WARNING - some of these may be brutal (especially number three), but we can FIX it.

I’ve heard so many of these objections from friends, family, and strangers at markets (and I’ve honestly thought a few myself) - and they are so VALID.

The key to getting more people to shop small isn’t posting basics graphics repeating the same thing we’ve all heard - “shop small!”, but actually addressing the objections people are really thinking when they browse and head to checkout.

Let’s break down some of the biggest reasons why people skip shopping small - and walk through quick fixes to make sure they’re not thinking these things about your store.

Objection 1: “I don’t know if it will arrive in time”

The biggest bummer is when you find the *perfect* gift, after hours and hours of searching, only to head to checkout and have absolutely no idea when it’ll arrive. You scour the site - the FAQs page, product details, shipping pages, but still have no idea. You can’t risk the gift not arriving in time, so you abandon the cart only to have to start your search all over again.

The Fix: 

Make both processing and shipping times readily available on your site. Think of adding them not only to your “FAQ” and “Shipping” pages, but to places that will easily be seen by the customer - the product page (think accordion style in the product details), an announcement bar (if it’s quick shipping), and most importantly at checkout (don’t skip this one!)

Objection 2: “I can’t see the details”

It can sometimes be hard to see certain aspects of a product that become even more important when it’s a gift - like, if there’s a card that comes with the bracelet explaining the meaning behind the piece, what the inside of a children’s book says, or if clothing has elastic and stretches. 

The details become even more important when it’s a gift. You want to make sure they know the meaning behind the gift (the card that comes with the bracelet), don’t accidentally insult someone (seeing the inside of a book), or make them feel like they’ve gained weight (buying a stiff material that doesn’t stretch).

The Fix:

Add as many product photos as possible, including the small details. Make sure the product description describes those details as well. For example with jewelry, be sure to include things like if a necklace has an extender, the type of clasp or backing for an earring, if it comes with a card explaining the meaning behind it, the material (someone could be allergic), the length, the size of the pendant, and the packaging or gift box. 

You can even take it one step further by adding a chat option to your site so someone can quickly reach out with any questions before heading to checkout. But, make it a true chat, no responding 24-48 hours later because customers will have moved on by then.

Objection 3: “It’s cute, but I can’t give that as a gift”

This one can also be called “It looks handmade (in a bad way)”, “It looks like I didn’t spend a lot”, or “It looks like I DIY’d it”. The truth is we care about the person we’re giving the gift to and that means we care about how they feel. What does the gift we gave say about us? Does it say we’re a caring friend? Or is it screaming “You spent less than $20 on me as an afterthought at a flea market”.

The Fix: 

Oof, this one hurts to hear, but think about it, have you ever felt this way yourself about a product? Most of the time it’s actually NOT the product itself that you’re feeling this way about, it’s the packaging. The typography, color palette, label design, bag/box type, can all affect the way someone feels about a product. 

Fixing this one requires a little more advanced planning. Think about new vessels, labels, and designs to tweak or overhaul your packaging - working with a designer would be helpful here, but not necessarily a must. If you’re going at it alone, pull inspiration, play with designs in Canva, test new vessels, and poll your audience before replacing anything officially.

Objection 4: “I can send it gift wrapped with a big brand”

It’s no fun to rip open an Amazon-looking box for your birthday to find the gift laying inside - no wrapping, stuffing, card - just a lifeless product. Back to objection #3 - we care about how the person we’re giving the gift to feels. We want them to feel special and thought of, that means a beautifully wrapped gift delivered straight to their door. 

The Fix: 

This fix is so easy if you’re on Shopify - simply add the app called “Wrapped: Gift Wrap & Message” to your storefront. It’ll allow you to customize the branding so it fits in seamlessly with your storefront, add “to” and “from” fields, along with multiple gift wrap options (if you want to be extra and have a few choices!) It’s $15 a month, but is totally worth it if it means not missing out on potential sales. 

Objection 5: “I need it to arrive quickly”

(aka the assumption that small businesses take too long)

Let’s be honest, we’re all busy and often panic-buy a gift last minute. In fact, according to Google’s Consumer Insights 33% percent of last-minute shoppers even choose where to buy their gifts from based on how soon they can get them. *Raises hand - 100% guilty of this. We need it and fast, there’s no chance we’re looking bad for it not arriving in time, even if that means hopping from store to store until we find the perfect gift that arrives FAST.

The Fix: 

Offer multiple shipping options at checkout, not just the standard option. Make sure to have a 2-3 day express option, as well as an overnight option. You might think no one is going to spend $60 on shipping to send something overnight, but someone who is desperate for time, finally found the right gift, and just wants to send it before they look bad will 100% pay.

Just a reminder to make sure you include BOTH processing and shipping times here too. Communication is key in expectations. The overnight option would be a bust if your processing time is 3 days.

Getting People to Shop Small

The biggest hack for making sure you implement these micro changes to your business and knock out any and all objections they have for shopping small is putting it on the calendar. Literal life hack for everything, seriously. Block out a date that you’ll implement each “fix”, adding it to your calendar or to-do list for a specific day. The goal is to make sure you actually implement these and don’t leave them in the back of your mind thinking “hmm, that was a valid point” and promptly doing nothing about it.

And, if you need a little help along the way, say redoing your packaging or refreshing your website, reach out, we’re happy to help.