Key Shopping Dates November-December 2025: Day-by-Day Calendar

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November-December represents retail's defining moment. These 55 days generate 30-40% of annual revenue for most retailers—meaning your entire year's success hinges on executing this period flawlessly.

This guide provides the complete November-December 2025 shopping calendar with day-by-day tactical guidance: specific dates, operational priorities, shopping behavior patterns, and campaign timing for every critical phase from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

According to National Retail Federation data, holiday retail sales (November-December) exceed $950 billion annually in the US alone, with online sales representing $270+ billion. The calendar is predictable—Thanksgiving week kicks off the season, Black Friday and Cyber Monday drive peak traffic, mid-December shipping deadlines create urgency, and the final week before Christmas captures desperate last-minute shoppers.

But predictability doesn't equal easy execution. Each phase requires different operational priorities: Thanksgiving week demands maximum inventory and staffing, Cyber Monday requires site stability and email precision, shipping deadline week shifts messaging from deals to urgency, and Christmas week emphasizes BOPIS and gift cards over traditional e-commerce.

This calendar breaks down November-December 2025 into tactical phases with specific guidance for each, ensuring you know exactly what to do and when throughout the holiday season.

November-December 2025 Overview

Key November-December 2025 Dates:

Revenue Distribution:

• Cyber Week (Nov 28-Dec 4): ~35% of Nov-Dec revenue
• Mid-December (Dec 5-18): ~35% of Nov-Dec revenue
• Final Week (Dec 19-25): ~20% of Nov-Dec revenue
• Early November (Nov 1-26): ~7% of Nov-Dec revenue
• Post-Christmas (Dec 26-31): ~3% of Nov-Dec revenue (returns + clearance)

Early November: Pre-Season Prep (November 1-26, 2025)

Strategic Context: Early November is final preparation before the holiday tsunami. Shopping activity remains modest as consumers wait for Thanksgiving week deals, giving you critical time for operational readiness.

Week of November 1-7

Operational Priorities:

• Confirm all holiday inventory has arrived or is in transit
• Complete Q4 campaign builds (emails, landing pages, paid media creative)
• Finalize Thanksgiving week and Cyber Week promotional strategies
• Test website capacity for peak traffic (load testing, CDN verification)
• Schedule all holiday staffing (customer service, fulfillment, retail floor)

Marketing Actions:

• Tease upcoming Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to build anticipation
• Send "early access" or "preview" emails to VIP customers/loyalty members
• Launch retargeting campaigns to warm traffic ahead of peak season
• Update homepage with holiday gift guides and shopping inspiration

Shopping Behavior: Light. Consumers are researching and planning but holding purchases until post-Thanksgiving deals. Online traffic increases 10-15% but conversion remains baseline. In-store traffic normal.

Week of November 8-14

Key Date: November 11 (Tuesday) - Veterans Day

• Federal holiday; some retailers offer military discounts or modest sales
• Not a major consumer shopping day; optional participation
• Use for final operational testing before Thanksgiving week

Operational Priorities:

• Conduct final inventory audits; flag potential stockouts for expedited ordering
• Complete staff training on holiday return policies, peak-period procedures
• Finalize shipping carrier agreements and backup plans
• Review and test payment processing capacity (fraud detection, gateway stability)
• Set up real-time monitoring dashboards for traffic, conversion, inventory

Marketing Actions:

• Launch "Black Friday Preview" or "Early Black Friday" sales (15-20% off)
• Release gift guides by recipient, price point, or category
• Begin countdown messaging: "2 weeks until Black Friday"
• Activate seasonal email sequences for list segments

Shopping Behavior: Moderate increase. Early-bird shoppers taking advantage of pre-Black Friday sales. Online traffic up 20-25% vs. October baseline; conversion improving but still below peak levels.

Week of November 15-21

Operational Priorities:

• Lock in promotional calendar; no major changes after November 20
• Complete final website and mobile app QA testing
• Stage fulfillment centers with adequate packing supplies, labels, boxes
• Confirm customer service has adequate staffing schedule through January
• Finalize Black Friday and Cyber Monday email/SMS sequences

Marketing Actions:

• Intensify Black Friday teasing: "This Friday: Our biggest sale of the year"
• Send loyalty member "early access" invitations for Thanksgiving eve
• Ramp paid media spending 50% ahead of peak week
• Update social media daily with gift ideas and holiday content

Shopping Behavior: Building urgency. Traffic increasing daily as Thanksgiving approaches. Consumers finalizing shopping lists and monitoring retailer promotions. Online traffic up 30-40% vs. October; some conversion as deal-sensitive shoppers buy early.

