Seasonal shop adjustments – A comprehensive guide

Every calendar year comes with several special periods of time which are strongly connected to people’s buying habits e.g. Christmas holidays, Valentine’s Day, Black Friday. As an owner of a Shopify shop or any e-shop you must be able to adapt and take the most of these days.

And to do so you must act in two axes:

• On a practical level: theme adjustments e.g. changing the way your online shop looks
• In strategic level: marketing and pricing adjustments e.g. applying different pricing models according to the specific period of time

Key dates and strategies

Managing an online store requires constant preparation for key dates throughout the year. Initially, this can be overwhelming due to the numerous seasonal events and holidays that drive sales.
You can take a look at the following list of special dates according to Walmart Seasonality Calendar:

January

• Fitness Equipment: New Year’s resolutions (treadmills, weights, yoga mats)
• Health & Wellness: Vitamins, supplements, health monitoring devices
• Winter Apparel: Coats, hats, gloves, boots

February

• Valentine’s Day: Jewelry, chocolates, flowers, romantic gifts
• Winter Sports: Skis, snowboards, winter sports gear
• Home Improvement: Indoor projects, organization supplies
• President’s Day: Home appliances, electronics, mattresses

March

• Spring Cleaning: Cleaning supplies, storage solutions, organization products
• Garden & Outdoor: Seeds, gardening tools, outdoor decor
• St. Patrick’s Day: Party supplies, decorations, themed clothing

April

• Easter: Candy, decorations, toys, spring-themed items
• Home Improvement: Lawn care products, outdoor furniture, DIY tools
• Spring Fashion: Light jackets, rain gear, seasonal footwear
• Earth Day: Eco-friendly products, gardening supplies

May

• Mother’s Day: Jewelry, spa gifts, flowers, personalized gifts
• Outdoor Living: Grills, patio sets, outdoor entertainment products
• Memorial Day: Outdoor furniture, grills, summer apparel, travel gear

June

• Father’s Day: Tools, gadgets, grilling equipment, electronics
• Summer Essentials: Swimwear, beach gear, summer sports equipment
• Graduation: Gifts, party supplies, dorm essentials

July

• Independence Day: Fireworks, patriotic decorations, grills, picnic supplies
• Summer Activities: Camping gear, outdoor toys, travel accessories
• Back to School Preparation: School supplies, backpacks, tech gadgets

August

• Back to School: Clothing, electronics, dorm essentials, study supplies
• End of Summer Sales: Summer clearance items like seasonal apparel, outdoor furniture
• Home Organization: Storage solutions, home office supplies

September

• Labor Day (First Monday in September): Appliances, mattresses, furniture, end-of-summer sales
• Fall Fashion: Sweaters, boots, transitional outerwear
• Tailgating Supplies: Coolers, portable grills, sports fan gear
• Hispanic Heritage Month: Cultural decorations, food items

October

• Halloween: Costumes, candy, decorations, party supplies
• Fall Decor: Pumpkins, wreaths, autumn-themed home accents
• Cold Weather Gear: Jackets, scarves, gloves, boots
• Columbus Day: Home goods, apparel sales

November

• Thanksgiving: Kitchenware, home decor, cooking essentials
• Black Friday & Cyber Monday: Electronics, toys, apparel, major discount items
• Winter Holiday Preparation: Decorations, gifts, holiday-themed products
• Veterans Day: Patriotic decor, military-themed items

December

• Christmas: Toys, electronics, holiday decor, seasonal gifts
• Hanukkah: Decorations, candles, gifts
• New Year’s Eve: Party supplies, sparkling wine, celebration essentials
• Winter Apparel: Heavy coats, snow boots, winter accessories

Of course not all periods are strongly connected with an online store but you get the idea.

Now every key period comes with different opportunities. For example Black Fridays tend to be days when stores aim to sell off their stock.

Without going into details here’s a short list of possible strategies you could follow according to your needs.

• Keep happy your existing customers
• Open up to new markets and customers
• Selling your entire stock
• Grow awareness
• Work with your already defined community to maximize profits

By being aware of which strategy you are going to follow each time, you will be able to pay closer attention to website analytics and finally help your store evolve significantly. It is not easy, but it eventually works.

Theme adjustments

As we approach the Christmas holidays, it’s common to see more online banners featuring Santa Claus, reindeer, and sleighs. Occasionally, you might even notice snow falling on the screen—a nostalgic touch from the ’00s we might prefer to forget. However, enhancing your holiday marketing efforts requires more than just festive banners.

