Get ready to be in the black!
We’re back with the second part of our year-round promotion guide. If you missed out on our Q4 Edition, you can start 2018 strong by targeting these Q1 sales holidays.
To recap, one way to increase your sales throughout the year is by doing year-round promotions in targeted regions around the world. This is a great strategy to ensure you have strong sales numbers during other seasons that may not coincide with the western calendar.
The below dates are historically good for sales. Take advantage of this information to stay profitable year-round!
JANUARY
New Year’s Day
Is New Year’s Day a strong shopping holiday? Yes it is! New Year’s Day and the first few days afterwards (unofficially called “Holiday Hangover Days”) turn out to be profitable for e-retailers as consumers are back in the office, have a list of things they didn’t get over the holidays, and a bunch of gift cards to spend. Take advantage of this perfect storm!
Date: January 1
Sales increase: 1.15x
Target country: All
Target demographic: All
Popular items:
Fitness items
Jewelry
Beddings / linens
FEBRUARY
Super Bowl Sunday
How does Super Bowl Sunday affect retail sales? Over 100 million people watch the Super Bowl each year, many planning to host parties and get-togethers for the big game. Big brands use this opportunity to raise brand awareness. If your store sells products related to food, entertaining, or sports, a Super Bowl promotion could work for you!
Date: February 4
Sales increase: 1.25x
Target country: US
Target demographic: All
Popular items:
TV’s
Pizza
Salty snacks
Team apparel & accessories
Chicken wings
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day sells: Whether you love or hate Valentine’s Day, it’s undeniable - people spend on Valentine’s Day. In fact, sales of flowers, bags, women’s shoes, and accessories came to US$911 million in China alone.
Date: February 14
Sales increase: 1.2x
Target country: US, UK, China, Japan
Target demographic: Adults
Popular items:
Flowers
Purses
Women’s shoes
Jewelry
Lunar New Year
Just how big is Lunar New Year? This is the most important holiday in China, and thanks to the interwebs, gift giving is now on steroids. Digital sales continue to surge: A total of US$69 billion in online payments happened in 2017, a YoY growth of 48.1% compared to 2016. So to answer the question…. Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal!
Date: February 16-18
Sales increase: 1.5x
Target country: China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan
Target demographic: All
Popular items:
Food & beverage products
Electronics
Clothing
Presidents Day
Why should I care about Presidents Day? Historically, traditional retailers have done well on this holiday, reporting increased sales as the weather is improving and consumers are in a buying mood.
Date: February 20
Sales increase: 1.1x
Target country: US
Target demographic: All
Popular items:
Tech
Kitchenware/appliances
Outerwear
Mattresses
MARCH
International Women’s Day
The importance of International Women’s Day worldwide: International Women’s Day may not be as big in the US as it is around the world. Still, awareness of this day continues to grow, with retail brands choosing to create campaigns around women empowerment. In China, women get a half-day off on International Women’s Day, so some choose to make this a shopping holiday by pushing sales promotions during the week.
Date: March 8
Sales increase: 1.2x
Target country: All
Target demographic: Women
Popular items:
Flowers
Cosmetics
Footwear
White Day
What is White Day? In Japan, women are expected to give gifts to men on Valentine’s Day. White Day is the reverse - men are expected to return the favor and give gifts to women. This holiday has become popular enough to spread to South Korea and Taiwan in recent years.
Date: March 14
Sales increase: 1.1x
Target country: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan
Target demographic: Women
Popular items:
Chocolate
Other sweets (cookies, marshmallows)
Stuffed animals
Jewelry
St. Patrick’s Day
Really? St. Patrick’s Day? Yes, really! According to the National Retail Federation, St. Patrick’s Day spending was estimated to reach an all-time high of US$5.3 billion in 2017. Around 125 million Americans celebrate this Irish holiday and spend an average of US$35.37.
Date: March 17
Sales increase: 1.03x
Target country: US, UK
Target demographic: All
Popular items:
Anything green
Clothing
Decorations
Food & beverages
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