November 22-26 (Weekend Before Thanksgiving)

Saturday-Tuesday (Nov 22-25):

• Final prep days before chaos begins
• Send pre-Thanksgiving reminder emails: "Starting Thursday: Black Friday deals"
• Many retailers launch "Pre-Black Friday" or "Early Access" sales Monday-Wednesday
• Staff final briefings before peak week
• Ensure all systems operational; no deployments after Tuesday evening

Wednesday (November 26):

• Highest grocery shopping day of the year (Thanksgiving food prep)
• Many consumers traveling; reduced shopping activity
• Some retailers begin Black Friday sales Wednesday evening
• Final prep: systems locked, staff ready, inventory staged

Thanksgiving Week: Season Launch (November 23-27, 2025)

Strategic Context: Thanksgiving week marks the official start of peak holiday shopping season. Black Friday has evolved from single-day to week-long event, but Thursday-Friday remain highest-traffic, highest-revenue days.

Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving Day

Shopping Behavior:

• Online shopping spikes evening hours (after family gatherings) as people browse Black Friday deals from couches
• Desktop traffic: 6-10 PM peak
• Mobile traffic: Sustained throughout day (people browsing during family time, often discretely)
• Many retailers launch Black Friday sales Thanksgiving evening (6 PM - midnight)
• In-store: Most retail closed or limited hours; some open evening for Black Friday early access

Operational Priorities:

• Launch Black Friday promotions Thanksgiving evening (6-8 PM typical)
• Monitor site performance—Thanksgiving evening sees significant traffic spikes
• Ensure customer service staffed for evening hours (phone/chat/email)
• In-store: Prepare for midnight or early-morning Friday openings
• Send Black Friday launch email 6-8 PM: "Black Friday starts NOW"

Revenue Expectations: $5.2-5.6B online (per historical NRF data for Thanksgiving Day). Represents ~5-6% of Cyber Week total.

Friday, November 28 - Black Friday

This is it—the biggest retail day of the year.

Shopping Behavior:

• In-store: Peak traffic 6 AM - noon (early-bird doorbusters), secondary wave 2-6 PM
• Online: Sustained high traffic 6 AM - midnight; peak conversion 10 AM - 2 PM and 7-10 PM
• Mobile: 60%+ of online traffic mobile; in-store shoppers comparing prices on phones
• Psychology: Deal-hunting mentality; price-sensitive, willing to compare across retailers

Operational Priorities:

• Maximum staffing in-store (2-3x normal) and customer service (3-4x normal)
• All hands on deck for fulfillment, customer service, IT monitoring
• Real-time inventory monitoring—flag stockouts immediately, adjust promotions if needed
• Site performance monitoring—traffic will spike 5-10x normal; watch server load, page speed
• Send 2-3 emails: morning ("Black Friday is here"), midday update ("trending items"), evening final push ("Last hours of Black Friday")

Revenue Expectations: $10.8B online + massive in-store (total retail sales $75B+). Represents 25-30% of Cyber Week total. See our complete Cyber Week strategy guide.

Saturday, November 29 - Small Business Saturday

Shopping Behavior:

• Continuation of Black Friday momentum, especially for small/local retailers
• In-store traffic remains elevated but less frenzied than Friday
• Online: Strong traffic sustained from Black Friday
• American Express-backed initiative emphasizing local shopping

Operational Priorities:

• Small businesses: Maximize local promotion (social media, email, community outreach)
• All retailers: Maintain Black Friday promotion levels or deepen slightly
• Staffing can reduce 20-30% vs. Friday but still well above baseline
• Prepare for Cyber Monday (2 days away)—finalize campaigns, test systems

Revenue Expectations: $5.1B online. Represents ~15% of Cyber Week total. Often underestimated—Saturday is major revenue day.

Sunday, November 30 - Cyber Weekend Sunday

Shopping Behavior:

• Heavily online-focused (physical retail traffic lower on Sundays)
• Shoppers browsing from home, comparing deals ahead of Cyber Monday
• Peak traffic afternoon-evening (noon-10 PM)
• Often forgotten day but generates substantial revenue

Operational Priorities:

• Maintain Black Friday/Cyber Week promotions
• Send "Last day before Cyber Monday" reminder emails
• Tease Cyber Monday doorbusters: "Tomorrow: Cyber Monday exclusive deals"
• Final Cyber Monday campaign QA and staging
• Ensure fulfillment caught up from Friday-Saturday orders

Revenue Expectations: $7.5B online. Represents ~20% of Cyber Week total—surprisingly large despite being overlooked.

