As a partner of IMRG, RevLifter are asked to provide comment for their monthly advice blogs.

Top offers and rewards converting consumers in 2025

‘The most effective offers in 2025 aren’t about deeper discounts—they’re about smarter targeting.’

‘We’re seeing retailers like Radley and IT Luggage succeed by moving beyond blanket promotions to behavioural-based offers. Exit campaigns that trigger when someone tries to leave convert abandoners.’

‘Stretch & Save promotions increase average order value by encouraging shoppers to reach specific thresholds for rewards. Invalid code offers turn discount hunters into buyers by providing exclusive deals when expired codes are entered. Different shoppers need different nudges,’

Customer acquisition strategies that have proven to work

‘First-time visitors having different incentives than returning customers. Most retailers miss this entirely.’

‘New visitors lack context about your value, so your offers should build confidence, not just discount products.

‘Test tiered entry offers: small discount for email signup, better offer for first purchase, best value for minimum spending threshold. This creates a pathway of increasing commitment.’

‘The best acquisition offers I’ve seen don’t just reduce price—they reduce perceived risk. “Free shipping on your first order” can outperform “10% off” because it eliminates an unexpected cost rather than just trimming the expected one.’

Ways to improve UX on eCommerce websites

‘Well-designed offers act as signposts, not just discounts. When shoppers face decision paralysis, intelligent recommendations paired with subtle incentives help them navigate forward.’

‘Think of it like this: “Others bought these shoes with these socks (and saved 15% as a bundle)” works better than separate promotions for each product.’

‘The best product recommendations don’t just show related items, they provide clear reasons to choose specific combinations. This reduces cognitive load at critical decision points. The goal isn’t to discount everything, but to guide customers through complexity with relevant, timely assistance.’

What’s next for eCommerce? trends and predictions for 2025

‘In today’s rocky economic landscape, retailers must make every penny (and promotional tactic) work. They need to focus on efficiency and effectiveness to reduce costs and find growth.’

‘With AI taking centre stage, the expectation to do more with less isn’t going anywhere, nor is the pressure to nail what customers truly value. Forget guesswork; knowing what people are willing to pay and why is a competitive edge. The retailers that will succeed will treat every chance to convert with precision. Efficiency isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about building sharper ones.’

eCommerce unwrapped: Key insights from Christmas and Boxing Day 2024

‘Retailers who excelled leaned into seasonal product recommendations and upselling opportunities—offering extra gifts for loved ones or clever add-ons.’

‘Campaigns like Stretch & Save built bigger baskets while prominently displaying Christmas delivery cut-off dates spurred conversions. The key was helping customers complete holiday shopping seamlessly while boosting basket size and profitability. It’s about creating value for shoppers and balancing the books for retailers.’

Black Friday 2024: Key trends and observations

‘Black Friday 2024 saw RevLifter retailers using smarter targeted promotions to drive better results.’

‘Stretch-and-save offers boosted AOV by encouraging shoppers to hit discounts or free shipping thresholds. Exit-intent campaigns also proved crucial, re-engaging hesitant customers with additional discounts and saving potential lost sales.’

‘Promoting bestsellers was popular in many campaigns, reducing decision fatigue and driving conversions by spotlighting what others were buying. Some of our customers eschewed Black Friday-specific promotions altogether but still used intelligent offers through the funnel to accelerate performance over the busy period.’

Tips for retailers during Black Friday week 2024

‘Retailers should be prepared to learn and adapt as they go during Black Friday week. Consider using data to refine the targeting and the kinds of offer you’re using. Focus on high-intent segments, such as cart abandoners or repeat visitors, as they can quickly boost conversions.

‘Ensure promotions are relevant and varied, using strategies like tiered discounts to encourage higher spend without overwhelming inventory. Be mindful of messaging frequency; maintaining excitement without fatiguing customers is key. Above all, be ready to monitor real-time data closely to adapt fast and capture last-minute opportunities.’

Black Friday 2024: Expectations, plans, and forecasts

‘This Black Friday, retailers have a golden opportunity to boost conversions and maximise spend per customer. In a period already famous for discounts, optimising onsite promotions is key to standing out.’

‘Retailers can ‘clear stock and drive sales effectively by delivering targeted discounts and optimising conversion points.’

‘Monitor visitor behaviour to reduce abandonment – addressing exit signals can make a huge difference. Also, do a Black Friday review to ensure any learnings are noted for the next time big promotions are in play.’

Creative approaches to Halloween trading 2024

‘This Halloween, creative use of onsite promotions will be key to boosting conversions and managing inventory effectively.’

‘Brands can lean into targeted, time-limited offers—like flash sales on themed products or spooky bundles—to drive urgency and increase site conversions. For example, promoting “buy one, get one for half-price” deals on Halloween décor helps move excess stock while increasing customer revenue.’

