The most important holiday time is here, and if you run an e-commerce brand, you know that preparing a promotional calendar for marketing and shopping events is essential to achieving sales targets, whether locally or internationally.
Let’s not forget that the most successful brands plan their participation in promotions and sales events well in advance. For this reason, we share the most popular holidays between October and January in Spain, Italy, and France. You will not miss any chance of succeeding in these markets.
If you are interested in finding more tips to prepare your business for the holiday season, check out our “6 Tips to Prepare Your E-commerce Store for Holiday Season.”
Holidays in France, Italy, and Spain
October
31st Halloween: Halloween is celebrated pretty much the same as in the US, with parties, festivals, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treat. The difference is that it is not as big as in the US, but it is a time when brands can use it to promote their products with related Halloween themes and create new discount offers.
November
1st November All Saints’ Day: People celebrate this day by going to church and visiting their loved ones who passed away in the cemeteries. This is a time to be surrounded by family.
25th Black Friday: This US holiday, a particular time to buy products at discounted prices, has become popular in many places worldwide. Consumers in these European countries are used to these holidays. This is an excellent opportunity for US brands to take on these markets.
28th Cyber Monday: Cyber Monday is a popular time to find discounts and bundles from many online stores. For new brands that want to expand into these countries, it is the perfect time to get on the wagon and create brand awareness to enter any of these markets and start selling.
December
24th Christmas Eve is celebrated in these three European countries with a traditional meal surrounded by the closest family members. There is gift giving, and some go to church. US brands must be prepared for this day, as it is the most profitable holiday of the year.
25th Christmas Day: Children can open their gifts left by Santa and families to visit relatives and friends and relax on this day.
31st New Year’s Eve: As in other Western countries, this day is celebrated with parties accompanied by their loved ones. It is the start of celebrating the end of the year and the start of a new one. After Christmas, your shop should be ready to promote the New Year through campaigns on how your products contribute to goals, goals, and new beginnings.
January
1st New Year’s Day: This day is for people to relax and visit relatives and friends. People also prepare for the new year and what is coming ahead.
5th Winter sales: Winter sales begin mainly in the first week of January and can last up to eight weeks. This is the perfect time for discounts on winter clothes and selling everything left of winter items. It is also time to prepare to introduce new seasonal products with special prices, bundles, or gifts to start the year on the right foot.
In addition to the holidays mentioned, do not forget the following, which are specific to each country. And they are essential for brands to boost their sales this holiday season.
Spain
October
12th Spain’s National Day: This is a holiday to enjoy time off work with family and friends. There is a national parade in Madrid, where the King participates in raising the Spanish flag while the Prime Minister leads the procession. The Spanish Air Force acrobatics team, the Patrulla Aguila, also displays an aerial display.
December
8th Immaculate Conception: This day signals the start of the Christmas season. This is celebrated mainly in Seville at the Plaza del Triunfo, where musicals and people are dressed in traditional clothing. For foreign brands, this is the day they could launch more robust Christmas campaigns to prepare people for their Christmas shopping.
January
6th Three Kings’ Day: This is a significant celebration for the Spanish, especially the children, as they receive the most gifts. Their favorite King is Baltasar, who rides a donkey and leaves the facilities. Yes, on the 25th, there are gifts for children, but the primary date for it is this one. It is essential for brands to consider this to have their stores ready for sales and to advertise and communicate properly and timely to not miss out on this opportunity.
Italy
December
8th Immaculate Conception (Immacolata): This day is the beginning of the Christmas season for many Italians; time to decorate their house with Christmas trees, lights, etc. And that also signals the start of Christmas shopping. From here, brands can advertise their products for Christmas presents in time and start with special offers for this particular time of year.
January
6th The Epiphany: The Italians have two different representations of this day. The first is Befana, a witch who brings sweets to children; in Catholicism, it is the Day of the Three Kings. In the cities, you can see the scenic decorations of the Three Kings and the character Befana, mainly in pastries and candies. There are many activities for families and children around the city. Foreign brands can use this holiday more to raise brand awareness through communication campaigns about the holiday.
France
December
6th Saint Nicolas’ Day: This holiday is an addition to Christmas and is celebrated in some parts of France as the feast of Saint Nicholas. This focuses more on the traditional representation of St. Nicholas than on the older man wearing red and white as we know him. On this day, it is believed he distributes little gifts and sweets. Also, there are parades and Christmas markets.
January
6th The Epiphany: In France, people celebrate the three wise men surrounded by family and have a special cake called “galette des Rois” (Kings’ cake). People go to work and school on this day, so they celebrate this day by eating cake. It is also the end of the Christmas season.
Mark your calendars! Remember that these holidays are special for everyone after two years of the pandemic. So, are you ready to take your business to the next level this holiday season? Increase your international sales by expanding into Europe without complexities.
BorderGuru, as part of the Otto Group, offers you the opportunity to enter the European market by aggregating and accelerating your brand’s growth in the most prominent marketplaces, such as Otto, About You, Zalando, and many more.
Do not miss this opportunity; contact us now!