Cyber Week: Peak Traffic (November 28-December 4, 2025)

Cyber Week technically spans 5 days (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), but many retailers extend through Tuesday (GivingTuesday) for full week.

Monday, December 1 - Cyber Monday

THE biggest online shopping day of the year.

Shopping Behavior:

• Pure online focus—physical retail traffic returns to baseline
• Peak traffic 10 AM - 8 PM (work hours + evening); lunch hour especially high
• Mobile dominates even more than usual (65-70% of traffic)
• Less price-sensitive than Black Friday—convenience and breadth of selection drive purchases
• Electronics, apparel, toys, home goods perform best

Operational Priorities:

• Maximum customer service staffing (4-5x normal)—Cyber Monday generates peak support volume
• Site stability paramount—traffic will exceed Black Friday; ensure CDN, servers, database scaled appropriately
• Email volume peak: Send 3-4 emails throughout day (6 AM launch, midday update, 6 PM final hours, 10 PM last call)
• SMS: 2-3 messages (morning, afternoon, evening)
• Monitor inventory closely—high-velocity items will sell out; adjust promotions dynamically
• Payment processing: Watch for higher fraud attempts (Monday work hours = stolen card usage)

Revenue Expectations: $14.2B online (largest single day). Represents 35-40% of Cyber Week total. See our complete Cyber Monday playbook.

Tuesday, December 2 - GivingTuesday

Shopping Behavior:

• Shift from consumer spending to charitable giving
• $3.1B+ in donations (nonprofits + cause marketing)
• Traditional retail traffic returns to normal post-peak
• Opportunity for cause marketing partnerships

Operational Priorities:

• Nonprofits: Major fundraising push with donation matching, email campaigns, social media
• Retailers: Optional cause marketing (% of sales to charity, donation matching at checkout)
• Use day for operational catch-up after Cyber Week intensity
• Begin transitioning messaging from "biggest deals" to "time running out"

See our complete GivingTuesday guide for nonprofit and retailer strategies.

Wednesday-Thursday, December 3-4

Shopping Behavior:

• Post-Cyber Week cooldown; traffic and revenue return to elevated baseline (2-3x normal but well below peak week)
• Shoppers catching breath before mid-December push
• Deal fatigue setting in; consumers less responsive to "Sale!" messaging

Operational Priorities:

• Catch up on order fulfillment backlog from peak week
• Staff recovery—ensure adequate rest after intense week
• Transition promotional messaging from deals-focused to time-sensitive
• Begin emphasizing shipping deadlines: "Order by December 8 for standard delivery"
• Analyze Cyber Week performance; adjust inventory and promotions for mid-December

Mid-December: Shipping Urgency (December 5-18, 2025)

Strategic Context: Mid-December shifts from deal-driven to urgency-driven purchasing. Shipping deadlines create natural urgency as standard and expedited cutoffs approach.

Friday-Sunday, December 5-7

Shopping Behavior:

• Weekend shopping surge as consumers realize time is running short
• Less focused on deals, more focused on completing lists
• Gift-giving urgency increases; shoppers buying for remaining recipients

Operational Priorities:

• Shift messaging from "best deals" to "time running out"
• Emphasize guaranteed delivery dates in all communications
• Introduce free shipping promotions to drive urgency
• Prepare for Green Monday (Monday Dec 8)

Monday, December 8 - Green Monday

"Last day for free standard shipping" urgency creates top-10 revenue day.

Shopping Behavior:

• Pure urgency-driven: "Last chance for standard shipping before Christmas"
• Peak traffic midday and evening
• Conversion rates high—shoppers buying out of necessity, not deal-hunting
• Desktop traffic elevated (people shopping from work during lunch/breaks)

Operational Priorities:

• Launch "Last chance standard shipping" campaign across all channels
• Offer 20-25% discounts + free standard shipping
• Send 2-3 emails: morning launch, afternoon reminder, evening last call
• Emphasize December 17-18 as absolute standard shipping cutoff
• Customer service staffed for volume surge (2x normal)

Revenue Expectations: Top-10 online revenue day (~$3-4B historical). See our complete Green Monday playbook.

