While many shoppers are content to leave their holiday purchases to the last minute, brands don’t have this luxury. Nothing could be worse than putting off your end-of-year planning.
Many retailers report that 20% or more of their annual sales take place in the four weeks between Black Friday and Christmas, according to The Balance — all the more reason to make sure your brand is prepared for what could be the busiest online holiday season yet.
Here are some best practices brands can adopt while preparing seasonal campaigns, as well as some of the most important ecommerce dates 2023 has up its sleeve.
Make Your List, and Check It Twice
While putting up your Christmas decorations in September might be a bit tacky — for brands, it’s never too early to start thinking about the holiday season. Many successful companies start their initial campaign planning as early as July and August.
Assess What Works Already
An excellent first step for any brand considering a holiday campaign is performing an honest, detailed assessment of their previous efforts — identifying which elements worked best, and incorporating those strategies as the brand moves forward. That being said, don’t be afraid to experiment with new approaches, either.
Perform Seasonal Keyword Research, and Optimize Your Copy
Ensure you are deeply familiar with the trending keywords that drive your product sales during the holiday season.
Audit the following across channels to increase your discoverability:
Think of search phrases like “stocking stuffers” or “gifts for dads who have everything.” Incorporating the voice of your customer into product copy is another great way of organically including common search terms shoppers might use to find your products.
Enhanced Holiday Content
Incorporating enhanced content into your product detail page (PDP) is an effective way to increase conversion and support engaging shopping experiences.
Enhanced content includes:
- Longer, more customized product descriptions;
- Videos;
- Extensive image galleries;
- Feature tours;
- Comparison charts; and
- Downloadable materials.
Enhanced content will always help build trust with consumers and increase your discoverability across channels.
Keep an Eye on Customer Service
Increased sales means more customers will be contacting your company with questions and concerns about your products — make sure that your customer service department is ramped up and prepared to handle the uptick in holiday inquiries.
Monitor Emerging Trends
When November and December come around, don’t “set it and forget it” — actively monitor trends for unexpected opportunities and be prepared to move quickly when they arise.
Most Important Holiday Season Shopping Dates 2023
We all know the holiday season is the busiest time of year for online retailers, but a few days stand out as especially important. Here are the five days that should be any brand’s top priority when planning their end-of-year campaigns.
1. Black Friday: November 24, 2023
U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Others
While the old-school doorbusters-style Black Friday is starting to fall out of fashion, online sales are becoming increasingly popular on this legendary retail holiday — eMarketer predicts a 4.5% increase in 2023 from 2022.
Many customers start looking for information about Black Friday deals as early as September or October. As consumer habits take an increasingly online shift, many retailers have begun offering their Black Friday deals online as early as Thanksgiving night.
2. Cyber Monday: Nov. 27, 2023
U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Others
First coined in 2005, Cyber Monday was originally created by online retailers who felt they were missing out on the significant gains other retailers saw on Black Friday. Since then, the line between Cyber Monday and Black Friday has blurred slightly — many online retailers now offer Black Friday deals too — but the day is still one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
3. GivingTuesday: Nov. 28, 2023
U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Others
Started in 2012 by a group of nonprofits under the umbrella of New York City’s 92nd Street Y, organizers hoped to create a sort of “Black Friday” for charitable spending during the holiday season.
It’s since become a massive success, most recently raising over $3.1 billion for charities in the U.S. last year alone, according to GivingTuesday. The organization is also now active in many other countries.
While a big day for the nonprofit world, your brand can also leverage GivingTuesday to increase sales, reaffirm your brand purpose, and build rapport with values-driven consumers.
Think of the creative ways your brand can stand out while making a tangible difference:
- Can you donate proceeds or products to a worthy cause?
- Can you allow customers to convert rewards points into a cash donation to their favorite charity?
Even raising awareness with community engagement posts can go a long way in affirming your company values to would-be customers.
4. Green Monday: Dec. 11, 2023
U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Others
Also known as “Cyber Monday 2,” Green Monday refers to the last Monday in December that’s at least 10 days before Christmas. First coined by eBay executives in 2007, it’s often their busiest shopping day of the year.
What’s so special about that particular Monday? After some research, the company discovered that this was often the last day shoppers could place an order guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas — prompting a mad dash of last-minute shoppers flooding the site.
While shipping times have certainly improved in the past 15 years, many retailers still offer Green Monday sales, and many late-shopping consumers will be on the lookout for them.
5. Super Saturday: Dec. 23, 2023
U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Others
Super Saturday — or “panic Saturday,” depending on who you ask — refers to the last Saturday before Christmas, when procrastinating customers often have their last chance to complete any final purchases before the big day.
Many consider it the official end of the holiday shopping season, with sales that have started surpassing those of even Black Friday.
While some customers will be wary of shipment delays so close to Christmas Day, online retailers can reassure customers with features like same-day pickup or free expedited/guaranteed shipping.
