In 2022, retail online sales in the fourth quarter reached $332.2 billion, a new record, representing 16% of total retail sales and an 18% increase from the final quarter of 2021, according to eMarketer. American consumers spent a record-breaking $211.7 billion online between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, a 3.5% bump from 2021, according to Adobe. During Cyber Five alone — the five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday — online shoppers spent $35.5 billion.
And with brands pushing the holiday shopping season ever earlier each year, the more you can plan for deals and events like Amazon Prime Big Deals Day in October and Cyber Five in November, the better equipped you are to capitalize on special incentives throughout the holiday shopping season. Our new Q4 Shopping Calendar is your one-stop, curated guide to the top shopping dates, high-performing merchants, and featured categories for the 2023 holiday season.
Whether you’re a digital publisher, content creator, social influencer, or app developer, it’s important that you’re up to date on the trends, deals, and consumer habits for the biggest shopping quarter of the year. Remember: holiday success is only the start of a strong affiliate relationship to your readers. Be sure to keep them engaged beyond Q4 by offering them the brands and products they want throughout the rest of the year.
Top Q4 holiday shopping events
The official start to the holiday shopping season begins in October. While most deals will still happen in November, 2023 is shaping up to be similar to last year. According to Dentsu, 46% of consumers say they will focus on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days for holiday shopping, nearly as high as those for Black Friday (50%).
Keep in mind, not every opportunity will be a good fit for your audience. Regardless of seasonal trends, it’s important to stay true to your brand and analyze past performance when mapping out your affiliate strategy.
October is so much more than just Halloween 🎃 (although it would be frightful to miss out on spooky season!), with many brands and retailers pushing up their timetable to get in front of the highly competitive holiday shopping season. Kick off Q4 with early holiday promotions.
Key dates:
- October 1-7: Target Circle Days
- October 9-12: Walmart Deals for Days
- October 10-11: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (click here for the best Amazon deals and earn up to 20% CPA 😎)
- October 31: Halloween
With Cyber Five coming up, retailers will seek to capture shopper attention with special deals and promotions. Most consumers spend an average of 18 days searching prior to making a purchase, so be sure to have your affiliate content in place well in advance of the Cyber Five weekend.
Key dates:
- November 11: Singles Day (China)
- November 23-28: Cyber Five
- November 23: Thanksgiving Day
- November 24: Black Friday
- November 25: Small Business Saturday
- November 27: Cyber Monday
- November 28: Giving Tuesday
The first half of December is still important for holiday shopping as brands and merchants make their final push. Many are still comparison shopping and searching for deals, so show your readers the best offers.
Key dates:
- December 18-26: Hanukkah
- December 24/25: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day (UK)
- December 31/January 1: New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
If you’re already working with Sovrn Commerce for your affiliate marketing, our support team is standing by with additional information on top deals and merchants for Q4. Not a Commerce customer? Sign up now! It only takes a few minutes, and you can start earning as soon as you’re approved.
