Getting the most value out of your e-commerce channels can be challenging and in the run-up to Black Friday, many are going to be focusing on driving sales and revenue through discounts and offers in prep for the holidays season.
Many companies drive value through business bartering, and there are some ways you can take advantage of it in the run-up to the biggest sale of the year. Here we 2 ways you can use the power of contra deals to enhance your e-commerce traffic over Black Friday.
1. Send product to potential publications for good press
If you are looking for ways to generate press around your deals, then sending sample products to some of your current suppliers/customers who have a good online audience could get you in front of a load of new eyes. Equally, you could offer a discount on your current services in exchange for shares on social media and online blogs. For example, if you are a watersports retailer specialising in paddle boards, offering a discount to some of your re-sellers on their orders in exchange for a post around your Black Friday paddle board deals could help you drive revenue without having to directly invest in the services of a PR company.
2. Use your product as a bartering tool for better services
If you require your shipping or logistic companies to work extra hours over the busy holiday periods then offering your products as gifts to the members of staff could be a great way to maintain the relationship whilst building morale. Of course, cash bonuses and extra payments can work, but sending over some of your product is a great way to show your gratefulness whilst potentially developing new customer relationships!
It is worth noting that if you can keep costs down by using your product as a bartering tool with customers and suppliers you could see a big benefit to your cash flow! Whilst there are no direct tax-efficiency benefits from bartering and contra dealing there are a lot of ways you can improve the overall operations of your business to try and become more efficient. In the run-up to Black Friday, it is important to keep an eye on the bottom line regardless of how important driving revenue is.