With retail e-commerce sales worldwide projected to grow to 5.4 trillion US dollars in 2022, online sellers will need to capitalize on the growth and prepare for the year ahead by taking advantage of key sales dates.
The holidays present a huge sales opportunity for e-commerce businesses. Being aware of the e-commerce holiday calendar can help sellers to plan special promotions, social media posts, and other marketing campaigns to help drive their sales in 2022.
Here is a list of the most popular holidays sellers should be taking advantage of in 2022:
Valentine’s Day - February 14th
Alas, the commercial celebration of romance and love: Valentine’s Day.
It is a time of year when shoppers are looking to spend, making it one of the biggest days for e-commerce. Valentine´s day is also known for being a very last-minute holiday, allowing for e-commerce sellers to capitalize by using features such as next-day delivery.
Pro Tip: Singles around the world have begun to boycott the holiday with a “Treat Yo’ Self” approach for sticking it to Cupid, and girl gangs have followed suit! Galentine’s Day is February 13th, when flocks of friends spoil each other and celebrate their friendship. Themed gifts, language or marketplace advertisements might just catch their attention and help sellers plan for what inventory to stock up on to make the sale!
President’s Day (USA) - February 21st
Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday that evolved from the annual celebration of Washington’s birthday on February 22. The designated day that has grown to include all presidents is on the third Monday in February.
Many employers make this a holiday for their employees. Many that aren’t taking advantage of the three-day weekend on a road trip might just be - you guessed it - splurging from home!
Mother’s Day (USA) - May 8th
Celebrating and honoring the matriarch(s) of the family, this holiday is a special day for many.
Mother’s Day sales often begin shortly after Easter. Sellers should plan ahead for this holiday, and stay ahead of the competition with targeted marketing campaigns.
Father’s Day (USA) - June 19th
Father’s Day celebrations fall on the third Sunday of June every year in most parts of the world.
This holiday can be another great day for sellers to engage with their audience, as they build the base for a great customer relationship through features such as promotions and personalized gifts.
Independence Day (USA) – July 4th
Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States (commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States), on July 4, 1776.
This long weekend gives sellers the chance to offer deals on a wide range of products. The 4th is a big boating and lake holiday. Think: themed parties, decor, bathing suits, pool floats, even baking goods - you name it!
Prime Day - Expected June/July
Prime Day: the mega 48-hour sale hosted exclusively on Amazon’s website that consumers treat like Black Friday. The event sees large discounts across most available shopping categories. Prime Day isn’t a set date each year but we expect it to take place around June/July 2022.
Labor Day (USA) – September 5th
Labor Day (another federal holiday in the United States) is celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement
As summer is coming to an end, this can be a key date for sellers to move their summer stock. Sellers should also consider discounting back-to-school or summer items.
Singles Day – November 11th
Singles' Day always falls on November 11 because the date 11/11 represents four ones, or four singles, standing together. The name literally translates as "single sticks holiday." This holiday started out as an antidote to Valentine's Day among Chinese students.
With e-commerce giants like Alibaba and Taobao jumping on the idea of a day for single people to treat themselves, this holiday has become the world’s biggest online shopping day.
Halloween - October 31st
Halloween initially started as a Celtic harvest festival but is now celebrated all around the world on October 31st.
It is the perfect time for sellers to stock up some Halloween-related goods, give holiday promotions, create social media campaigns, and other offers.
Black Friday - November 25th
Marking the start of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday will fall on the 25th of November 2022.
Whether it’s on laptops, smartphones or clothing, one thing for certain is that consumers will be looking to find incredible Black Friday deals.
Cyber Monday - November 28th
Cyber Monday is a major online shopping event that takes place on the first Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It’s become a key landmark of the Christmas retail season when consumers are looking to make savings on purchases both for friends and family, as well as themselves.
Cyber Monday 2022 will fall on November 28th and will follow the prior Black Friday sale too, so sellers can ramp up their sales by offering discounts from Friday and all throughout the weekend.
Super Saturday – December 17th
Sometimes referred to as ‘Panic Saturday’, this key date marks the last weekend before Christmas. Sellers can offer last-minute sales and fast delivery times in order to drive final sales leading up to Christmas.
Notice a holiday or shopping event we might have missed? Not to worry! Check back as we’ll continue updating this list throughout the year!