Tuesday-Friday, December 9-12

Shopping Behavior:

• Steady elevated traffic as shipping anxiety builds
• Increasing focus on fast shipping options and guaranteed delivery
• Price sensitivity declining—urgency > discounts

Operational Priorities:

• Daily shipping deadline reminders in emails
• Promote expedited shipping options prominently
• Update product pages with "Order by [date] for Christmas delivery"
• Monitor carrier capacity—ensure you're not promising delivery you can't fulfill

Saturday-Sunday, December 13-14 - Free Shipping Day Weekend

Shopping Behavior:

• Weekend surge driven by Free Shipping Day promotion
• Multi-retailer coordinated event offering free shipping with Christmas delivery guarantee
• Strong conversion—free shipping + delivery guarantee = high appeal

Operational Priorities:

• Participate in Free Shipping Day if operationally feasible
• Offer free shipping + Christmas delivery guarantee through December 14
• Send dedicated email campaign Saturday morning
• Ensure fulfillment can handle volume—orders must ship Monday or Tuesday to meet promises

See our Free Shipping Day tactics guide.

Monday-Wednesday, December 15-17

Shopping Behavior:

• Final push before standard shipping closes
• High urgency, high conversion, declining discounts needed
• Shoppers willing to pay full price to ensure delivery

Operational Priorities:

• Clear "Last day for standard shipping: December 17" messaging
• Reduce discounts 5-10% (urgency is the offer, not deals)
• Prominent calls-to-action: "Order today, arrives before Christmas"
• Begin promoting BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In Store) for those missing standard deadlines

Wednesday-Thursday, December 17-18 - Standard Shipping Cutoff

Final days for standard (5-7 day) shipping to arrive before Christmas.

Shopping Behavior:

• Maximum urgency for online shoppers
• After December 18, online shipping requires expensive expedited options
• Conversion rates highest of season (outside peak Cyber Week)
• Mobile traffic dominates as people shop from anywhere to meet deadline

Operational Priorities:

• Send 3-4 emails December 17: morning, midday, evening, night "final hours"
• Update homepage: "Last hours for standard shipping—order now"
• Customer service: Expect high volume of "Will this arrive by Christmas?" questions
• Fulfillment: Rush orders placed December 17-18 must ship by December 19 morning
• Transition messaging to BOPIS and gift cards for post-deadline shoppers

See our complete shipping deadlines guide.

Final Week: Last-Minute Rush (December 19-25, 2025)

Strategic Context: After standard shipping closes, the final week becomes about BOPIS (in-store pickup) and digital gift cards. For retailers with stores, this is a second revenue peak. For online-only retailers, gift cards are the only play.

Friday, December 19

Shopping Behavior:

• Standard shipping closed; expedited still available but expensive and risky
• In-store traffic begins increasing as shoppers realize they need physical possession
• Online: Gift card sales spike

Operational Priorities:

• Transition messaging: "Shipping too late? Pick it up in-store today"
• Promote BOPIS prominently for retailers with stores
• Online-only retailers: Feature gift cards on homepage
• Reduce discounting—urgency drives purchases, not deals

Saturday, December 20 - Super Saturday

Last Saturday before Christmas—one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Shopping Behavior:

• In-store traffic rivals Black Friday (but different psychology—desperation vs. deal-hunting)
• Online: BOPIS and gift card focused
• Shoppers buying whatever's available to avoid Christmas morning empty-handedness
• Price insensitivity increasing (will pay full price or minimal discount)

Operational Priorities:

• Retailers with stores: Maximum staffing (2-3x normal Saturday), dedicated BOPIS fulfillment team, extended hours, curbside pickup
• Online-only retailers: Gift cards with instant email delivery, printable designs, scheduled Christmas morning delivery
• Send morning email: "Order online, pick up today—same-day available"
• Offer 15-20% BOPIS discount to incentivize (drives additional in-store purchases)

See our complete Super Saturday BOPIS playbook.

Sunday-Tuesday, December 21-23

Shopping Behavior:

• Final weekday shopping before Christmas
• Pure desperation mode—shoppers buying whatever remains
• In-store: High traffic, especially Monday-Tuesday
• Online: Gift card sales peak

Operational Priorities:

• Extended store hours (open early, close late)
• Continue BOPIS emphasis for in-store retailers
• Gift cards for online-only retailers
• Messaging: "X days until Christmas—gift cards deliver instantly"
• Zero discounting needed (desperation = full price acceptance)

Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve

Shopping Behavior:

• Absolute final shopping day
• In-store: Morning surge, closes early (noon-2 PM typical)
• Online: Gift cards only viable option (instant digital delivery)
• Peak desperation = highest margins of season

Operational Priorities:

