Key Dates for Your Q4 Diary

It’s never too early (or too late) to start preparing for Q4 – traditionally the largest consumer spending period which aligns with the holiday season and gift-giving.

According to data from Salesfire Trends, eCommerce web revenue in Q4 2023 was up 6% YoY and Cyber Weekend accounted for 25% of total sales for November.

This year will be no different, with buyer confidence on the rise and businesses being more digital-focused, we are anticipating another busy Golden Quarter online.

Preparing for Q4

People are shopping online more than ever, with reports showing that UK shoppers prefer to shop online across almost all industries.¹

Ensuring that your website is equipped to handle the spikes in seasonal traffic is crucial. Work with your suppliers to establish stock availability levels and build anticipation early by drip-feeding teasers across your omnichannel platforms to gain consumer interest and excitement.

At Salesfire, we are excited to support our clients through the most wonderful time of the year by offering tailored strategy ideas and further optimisation of our tools to drive sales and enhance your customers’ overall experience.

Take a look at some of the key dates over the next few months to spark campaign interest and creation.

Halloween – 31st October

Halloween has lured the UK market into its spooky spirit for several years, with consumer spending hitting over £1 billion in 2023.²

To capitalise on this year’s trick-or-treat spenders, you can:

• Promote relevant products with dedicated landing pages
• Keep your customers hooked by running competitions and loyalty schemes
• Share user-generated content on socials to increase buyer confidence

Single’s Day – 11th November

Originally a Chinese holiday to celebrate being young and single, this date has slowly transformed into a huge sales event across the globe.

Data from Salesfire’s Trends found that in 2023, consumer spending started increasing from Singles’ Day in the run-up to the Black Friday period.

Fashion and beauty brands such as ASOS, LookFantastic and Boohoo have taken advantage of this in previous years by offering exclusive discounts.

This is also an excellent opportunity to raise engagement with your customers on social media and generate conversation.

Black Friday – 29th November

One of the biggest, most significant dates in the online retail calendar, Black Friday is the ultimate event to use clever tactics to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Savvy shoppers will be scoping out the best deals weeks beforehand, here are some strategies you can use to maximise your full opportunities for a successful Cyber Week:

• Build brand loyalty: Tell your customers in advance what the promotions will be and help them make better purchasing decisions by spreading sales throughout the month.
• Increase your AOV: Offer incentives such as next-day delivery or a free gift with a minimum spend to tip customers into a higher spending tier and grow average order values.
• Crease urgency: Utilise countdown timers on-site to increase the sense of urgency and a streak of FOMO to pressure customers into making a purchase.

Boxing Day/Winter Sales – 26th December Onwards

Keep the orders flooding in between Christmas and New Year by offering further discounts, using enticing CTA buttons and well-timed, thoughtful email campaigns.

Competition remains fierce and retailers will be pushing their remaining stock out the door through an avalanche of promotional deals, so keep your strategies simple and straightforward to ensure customers don’t miss out.

Get ready to thrive in Q4

There is a goldmine of sales opportunities in Q4.

With clearly defined goals, Salesfire can support you by increasing conversions and customer acquisition to meet them and help finish the year on a high.

No matter how large or small your business is, you should always have a seasonal strategy in place to fit your objectives and stand out against your competitors.

¹ Where shoppers would do most of their shopping if they could choose freely | Klarna Insights

² Estimated retail expenditure on Halloween products in the UK | Statista