We are in the final quarter of 2022 and you know what that means! The biggest selling season of the year is right around the corner and it’s time to start working on those last couple of items you haven’t checked off your holiday to-do list yet.
As eCommerce sales continue to grow year over year, it’s pretty safe to say that this holiday season is going to be the biggest one yet with more shoppers buying gifts online than ever before, so it’s important that you and your operation are ready to tackle the influx of holiday orders head-on.
By now, you should have your 2022 marketing calendar finalized with dates for email drops, Facebook promotions, special sales, etc. Your customer service team should be staffed well to handle phone orders, email inquiries, live chat, and all the other ways your customers contact you. And of course, your warehouse should be stocked well with all the season’s hottest moving products.
As we move ever so closer to the start of the holidays, here are some important dates for you to take note of:
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 – Use this day to gather your staff and go over any last-minute things you need to get accomplished and out of the way before leaving for the day. Check to make sure coupon codes are loaded, sale landing pages are proofed and ready to be turned on, and email blasts are scheduled. The next time you’ll be in the office, you’re going to be busy working on all those Black Friday orders!
Thursday, November 24, 2022- Thanksgiving. After you enjoyed time with your family, take a rest, a deep breath, and do a quick double-check of your email marketing platform to make sure that your Black Friday email is scheduled to be sent early the next morning.
Friday, November 25, 2022 – Black Friday. Here we go! The official start of the holiday shopping season is here. While many shoppers will be waiting for Cyber Monday for the best online deals, don’t short-change your Black Friday shoppers, they’re still going to be out there looking for special deals online, so be sure to give them some.
Saturday, November 26, 2022 – Small Business Saturday. This is a day to promote “Shop Small” an initiative by American Express to encourage shoppers to ditch the big-box retailers and support small businesses across the country. More information can be found here. If your business accepts American Express, you may qualify for a listing on their website as well as free marketing materials.
Monday, November 28, 2022 – Cyber Monday. The day you (and your customers) have waited for all year has finally arrived! Get ready for the single busiest shopping day of the year and one that is sure to break records. Shoppers aren’t only going to be looking for amazing deals, they’re going to be expecting them, so be sure to save your biggest ones for this day. What can you offer? Free shipping, substantial discounts on items, free gifts with a purchase, or whatever you can afford to pass on in the form of a deal will sure score you big sales. Be sure to queue up some emails to send to your customers throughout the day to remind them to stop by and take advantage of the huge savings you’re offering.
Monday, December 12, 2022 – Green Monday. This is truly a procrastinator’s holiday!, Green Monday is regarded as the biggest sales day in December. Why? Because it’s the last day shoppers can place an order and have it arrive in time for Christmas. Don’t let the day pass without sending out an email blast with a few specials to nudge those who haven’t completed their holiday shopping yet.
Other important dates to consider:
- Sunday, December 18 – Monday, December 26, 2022 – Hanukkah
- Saturday, December 24, 2022 – Christmas Eve
- Sunday, December 25, 2022 – Christmas Day
- Saturday, December 31, 2022 – New Year’s Eve
- Sunday, January 1, 2023 – New Year’s Day
Finally, shipping carriers will more than likely be transporting unprecedented amounts of packages and inevitable delivery delays will happen. This won’t ease up as we inch closer to Christmas, in fact, it will probably get worse.
Don’t provide your customers with unrealistic dates when it comes to delivery times. We recommend adding in some “padding” to your normal processing and transit times to avoid complaints and disappointment if packages are slightly delayed.
This year, we’re offering our Holiday Shipping Graphics that you can use to display your shipping deadlines on your website, in email marketing blasts, and at the checkout. We have several different styles to choose from and they’re only $49! Click here for more information.
Scott Sanfilippo began his eCommerce journey in 1994 by co-founding one of the Internet’s first online retailers, TheFerretStore.com, which was acquired by PetCo in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded the eCommerce design and marketing firm Solid Cactus, which was acquired by web.com in 2009. Today, Scott is the General Manager of Your Store Wizards and lives in Delray Beach, FL. Scott can be contacted at scott@yourstorewizards.com.