• In-store: Open early, close early-to-mid afternoon
• Sell remaining inventory at full price (no discounting)
• Gift cards: Emphasize SMS delivery or scheduled Christmas morning email
• Prepare for December 26 returns surge

Thursday, December 25 - Christmas Day

Shopping Activity:

• Minimal—most retail closed, online traffic low
• Staff rest day before post-Christmas operations

Operational Priorities:

• Rest and recharge
• Prepare for December 26 returns and clearance launch
• Schedule next-day email: "Thank you + returns information"

Post-Christmas: Returns & Clearance (December 26-31, 2025)

Strategic Context: Christmas ends the buying frenzy but begins the operational challenge: processing massive return volumes while liquidating seasonal inventory.

Friday-Wednesday, December 26-31

Shopping Behavior:

• In-store: Peak returns traffic December 26-28 (30-40% of monthly returns in these 3 days)
• Online: Gift card redemption spikes (recipients using cards received as gifts)
• Clearance shoppers hunting deep discounts on holiday merchandise

Operational Priorities:

• Dedicate 2-3 staff exclusively to returns processing (don't make them also help sales floor)
• Launch clearance sales: 30-40% off holiday merchandise
• Send December 26 email: "Returns made easy + clearance starts now"
• Convert returns to exchanges whenever possible (preserve revenue)
• Promote gift card redemption: "Use your gift card + get extra 15% off"

See our complete post-holiday operations guide.

Quick Reference Calendar

Print or save this condensed reference for November-December 2025:

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Black Friday 2025?

Black Friday 2025 is Friday, November 28—the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday is always the fourth Friday in November, occurring the day after Thanksgiving (which falls on the fourth Thursday). While many retailers now begin Black Friday promotions Thanksgiving evening or even earlier in the week, November 28 remains the official Black Friday date. This is the year's biggest shopping day with $10.8B in online sales plus massive in-store traffic generating $75B+ in total retail sales.

When is Cyber Monday 2025?

Cyber Monday 2025 is Monday, December 1—the Monday following Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday is always the first Monday after Thanksgiving, making it the Monday after Black Friday weekend. Cyber Monday is the largest online shopping day of the year at $14.2B, exceeding even Black Friday's online sales. The date occurs in December when Thanksgiving falls late in November (November 27 in 2025).

What is Cyber Week and when does it happen in 2025?

Cyber Week 2025 spans Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving) through Monday, December 1 (Cyber Monday)—5 days generating 35% of November-December revenue. Some retailers extend through Tuesday, December 2 (GivingTuesday) for a full week. Cyber Week includes Thanksgiving Day shopping (evening), Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Weekend Sunday, and Cyber Monday. These 5 days generate approximately $45-50B in online sales alone, representing the most intense shopping period of the year.

When do shipping deadlines fall in December 2025?

Standard shipping (5-7 day delivery) closes December 17-18 for Christmas arrival. After these dates, online shoppers must use expensive expedited shipping ($25-50) or choose BOPIS/gift cards. Specific deadlines by carrier: USPS Priority Mail (Dec 18), UPS Ground (Dec 17), FedEx Ground (Dec 17), USPS First Class (Dec 17). Expedited shipping (2-3 day) closes December 21-22. Overnight shipping available through December 23 in select ZIP codes. See our complete shipping deadlines guide for all carrier details and strategic messaging.

What is Super Saturday and when is it in 2025?

Super Saturday is the last Saturday before Christmas—in 2025, that's Saturday, December 20. Super Saturday rivals Black Friday for in-store traffic as shoppers make final purchases with certainty of walking out with products in hand. By December 20, standard shipping has closed and even expedited is unreliable, driving desperate shoppers to stores. For retailers with physical locations, Super Saturday is about BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In Store) optimization. For online-only retailers, Super Saturday is about gift cards with instant delivery. Shopping behavior differs from Black Friday: Super Saturday shoppers aren't deal-hunting, they're buying out of necessity.

How should I staff for November-December 2025?

Thanksgiving week (Nov 27-Dec 1) requires maximum staffing: in-store 2-3x normal, customer service 3-5x normal, fulfillment 2-3x normal. Maintain elevated staffing (1.5-2x normal) December 2-18 for sustained volume. Super Saturday weekend (Dec 19-21) requires return to 2-3x for stores and customer service. December 26-31 requires 2-3x for returns processing. Schedule staff in advance (September-October) as December availability fills quickly. Consider seasonal temps for fulfillment and customer service to handle volume without burning out core team.

When should I transition from deal-driven to urgency-driven messaging?

