Here's Your Q4 eCommerce Website Holiday Marketing Calendar

We created the ultimate reference guide to all the Q4 holidays

As Q4 is just around the corner, it’s important to remember the upcoming holiday dates. We know your business is going to be getting busier, so we created a reference guide for your eCommerce store of all the holiday dates during this busy season. 

October 31st
Halloween 

Halloween, a celebrated holiday among all ages is a relatively low stress holiday and leaves time for you to just have fun. It’s a bit of a kick-off to the holiday season.

Take this time to have fun by posting about the holiday on social media or even your website.Remember teens and young adults celebrate as well as parents and families, so your audience is wide.
If you have a brick and mortar store you could giveaway real candy as well. A sale during this time is definitely not required, but some stores like to use ideas like “Trick or Treat,” offering small discounts from 10-20% off. 

November 11th
Veteran’s Day 

This day honors all military personnel that served for the United States. This thanks all those on activity duty as well as Veterans.

We mention this one as a time to commemorate the holiday. While some businesses choose to have sales, many take the time to simply thank veterans for their service. 

November 28th
Thanksgiving 

The official kick off to the holiday season, Thanksgiving is a great time to take a moment and say thanks. It’s often celebrated with a large family gathering and meal. 

Take this time to thank your customers and encourage time away from them to unplug and spend time being thankful themselves. Don’t worry, your opportunity to sell begins immediately after this day, so take some time to offer genuine thanks.

November 29th
Black Friday 

The end all be all of sales, Black Friday comes the day after (and sometimes on) Thanksgiving.

As a business owner you should make the decision as to whether you want to actively participate or intentionally avoid (ie REI calls for their shoppers to #OptOutside instead of shopping and are closed with no sales). If you do choose to participate, take the time to figure out pricing that is competitive and will be worthwhile for both your consumers and your business.

November 30th
Small Business Saturday 

Starting in 2010, Small Business Saturday was created to encourage consumers to support small businesses instead of the larger big box stores. 

If you still consider yourself a small business, take this day to open your doors, tell the story of your business, and reiterate your mission and values. Some brick and mortar stores will have snacks or cupcakes in their physical location, while eCommerce stores can offer a discount of something manageable like free shipping.

December 2nd
Cyber Monday

Now one of the largest days of spending over the whole year, Cyber Monday is a purely eCommerce holiday. Every year the popularity over Black Friday increases as deals continually become better. 

When it comes to Cyber Monday, retailers often offer even higher discounts than Black Friday. With the ease of creating discounts on most eCommerce platforms, take advantage of offering a discount and put your name in the running against some of the larger stores.  

December 18-20th
Ground Shipping Last Call

Not an official holiday per se, but it’s important to warn your consumers about the last days you’ll be able to ship to make it in time for Christmas. Note that this year, Christmas is on a Wednesday, meaning you’ll have to be more aware when it comes to shipping times and take the weekend into account. 

December 22nd-30th
Hannakuh 

This is the Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. 

If you decide to add this to your marketing calendar, you should proceed only if you know and fully understand the holiday- it should not be used as another way to get business Some families may exchange gifts, but most take time to spend the evening with each other. 

December 24th
Christmas Eve 

The day before Christmas, Christmas Eve often has limited hours for most businesses. 

If you are planning on closing your doors early or for the whole day of the 24th, make sure you let your customers know in advance. If you’re an eCommerce store, make sure your delivery dates and return policies are clearly stated so your team can rest easy over the holidays as some consumers check out your website. 

December 25th
Christmas

This is both a religious and symbolic holiday for many. It’s a federal holiday in the US and most businesses are closed. 

Although the time leading up is materialistic, remember it’s a magical time for kids and families. It’s a great time for your business, but also for families so keep that in mind. 

December 31st
New Years Eve

The end of the year celebrated all around the world, this day is often spent celebrating the past year and new year to come. 

If you have products that can be used for a celebration, you can promote it over this time! Otherwise, take this time to reflect on the past year and thank your customers for a great year.

Need help defining your Q4 eCommerce strategy? 

Our team can help! Reach out via our contact form and one of our digital strategists can help you decide on your best strategy.