E-commerce Expert Insights: Q4 2024

Andrew Maffetone, Founder & CEO, Bluetuskr

Caroline Powell, Director of Marketing, Trellis

With the time between Cyber 5 and Christmas being a week shorter, the calendar will definitely catch some shoppers by surprise. Beyond that, shopping will start earlier and will be extra sensitive to pricing fluctuations, adding items to carts to track price over time. They want to ensure they’re getting the best deal.

Chad Rubin, CEO & Founder, Profasee

We must talk supply chain—disruptions are guaranteed. The smart move for any brand is clear: be proactive, secure your inventory early, streamline your operations for speed, and get ready to outmaneuver the competition. That that drag their feet – they’ll be left scrambling, watching from the sidelines as you cash in.

Pauline Shiu, VP of Marketing, Finale Inventory

The fight for Q4 wins began weeks ago. So, if you haven’t already begun strategizing your promotional strategy and bulking up your email list, now is definitely the time (especially as this pre-Q4 period will translate to cheaper, less competitive impressions.)

If the name of the game is profitability, there’s much you can do to leverage loyal customers via email for early mover advantage on sales. Treat them like VIPs with special offers, exclusive products, kits or bundles and perhaps even better return policies.

Ultimately, don’t wait to put all your eggs in the “Black Friday and Cyber Monday Basket” or you’ll be falling behind the competition. 

Derric Haynie, Head of Demand Generation, Pipe17

A big trend I’m noticing in ecommerce right now is that brands are really focusing on improving operational efficiency, especially in their return processes – optimizing returns for increased customer experience and profitability – as a massive influx of increased returns are expected (even before Christmas). 

My tip to you: Do something to get returns back on the (warehouse) shelves faster. Something to reduce wasted returns, recommerce, etc. Can you upsell in the return process? Can you automate the ticketing process or eliminate it altogether. 

Krish Iyer, VP, Strategic Partnerships and Industry Relations, ShipStation

Q4 2024 is projected to be a record-breaking quarter for ecommerce, with strong consumer spending mostly driven by holiday shopping. 

With that being said, profit margins are razor thin. Such aspects as having visibility into shipping costs and fees after the fact (e.g. address corrections, additional handling surcharges), estimated delivery date and time and the cost and frequency of returns will be the difference not only in terms of profitability, but also whether a consumer shops with that brand again in 2025.

Vincent Ribes, Director of Operations, Novatize

As we approach Q4 2024, we anticipate another year of record-breaking results for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The businesses that will thrive are those that effectively leverage unified commerce to deliver a seamless experience across all channels. 

In light of the more challenging economic situation, personalization within promotional strategies will be essential to influence consumer behavior and capture their interest in this competitive environment. Those who adapt and innovate will lead the way.

Jon Elder, CEO & Founder, Black Label Advisor

Between soaring inflation, Americans pulling back on spending, Amazon increasing fees across the board, and a flood of Chinese sellers, Q4 is going to be a bit of a blood bath but not in the way you think. 

Revenue-wise, it’s going to blow 2023’s Q4 records but that’s just top-line revenue that looks good in the news. In reality, sellers will see decreased margins and mass adoption of Deals, discounts, and coupons.  We are in for some very rough waters.

Yoni Mazor, CGO, Getida

In 2024, Amazon’s holiday shopping season will mark a significant shift with AI playing a prominent role for both sellers and consumers. 

At the forefront is “Rufus,” Amazon’s AI shopping assistant, which is rapidly being adopted by shoppers to discover and interact with products on the platform. As Rufus gains popularity, optimizing for “Rufus SEO” is becoming a key strategy for sellers looking to stay competitive. 

Beyond AI, the sellers who successfully navigate rising FBA fees, inflationary pressures, global logistics challenges, and increasing competition from overseas will emerge as the top performers in Q4 and position themselves as industry leaders going into 2025.

Amy Crooymans, Product Marketing Manager, A2X

The newly introduced tariffs in the US on imported goods from China will increase costs for retailers like Temu, Shein, and Alibaba, potentially driving a shift towards Amazon’s favor in Q4.

This shift will likely align with the continued momentum towards omnichannel strategies, particularly through owned brands and platforms like Shopify. As the landscape evolves, we also foresee ecommerce accountants and bookkeepers playing a critical role in managing these growing complexities.

Chad Rubin, CEO & Founder, Profasee

Q4 is a goldmine but also a battleground for quality.  Only those pushing premium, quality-driven products are gonna see their cash piles grow. The era of peddling cheap Chinese imitations in Q4 will expire. Today’s consumers are savvy—they’re hunting for the genuine high quality stuff especially as their wallets are squeezed more than ever.

Dynamic pricing isn’t just an option; it’s the future. Sticking to old pricing methods? That’s money down the drain. The sharp operators are letting algorithms take the wheel, optimizing prices in real-time to maximize profits from every sale.

Chris Hondl, CTO & Co-Founder, Finale Inventory

New FBA fees are designed to align with Amazon’s priorities. Those who can’t optimize their processes, particularly inventory management and FBA inbounding, will see their margins shrink.

The successful sellers I’ve spoken to at the recent Amazon Accelerate conference haven’t found a silver bullet. Instead, they’ve unlocked incremental efficiencies at every step of the value chain: sourcing, import and logistics, inventory management, inbounding to FBA, pricing, listing optimization, search, and advertising. Sellers feeling the heat need to examine every step in the chain and find small improvements that, when combined, can be a game changer for their business.