For Shopify shop owners, there’s a distinct advantage: you can easily duplicate your theme and make seasonal adjustments without any risks. When you’re ready, you can switch to the holiday version of your theme and revert to the original once the season ends. Plus, you can keep the duplicated theme and reuse it next year when the holidays roll around again.

• Not all audiences are the same
  Which means that you need to know very well your website visitors before you proceed to any adjustments to your theme. Teenagers for example could find aesthetically cheesy things that mature people would easily accept.
• Color schemes
  All major platforms for online shops provide ways to easily change the color scheme of your store. For example it might be a good idea as we’re approaching the next fall to change the colors of your website to a new scheme with earthy tints. Of course it all has to do with what you sell, so it always needs careful consideration before any change.
• Cultural differences
  If you’re approaching a specific holiday, like Independence Day, you might consider incorporating the red and blue colors of the US flag. However, remember that not all visitors may be American, and these colors could feel alienating to some. It’s a complex decision that requires thoughtful consideration.
• Banners and other material
  If your are going to switch your everyday banners, icons and other material of your online store with seasonal ones, remember that it is harder than it sounds. It takes time and requires discipline and fresh ideas to create a unique and distinctive set of visual elements for a specific season. However when it is carried out the right way it can be super helpful.
• A few words about animation
  While animated .gifs and eye-catching elements are fun, they don’t necessarily boost sales. There’s a thin line between cuteness and clumsiness. Slight and discreet animation implies elegance and quality. Even if you are selling hardware and automotive products, animation should feel light and airy.
• Each device requires different adjustments
  What looks like a nice touch in desktop might require way too much real estate in mobile. Or a cool hover effect in a button will never been detected in tablets and smartphones. If you don’t have the time and the resources to carefully inspect what happens in all main devices of your visitors, it is better to avoid big theme adjustments.
• A/B Testing always helps
  If you’re unsure which version of your theme is more effective, A/B testing can be invaluable. This method is useful in any scenario, provided you have a sufficient audience and the resources to implement it periodically.

Marketing and pricing adjustments

Theme adjustments are always useful but your efforts to take the most of a particular season should focus on marketing and pricing too. Apparently it requires a different selling mindset Black Friday and Valentine’s Day. Resilience is the key.

• Audiences. Yes, again.
  Just like above, pay special attention to your audience. Say for example we’re in late summer and students are going to go back to school. Many people tend to buy their equipment as early as possible in order to have a wider range of products to choose frin. And many are late shoppers, becoming active a few days before the beginning of the new academic year. Which group will you focus on? What does it mean for your online store and your stock?
• Early bird & last-minute discounts
  The example above helps a lot in order to see how discounts could work. Reward the early buyers with special prices in order to expand your audience and increase awareness. And as the specific season is coming to the end, use discounts for late-minute buyers to reduce stock quickly.
• Website copy
  Imagine the following line: “This scarf is the perfect gift for your partner as the weather becomes chilly.”
  Now here’s the same line adapted to a particular season: ”This scarf is the perfect gift for your partner as the Christmas holidays are fast approaching.”
  Seasonal adjustments always require slight changes to copy too.
• SEO modifications
  If the copy is changing, text for SEO is changing accordingly. If you don’t do so, it’s a wasted opportunity.
• Tiered discounts, bundling, time limited offers, clearance selling
  All the mentioned above techniques can be particularly helpful during specific seasons.
  For summer vacations could use tiered discounts: if you buy more items e.g. swimwear and summer sports equipment, you are rewarded with higher discounts. The exact same situation can work with bundling products.
  Time limited offers are great in occasions as Black Friday: you might start selling with discounts a few days before but the specific day is perfect for flash sales as there’s a sense of urgency in the air. Clearance selling works a very similar way.
• Loyalty programs
  Loyalty programs are a great way to reward repeat customers. For example, customers earn points based on their purchases, and you could double their points at the start of a specific season.
  Alternatively, offer extra coupons for loyal customers to use in the next season.
  These techniques are simple, meaningful, and create win-win situations.

In summary

Running an online store is more challenging than anticipated, with numerous special periods throughout the year. However, these present opportunities to expand your customer base and increase profits.

Remember that theme adjustments should align with marketing and sales strategies. Preparation is key; plan well in advance for each season. While initially daunting, the process becomes smoother and more manageable with experience.