
Free shipping for orders over a certain dollar amount is another common practice. Or you can give customers who purchase from your online store a secret discount code that they can use for future orders for a specifed period of time (6 - 12 months). Keep track of those customers and send out reminder e-mails, especially around holidays, to generate more business.
Enter everyone who makes a purchase, in a given month (or time frame of your choice), into a draw for a free giveaway. It's a great way to build customer loyalty and boost sales. Make the giveaway special, different from the products you are selling, to encourage them to make a purchase for a chance to win.
There is no time like the present to start planning for the upcoming holiday season. Make sure you have lots of business cards, packaging supplies, gift wrap, and plenty of beads & jewelry making supplies (or whatever you require for your particular craft) so that you can replenish your stock as you sell.
Planning ahead will save you a lot of stress down the road. Most importantly, have fun!
Excellent points, Bonnie - thanks for sharing!
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