Shift messaging December 8 (Green Monday)—from "biggest deals of the year" to "last chance for Christmas delivery." Continue urgency emphasis through shipping deadline week (Dec 15-18). After standard shipping closes December 18, shift to BOPIS and gift card messaging. This progression matches shopper psychology: early December still responds to deals, mid-December responds to shipping urgency, late December responds to immediate availability (BOPIS/gift cards). Attempting to drive December 20 sales with "50% off!" misses the urgency motivation driving late shoppers.

Should I participate in every November-December promotional day?

Prioritize by revenue impact: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Super Saturday are mandatory for all retailers—these three days alone generate 20-25% of November-December revenue. Green Monday and Free Shipping Day are high-value optional events. GivingTuesday matters for nonprofits and brands with strong cause marketing. Veterans Day and other early November dates are low-priority optional. Focus operational intensity on proven revenue drivers rather than attempting every date. Better to execute 5-8 events excellently than 15 events poorly with stretched resources and fatigued staff.

What's the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping behavior?

Black Friday shoppers are deal-hunting with high price sensitivity, willing to compare across retailers, focused on doorbusters and deep discounts, and split between in-store (early morning) and online (throughout day). Cyber Monday shoppers are convenience-focused with lower price sensitivity, purchasing from work or home, prioritizing breadth of selection and easy checkout, and shopping purely online (physical retail returns to baseline). This means Black Friday requires 30-50% discounts to drive traffic, while Cyber Monday succeeds with 20-30% off due to convenience advantage. Black Friday = price competition, Cyber Monday = selection and ease.

How do I handle inventory that sells out during peak periods?

Real-time inventory monitoring is critical during Cyber Week and mid-December. When popular items sell out: immediately remove from homepage features and paid media (don't advertise unavailable products), offer similar alternatives with "customers also bought" messaging, consider rain checks or backorder options for January delivery if appropriate, adjust remaining promotions to emphasize in-stock products, and communicate transparently—"Due to overwhelming demand, [item] is sold out. We recommend [alternative]." Never promise delivery on out-of-stock items hoping for restock. Stockouts are inevitable during peak season; how you handle them affects customer satisfaction and lifetime value.

Your November-December 2025 Execution Plan

You now have the complete day-by-day calendar for the year's most critical retail period—55 days generating 30-40% of annual revenue.

Final Implementation Checklist

September-October 2024:

• ☐ Finalize Q4 strategy and revenue targets
• ☐ Complete holiday inventory orders by September 30
• ☐ Build all November-December campaigns
• ☐ Schedule staffing through January
• ☐ Confirm shipping carrier capacity and agreements

November 1-26:

• ☐ Final operational testing and QA
• ☐ Staff training on peak-period procedures
• ☐ Tease Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals
• ☐ Stage fulfillment centers for volume
• ☐ Lock promotional calendar by November 20

November 27-December 1 (Cyber Week):

• ☐ Execute maximum intensity: Black Friday + Cyber Monday
• ☐ Monitor site performance, inventory, customer service
• ☐ Send 10-15 emails across 5 days
• ☐ Maintain staffing at 2-5x normal levels

December 2-18 (Mid-December):

• ☐ Transition messaging to shipping deadline urgency
• ☐ Execute Green Monday (Dec 8) and Free Shipping Day (Dec 13-14)
• ☐ Daily shipping deadline reminders
• ☐ Prepare BOPIS and gift card campaigns for final week

December 19-25 (Final Week):

• ☐ Emphasize BOPIS for retailers with stores
• ☐ Promote gift cards for online-only retailers
• ☐ Execute Super Saturday (Dec 20) with maximum staffing
• ☐ Reduce discounting (urgency drives sales, not deals)

December 26-31 (Post-Christmas):

• ☐ Process returns efficiently with dedicated staff
• ☐ Launch 30-40% clearance on seasonal inventory
• ☐ Drive gift card redemption
• ☐ Transition to Q1 spring positioning

November-December 2025 execution determines your entire year's performance. Use this calendar to ensure you're operationally ready, tactically sharp, and strategically positioned for every phase of the holiday season.

Explore detailed strategies for specific events:

• Complete Q4 Holiday Marketing Calendar 2025
• Cyber Week 2025 Game Plan (Nov 27-Dec 1)
• Green Monday 2025 Strategy (Dec 8)
• Free Shipping Day Tactics (Dec 13-14)
• Super Saturday BOPIS Playbook (Dec 20)
• Post-Holiday Operations Guide