Get Ready for Cyber Monday Trinidad & Tobago 2017

Forward Multimedia is promoting a NATIONAL CYBER MONDAY EVENT this November 27, 2017 in an effort to boost E-Commerce in Trinidad & Tobago. No apologies for the American-style ‘we-too’, it’s already ingrained in the national psyche and best put it to work for the sake of the the bigger picture. If you want to roll your eyes at something more deserving, it should be Halloween :).

Would such a promotion work? Last year I would have doubted any big success but it would have still been a worthwhile attempt had I gotten around to it. This year I strongly believe that it WILL WORK, now that we have more online stores to participate, thanks in no small part to the introduction of WIPAY. Now literally anyone with something to sell online, product or service, can do so.

Ultimately, my hope is that it would give local E-Commerce its own steam to start chugging along in the new year.

Most of us know that the US style CYBER MONDAY sales event occurs the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s the online version of BLACK FRIDAY to include retailers who have no physical stores to get the foot traffic that the Black Friday event targets.

And to sing to the choir, Black Friday is the nationwide sale event at US brick and mortar stores the day after Thanksgiving usually starting in the wee hours of the morning. You may also know that Black Friday itself is the official launch of the holiday shopping season and we all witness the spectacle of literal door busting shoppers falling over themselves and others and the mad scramble in Walmart, Target, etc. in the life imitates art ugly truth about consumerism.

Yes, Trinis in the ‘we too’ US style culture we naturally adopt, are no slouches either. Black Friday sales in Trinidad & Tobago are now standard and like the Americans we storm in knocking down doors and ‘licking down’ each other (we”re Trini after all).

So CYBER MONDAY it is in Trinidad & Tobago with no apologies, only to give E-Commerce in Trinidad & Tobago the shot in the arm or kick in the bam bam it desperately needs and honestly there is no other time of the year that this will be as effective.

As you may or may not know, I launched the TT Online Store Directory back in July without much fanfare and promotion. However, this is going to change and take center-stage as the jumping off point to funnel online shoppers from the directory, where they’ll view the specials of all online stores taking part, straight to the store.

There’ll be no time for monkey business when browsing the directory; find a store you like and go the the site and start shopping.

The success of Cyber Monday in T&T lies in having the maximum number of stores registered in the first place. If you have an online store in Trinidad & Tobago, you need to register as soon as possible. Sign-up is easy and FREE; this is not a money making enterprise for me, the slogan is ALL T&T ONLINE STORES… IN ONE PLACE.

And just to be clear, it’s ONLY a directory, no shopping takes place on the site. Find stores in various categories- computers, clothing, etc., and click the link that takes you straight to their website where you do your thing.

I’m sure you’re curious, so if you want to take a quick visit click the link below. It’s very intuitive, and when you’re ready, click REGISTER and complete the process. The only ‘catch’ is that submissions are not immediately published, they remain pending till I review, but mainly to ensure completeness and accuracy.

Bear in mind that your Cyber Monday bargains are a means to an end. The end is to obtain and KEEP a paying customer by providing an exceptional online experience on your site. In fact, the reality is that you don’t even need to provide an exceptional experience, even a great or just good experience will do.

There’s not much rocket science to it, the raw truth is that you’ll sell anything if priced two for a dollar. Merchants selling the popular consumer fare like computers and electronics will obviously attract the lions share of traffic, next would be clothes. As long as you’re not selling your soul or your firstborn, pretty much any consumer item would do well. Shoppers will be looking for:

• Items at special prices
• Online coupon codes for a dollar or percentage discount
• Other incentive like free delivery etc.
• Absolutely irresistible bargains

Online promotion will be via paid Facebook ads at Forward Multimedia’s own expense, like I said, it’s a public service in the interest of Trinidad & Tobago E-Commerce. I strongly believe it is the only golden opportunity we’ll have where there will be such intense focus on online shopping, even though we will be competing directly with the US the same day,

As we start October, Cyber Monday (Nov 27th, 2017) is about two months away and definitely enough time to spread the awareness to create some buzz and anticipation.

I will directly promote to all my clients and I’ve already started. I’ll also place Facebook ads targeting the online stores for registration on the TT Online Store Directory. It is open to ALL ONLINE STORES in Trinidad & Tobago even those of my competitors,

The additional promotion is online promotion to the shopping public, letting them know that Cyber Monday Trinidad & Tobago 2017 is coming, it will be ‘YUGE’, and will knock their socks off, which can be replaced with new socks on Cyber Monday- buy one get one free!

BRACE YOURSELF Cyber Monday T&T IS COMING! This is my mission. Notwithstanding the budget and the economy, life has to go on, we have to make lime juice out of the limes we have. I urge you to be a part of this endeavor and I look forward to it being a huge success that will carry over straight to the holiday shopping season and of course beyond.