The holiday, which falls on a different day every year, is steeped in tradition and symbolism. In China, people travel by the millions so they can be with their families and celebrate with feasts, parades, and festivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, Lunar New Year is a weeklong public holiday in China \u2014 Feb. 11-17 this year. Offices and factories close. Production comes to a halt. Workers tend to take vacation for the entire 15-day period, starting before the actual holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n
What should sellers do during Lunar New Year?<\/h2>\n\n\n
For some e-commerce entrepreneurs, this is as good a time as any to hit pause and recharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Erick Rodriguez<\/a> typically goes on a multi-country vacation with entrepreneur friends, while Goat Consulting<\/a>‘s Will Tjernlund takes a Zen approach. “So much of the Amazon business tends to be a feeling of hurry up and wait,” says Will. “If new SKUs are not on the horizon, just sit back, relax, and truly enjoy running your business.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n But Lunar New Year also offers the perfect opportunity to polish your online store and presence. Here are seven ways to maximize the time.<\/p>\n\n\n This sounds obvious, but here\u2019s the thing: not every supplier or factory closes for the holiday, even if their auto-reply email says so. Some still check in via WeChat<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just ask experienced sellers like Sourcing Monster<\/a>\u2019s Tomer David and lingerie entrepreneur Sylvia Stefanowicz<\/a>. \u201cI will not really enjoy this time off because that’s what my competitors are doing,\u201d says Tomer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sylvia is busy with her spring\/summer collection and close to inking a deal with a new manufacturer. \u201cWe don\u2019t sit back. This year we are heavily focused on building our reach via Amazon in Europe, including launching on Amazon Poland,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tomer\u2019s advice? Ask your suppliers and manufacturers, and those you\u2019re scouting for future products, for their WeChat contact info. Keeping these relationships strong is key to your success as a seller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And don\u2019t forget to wish your overseas contacts a happy and healthy holiday today, says Liran Hirschkorn, founder and CEO of Incrementum Digital<\/a>, which helps brands scale their Amazon sales.<\/p>\n\n\n You know how the best ideas sometimes come to you in the shower? Hop in that shower and spin up product ideas and variations!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChinese New Year time is a great time to work on new product development, so you can come back to your suppliers with which new products or variations you want to develop and double down to increase sales on new products launched before the holiday,\u201d says Liran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dig into market trends and keywords to figure out products to add to your inventory. Look into expanding beyond your current marketplace. Review our guides to product sourcing for eBay<\/a> and Amazon FBA<\/a> as you research wholesalers and new platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Shopify? Pinterest? Etsy? Now is the time to think of your next thing,” says Tim Jordan, founder of the e-commerce selling community Private Label Legion<\/a> and host of AM\/PM Podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Is your product title specific enough, with relevant keywords, brand and model names? Does your description answer questions your customers might have?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each element of your product listing<\/a> has an impact on your sales. Now\u2019s the time to put the images, titles, and descriptions under the microscope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Edit and polish accordingly, then split test<\/a> them on PickFu with a targeted audience that mirrors your customer base. You\u2019ll get detailed feedback quickly, usually within 30 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStart with your main image to increase clicks and session numbers,\u201d says Etienne Ameil<\/a>, a seven-figure seller based in Europe. \u201cOnce this is done, do a price test to find optimal pricing that will maximize your total daily profit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the zillion things you have to stay on top of as a seller, you might view customer reviews as a lower-priority item. That\u2019s a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly everyone looks at reviews before they buy. (Don\u2019t you?) Reviews build trust. Use this time to ask for them. And yes, it\u2019s perfectly OK to ask your customers for reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your email list is gold for reaching out in a personalized, not-spammy way to encourage reviews. Do it yourself or use a feedback tool that does it for you. This overview covers six of the best Amazon feedback tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Orders might be delayed if you hadn\u2019t prepared early enough before Lunar New Year. Customers might be getting antsy. It\u2019s as important as ever to stay engaged with them via email and social media. Post a note explaining any potential issues due to the holiday on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Excellent customer service and dedicated marketing will keep your brand and products top of mind during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n Tackling the day-to-day stuff is necessary, but once you reach a certain size, it might be holding you back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSellers, this is your time to get your own dream team in place,\u201d says seller-turned-agency-CEO Nate Ginsburg of SellerPlex<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Keep working (and get on WeChat)<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Lunar](\"https:\/\/www.pickfu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/boxing-products-ready-for-dispatching.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Do product research and development<\/h3>\n\n\n
3. Review and improve your listings<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Lunar](\"https:\/\/www.pickfu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/amazon-split-testing-photos.png\")
<\/a>4. Focus on customer reviews<\/h3>\n\n\n
5. Communicate early and often<\/h3>\n\n\n
6. Build your team<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Lunar](\"https:\/\/www.pickfu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/two-coworkers-working-on-project-with-laptop.jpg\")
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