The traditional holiday peak season in Europe is undergoing a significant transformation, as retailers are extending promotions and smoothing out sales volumes over a longer period. This trend is reflected in data from European e-commerce fulfillment providers, which show a flattening of the November–December spike in shipment volumes. Over the past six years, the relative uplift in shipments during this period has decreased by 92 percentage points, indicating a shift away from the traditional intense peak season[1].
This change aligns with broader consumer behavior shifts, where nearly one in five UK shoppers begins festive planning before July. As a result, retailers are starting promotions earlier and extending them longer, rather than concentrating them around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For instance, 63% of retailers extended Black Friday campaigns in 2024, while 48% began them earlier, increasing the average campaign length by six days. This strategy helps manage logistics bottlenecks and operational costs, as it avoids the need for peak surcharges introduced by carriers during high-volume periods[1].
Impact on E-commerce and Content Infrastructure
The flattening of peak season has several implications for e-commerce and content infrastructure:
Product Feeds and Catalog Management: A more predictable sales curve allows retailers to optimize product feeds and catalog management, ensuring that products are consistently available and accurately represented across platforms. This can improve customer satisfaction by providing a seamless shopping experience throughout the year. Learn more about optimizing your product feeds for a more predictable sales cycle [ /blog/product_feed/].
Standards of Catalogization: With a longer promotional period, maintaining up-to-date and accurate product information becomes crucial. This necessitates adopting rigorous standards for catalogization to ensure that product details are consistent and easily accessible, aiding both retailers in managing inventory and consumers in finding relevant products. To learn more about the importance of product data accuracy, check out this guide [ /blog/data-integration-challenges-whats-holding-your-online-store-back/].
Content Quality and Completeness: Extending promotions over a longer period also requires retailers to invest in high-quality, comprehensive product content. This includes detailed product descriptions, high-quality images, and customer reviews, which are essential for building trust and facilitating informed purchasing decisions. Our blog post on [ /blog/howtocreateadescriptionfora_website/] provides actionable advice on crafting compelling product descriptions.
Speed of Assortment Rollout: The extended promotional period demands agility in rolling out new products or seasonal collections. Retailers must leverage technology to streamline the process, ensuring that new products are quickly integrated into their offerings without disrupting the sales momentum. For tips on efficient product rollout, read about [ /blog/creating-a-product-page-from-routine-necessity-to-smart-automation/].
Use of No-Code and AI Tools: The adoption of no-code and AI technologies can significantly enhance operational efficiency during extended promotional periods. These tools can automate tasks such as content creation, inventory management, and logistics optimization, allowing retailers to focus on strategic marketing and customer engagement. AI can also help predict demand and optimize supply chains, further reducing operational costs and improving customer satisfaction. To explore how these technologies can propel your business, take a look at [ /blog/artificial-intelligence-for-business/].
Overall, the shift towards a more prolonged peak season presents opportunities for retailers to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, and maintain competitive margins in a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.
NotPIM perspective: This shift underscores the importance of proactive data management and consistent product information throughout the year. Our platform, designed for automated product data handling and optimization, is well-suited to the demands of a longer sales cycle. The increased emphasis on accurate and timely content ensures retailers can proactively meet evolving customer expectations and maintain their competitive edge.