The week between Christmas and New Year: how to sell from 26 to 31 December

After 25 December, many online store owners switch everything off until January. I understand why: the team is tired, couriers run reduced schedules and the sales peak is over. Still, the week between Christmas and New Year has its own buyers: people with gift money, people with gift cards to spend, people who want to swap a size or a colour, and people finally buying something for themselves. Below I show who buys from 26 to 31 December, how to communicate delivery after the holidays, how to handle returns and exchanges, how to split your ad budget and what to prepare for early January. At the end there's a day by day planner. 1. Who buys between Christmas and New Year It's not the same audience as in early December. The gift shopper is done. What remains are a few different groups, each with a different need: People with gift money: they have a fresh budget and want something for themselves, often a product they've been eyeing for a while. Gift card holders: they received a card from you or another store and want to use it soon. Exchangers: they got the wrong size, a colour they don't like or a duplicate. Completers: they got a device or a set and look for accessories, refills or matching products. New Year's Eve shoppers: an outfit, an accessory, something for the table, bought by 29 or 30 December if delivery still allows. So the message shifts from "the perfect gift" to "for you" and "complete what you got". Gift-themed ads left running after 25 December are a mistake I see often. 2. Delivery after the holidays: say clearly when the parcel leaves Public holidays vary by country. In Romania, for example, 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January are public holidays, and in Denmark 25 and 26 December and 1 January. This year, 26 December falls on a Saturday and 1 January on a Friday. Couriers announce their holiday schedules separately and they differ from one company and one country to another, so check exactly which days they collect and deliver. What I put on…