It’s the most wonderful time of the year … if you’re ahead of the game

For most people, holiday planning usually starts in late fall or at the start of the winter shopping season—when the first carols are played on the radio and snow-themed displays appear in shop windows. But months prior – while most people were soaking up the sun, taking beach vacations and gearing up for going back to school – retailers, ecommerce businesses and digital marketers were busy preparing for their most wonderful time of the year: the holiday shopping season.

For many retailers, as much as 50% of the year’s sales will take place in the final 2-3 months of the calendar year, making the final quarter the most important selling season of all. And with the average customer starting holiday shopping earlier and earlier over the last several years, getting ahead of holiday planning has become even more essential.  

How Cart.com helps brands get ahead of the holiday season

At Cart.com, our marketing teams have created holiday checklists and timelines to keep our teams organized during these key months. These timelines for the months leading up to Cyber Week drive plans to test new strategies, implement changes and prioritize best practices—allowing our team to bring new ideas to our clients well in advance of the holiday season. Comprehensive checklists give our team of experts, and our client partners alike, a sense of relief in knowing that everything has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure the best results.     

Our team’s best practice checklist below is a great starting point for any brand looking to clean up its accounts before the busy holiday season begins. Not sure where to start or what you need for your brand? Reach out to the Cart.com sales team about partnerships with our Marketing Services team so we can square away your needs well before the holiday season next year.  

Until then, rely on these best practices to ensure success before the holiday madness begins!