‘Using personalised overlays triggered by browsing behaviour—like recommending last-minute costume add-ons to visitors with related products in their baskets—to optimise promotion spend, ensuring offers reach the right audience without being overused.’

What retailers can learn from the success of beauty brands

‘Beauty products typically have a lower AOV than other categories, making purchases easier. Consumers often add an extra lipstick or moisturiser to their cart without hesitation, boosting overall sales.’

‘Many beauty brands also manufacture their products, allowing them to maintain strong margins. This financial flexibility enables them to offer discounts and promotions without significantly impacting profitability.’

‘Brands like Wet n Wild excel at using on-site promotions to increase conversions and AOV. For example, they implemented reactive overlays and exit-intent offers to keep customers engaged and drive sales, effectively reducing cart abandonment.’

‘Beauty products are great for cross-selling, with low-value items like lip balms or travel-sized products commonly added to increase basket size. Wet n Wild’s “Stretch & Save” promotions incentivised larger purchases, raising their AOV by 25%.’

Innovative conversion tactics implemented by retailers in 2024

‘Understanding customer intent is the key to improving conversion rates. It is crucial to know what has brought someone to your site and what they are hoping to achieve by visiting. Are they looking to make a purchase immediately, or are they in the research phase? Did they come directly to you because they know your brand, or did they find you via search?’

‘Analyse their data and uncover behavioural insights. Then, they can focus on the push and pull factors that can increase conversions. If someone is researching, you should focus on showing them more products and highlighting the benefits of purchasing. A special offer or discount will get them over the line if they are ready to buy.’

‘Test different tactics and offers to find the answers. There’s no shortcut; hard work over time leads to performance improvements.’

Ecommerce quick wins after a difficult start to 2024

‘Data analysis can truly boost conversion rates. For instance, Bodykind implemented offers at various spend thresholds, targeting those who abandoned carts, resulting in increased conversion and AOV. Try segmenting your audience and tailoring offers accordingly.’

‘US Polo Assn tested two different types of promotional strategies, percentage versus dollar-off, and found no major difference. Yet, dollar-off promotions compromised less overall value.’

‘Shop4Runners addressed potential drop-outs by implementing a discount when customers copied product names to search for better prices. Identifying pain points and creating targeted solutions to enhance conversion is always worth it.’

Fashion focus:
Strategies to boost growth after a period of doom

‘Experiment with value exchange points. Classic examples include offering a 10% discount in exchange for an email signup or first purchase – What would happen if you offered more or less? – Alternatively, consider providing free delivery as an incentive.’

‘Remember to assess the impact throughout the entire funnel. It’s not just about immediate conversion and abandonment rates but also about the effect on repeat purchases, customer loyalty, and customer lifetime value (LTV). Offering more value upfront may lead to greater long-term benefits. Develop hypotheses and conduct tests over time with a valid sample size.’

The new & innovative ways retailers can use AI in 2024

‘We are in the very early stages of AI maturity, but some clear use cases are emerging. The key, as with any new technology, is how it can help you automate and accelerate your work to get the answers and results you need faster – combining human and machine intelligence.’

‘We’re seeing a lot of value from a testing perspective. Generating offer, copy, and image variants quickly and at scale and then optimising live tests to automatically serve the best performers. As the technology learns more, it can start to predict what the best interventions will be before you run them. But you should always validate hypotheses – human or machine-generated!’

Using interactive marketing to drive customer engagement

‘One effective method is to gamify offers. Consider implementing special offer hunts, mystery offers, or setting engagement goals or basket values that offer rewards. When executed properly, these strategies engage visitors and improve core metrics.’

‘Another way to stay relevant is by incorporating an onsite assistant that dynamically displays content, offers, and recommendations based on visitor behaviour. Add some eye-catching visuals and animations to ensure it doesn’t go unnoticed. This can truly enhance the overall user experience.’

Key learnings from Black Friday 2023 to help shape your 2024 strategy

‘Black Friday 2023 underscored the importance of dynamic, data-driven offers—like discounts tied to cart value thresholds—successfully encouraging larger orders and helping to manage stock levels effectively.’

‘Those who thrived used personalised promotions triggered by real-time behaviours, such as exit-intent offers that kept shoppers from abandoning their carts to complement their big sales.’

‘In contrast, brands that missed out often relied entirely on blanket discounts that strained margins without strategically increasing spend per customer. For 2024, focussing on fine-tuning offer timing and value based on live customer data will be critical to driving both profitability and conversion rates.’

Optimise your data & hit key customer touchpoints

‘There are some incredibly simple tools that track when a customer is opening new tabs, copying product names, and generally showing signs of comparing prices elsewhere. From here, you can either serve something like a discount to convert the sale or add an extra layer of data by reserving that offer for customers that have a high cart value.’

‘It’s all about using data in a practical and targeted way by tying everything back to your business challenges.’