The Smaller Holidays eSellers Love
If you’re an eSeller still catching your breath from the madness of the 2016 holiday season, don’t rest on those stellar sales figures for too long. While the huge global holidays may be centered around the last quarter of the year, there are still abundant opportunities for eSellers to cash in on other big events all during the year.
Lesser-known holidays and holidays that are considered as “Western” holidays are becoming more and more popular globally. Holiday marketing for eSellers is no longer just about Black Friday and Christmas. Holidays such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Easter are all great opportunities to boost your sales.
Valentine’s Day a Growing Global Target for eSellers
In America alone, Valentine’s Day spending last year was projected to reach a whopping $19.7 billion, with the average shopper spending $146.84, according to Time. That is enough to make any eSeller sit up and take notice, but there is more.
Globally, Valentine’s Day is gaining ground commercially. Sometimes, global celebrations come with their own unique twist on the traditional celebration. For instance, Japan provides two days on which eSellers can profit.
On the traditional February 14th date, Japanese women give gifts of chocolate to their male loved ones. Then, on March 14th, men return the favor by giving white chocolate to their female significant others. This added day is known as “White Day.”
Other countries that celebrate Valentine’s Day in some fashion include:
- Ghana
- Philippines
- Guatemala
- China
- India
- Pakistan
- Taiwan
- Romania
- Spain
- South Africa
- Estonia
It is worth noting that, while the customs surrounding the Valentine’s Day celebration might differ from place to place, eSellers can still profit from promoting their products more heavily around this time. Even if you do not sell anything typically related to the holiday, such as chocolates, candy, flowers, or stuffed animals, you can still find inventive ways to use the holiday to your advantage. Thoughtful gifts of every sort may be chosen for that special someone on Valentine’s Day.
St. Patrick’s Day: A Lesser-Known Global Holiday with Surprising Heft
If you think that you might skip the marketing for St. Patrick’s Day, consider this. WalletHub.com notes that last year, $4.4 billion was spent on the celebration and the average participant spent $35.40 that day.
Countries that mark the day include:
- Ireland
- United States
- Great Britain
- Canada
- Argentina
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Russia
- Japan
A marketing nod toward the day helps keep your e-commerce site top of mind for holiday shoppers. If you sell Guinness, you are in luck. But even if you do not, you can earmark some merchandise that might make the grade as St. Paddy’s Day gear. For instance, green clothing items or green jewelry are popular choices on St. Patrick’s Day.
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Mother’s Day: A Mega-Holiday for Mom
Would you be surprised to know that Mother’s Day surpasses Valentine’s Day in terms of sales? Fortune reports that, in the United States alone, spending on Mother’s Day tops $21.4 billion, with the average shopper spending $172.22 on that day.
Greeting cards are popular sales items on Mother’s Day, as are jewelry items and clothing. Both fresh flowers and dried floral arrangements are also fast sellers.
Mother’s Day is a truly global holiday, though not every country celebrates it at the same time. This means that eSellers marketing for Mother’s Day must look carefully at their calendars to be sure their sales promotions match the time of the celebration in the countries they are targeting.
Father’s Day: Not Quite Like Mom, But Still a Great Sales Opportunity
Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is a global holiday celebrated at different times, according to local customs. Dad does not fare quite as well as Mom on his special day, however. For instance, in the U.S., Father’s Day sales top out at about $13 billion, with the average shopper spending $115.57 to celebrate the day.
Popular Father’s Day gifts include greeting cards, clothing items, and electronics. So, if you are an eSeller looking for do well on this day, promoting these products on your site will not go amiss.
Easter Blows the Barn Doors Off in Lands Professing Christianity
Though Easter celebrations are largely confined to lands with large populations of professed Christians, it is still one of the most profitable commercial holidays around. For instance, in the U.S., the celebration of Easter creates $17.3 billion in sales, and the average shopper spends $146 on the celebration.
Food items, candy, and clothing top the chart for Easter shoppers. Craft supplies are also in high demand at this time of year, as many parents help their children celebrate the event by crafting Easter baskets and decorating eggs.
Compelling Reasons Not to Ignore Lesser Known Holidays
Though it is true that none of these holidays by themselves outstrip the sales potential of the more popular end-of-the-year holiday season, savvy eSellers have compelling reasons to market for each of these holidays as well as other lesser known holidays which may be celebrated regionally. Here are three of those reasons in a nutshell:
- Each of these holidays represents a significant boost in sales for eSellers that market appropriately.
- Marketing for lesser holidays throughout the year positions your e-commerce site as a go-to spot for all holiday items, which translates into more sales all year AND during peak holiday times in the last quarter.
- Learning how to handle the bump in sales for lesser known holidays helps you iron out any glitches in your business processes, translating into better customer service year-round.