As the flurry of holiday orders subsides, many handmade sellers breathe a sigh of relief—but don’t let the momentum slip away! The post-Christmas period offers unique opportunities to boost your sales, clear out inventory, and build long-term customer loyalty. A strategic post-holiday sales plan can help you start the new year strong. Here’s ways that you can craft an effective strategy and how eRank tools can help.
Why Plan a Post-Holiday Sales Strategy?
After the holiday season, shoppers are still on the lookout for deals, gift replacements, and seasonal decor for next year. This period also presents a chance to clear out unsold inventory and introduce new products that align with fresh trends.
With eRank’s suite of tools, you can identify what buyers are searching for and position your shop for continued success even after the holidays. Keep an eye on your Keyword Lists as well as watch the Trend Buzz and Monthly Trends.
1. Analyze What Worked (and What Didn’t)
Start by reviewing your shop’s performance during the holiday season. Which products sold out? Which items lagged? Identify your best and worst-performing listings with eRank’s Listing Audit. Not sure the best way to do this? Check out the eRank Online Workshop Identify and Improve your Under Performing Etsy Listings with the Listing Audit Tool.
Key Action Steps:
- Discount items that didn’t sell well during the holidays to clear inventory.
- Use successful product categories to guide your post-holiday marketing focus.
2. Plan Strategic Discounts and Bundles
Shoppers love deals in the post-holiday season, so offering sales and bundles can keep traffic flowing to your shop. Use eRank’s Trend Buzz to identify trending keywords that align with post-Christmas shopping habits, such as “after-Christmas sale,” “winter clearance,” or “gift card purchases.”
Ideas for Post-Holiday Promotions:
- New Year’s Organization: Create bundles or discounts on planners, storage items, or self-care products for shoppers embracing fresh starts.
- Winter-Themed Discounts: Highlight cozy items like scarves, candles, or mugs that are still relevant after the holidays.
- Gift Card Redemptions: Promote items that customers might buy with gift cards they received over the holidays.
3. Update Your Keywords
Search behavior shifts after the holidays, so your listings should reflect those changes. Focus on keywords that cater to post-holiday shoppers. eRank’s Keyword Tool is essential for researching seasonal keywords. Search for terms that align with New Year’s themes, winter decor, or Valentine’s Day (just around the corner!).
Example:
For a shop selling jewelry, shift from “Christmas gifts” to keywords like “New Year’s jewelry,” “Valentine’s Day gifts,” or “personalized jewelry.”
4. Restock Bestsellers
If some of your products sold out during the holidays, consider restocking them with a slight twist to appeal to the post-holiday shopper. Use eRank’s Keyword Lists to organize terms for your bestsellers and spot opportunities to market them for upcoming seasons. This keeps you proactive rather than reactive.
5. Prepare for New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and Easter
As the holidays wind down, it’s time to shift focus to the next big events on the calendar. New Year’s resolutions, Valentine’s Day, and Easter present exciting opportunities for handmade sellers to showcase relevant products and connect with shoppers looking ahead. Use eRank’s Trend Buzz and Keyword Tool to research seasonal keywords like “Valentine’s decor,” “self-care gifts,” or “Easter basket stuffers.”
Example Campaigns:
- “Start Fresh in 2025”: Highlight products that help customers stick to their New Year’s resolutions, such as planners, organizational tools, or self-care items.
- “Get Ready for Love”: Feature romantic gifts, personalized jewelry, or Valentine’s-themed decorations to help customers celebrate love in February.
- “Easter Made Easy”: Promote colorful springtime products like Easter-themed decor, kids’ basket fillers, or festive tableware for Easter gatherings.
By tailoring your products to these key events, you can keep the momentum going and attract shoppers as they prepare for the year’s first major celebrations. To discover more upcoming holidays, check out our recent blog article Prepare for First Quarter 2025 Holidays.
6. Boost Engagement with Customer Incentives
Encourage repeat business by rewarding your holiday shoppers. Consider offering post-holiday coupons, discounts for their next purchase, or early access to your Valentine’s Day collection.
Ideas to Keep Shoppers Coming Back:
- Include discount codes in your holiday order thank-you notes.
- Send a New Year’s email campaign to past customers highlighting upcoming promotions.
7. Track Trends to Stay Ahead
Even as you wrap up the holidays, it’s important to keep an eye on broader industry trends. eRank’s tools, like the Trend Buzz and Monthly Trends, allow you to monitor what’s gaining traction across Etsy. Use this data to inform your product development and marketing strategies for the year ahead.
Thinking about expanding beyond Etsy? eRank now has trend and keyword data for over 30 different marketplaces. Find out more by reading eRank: Your Gateway to Multi-Platform Success.
Make Post-Holiday Sales Count
The post-holiday season isn’t a time to slow down—it’s a chance to pivot, adapt, and capitalize on continued shopper interest. By analyzing performance, updating your keywords, and planning strategic promotions, you can maintain momentum well into the new year.
With eRank’s tools by your side, you’ll have the insights and resources needed to navigate this critical period. Start planning your post-holiday sales strategy today and set your shop up for an even more successful 2025!
