There’s no question that the holiday season is the most important time of year for online commerce. According to the US Department of Commerce, Q4 online shopping grew 32.1 percent from 2019 to 2020, for a record total of more than $207 billion. And while many brick-and-mortar stores have reopened in 2021, global eCommerce sales continue to rise.
That’s good news for affiliate marketers, but only if you understand the seasonal trends and optimize your strategy for the busy holiday season. No matter which channels you’re leveraging — commerce content, social media, curated shopping, app-based discovery, monetized search traffic, or all of the above — you should be planning your content now for the biggest shopping quarter of the year.
Many merchants offer coupons, deals, and other special incentives that can help you earn more during the holidays. The trick is knowing which categories and merchants to target — and when.
Sovrn’s new Q4 Shopping Season Calendar is your one-stop guide to high-performing merchants, key categories, and important shopping holidays for the 2021 holiday season. Here are just a few of the insights you’ll find in this free download.
October
While Halloween is the primary selling holiday in October, some merchants will offer “early bird” deals to entice shoppers to get a jump on their holiday spending — especially in categories like fashion, home & garden, electronics, and fitness. And is it possible we may see new October dates for Amazon’s Prime Day deals?
November
Everyone knows about “Cyber 5” — the five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. But what about Singles’ Day? In China, unmarried people celebrate their singleton status by treating themselves to gifts, making Singles’ Day the world’s largest online shopping day — and an incredible opportunity for smart affiliate marketers. (Don’t worry, we’ve also got plenty of tips to help maximize your Cyber-weekend earnings!)
December
While November may provide the biggest shopping weekend of the year, there’s still plenty of opportunity in the first half of December — and beyond. Many merchants will continue to push for sales during the first two weeks of December, and last-minute shoppers are driving a huge increase in Christmas Eve sales of gift cards and digital gifts. Don’t forget about Boxing Day shopping in the UK and other Commonwealth nations!
Download the Q4 Shopping Season Calendar for more details, as well as tips and insights to drive more affiliate revenue this holiday season. When you’re ready to start earning with Sovrn Commerce, you can sign up here or visit our website to learn more.
Get Started Today
If you’re already a Sovrn Commerce affiliate partner, our support team is standing by with the latest information on Q4 deals and high-performing merchants. You can also visit our Merchant Explorer to get the most current commission rates and check your merchant approval status.
