12 biggest shopping events in retail. How to make the most of them in 2025?
Significant periods during the year that represent an ideal opportunity to increase sales and attract new customers.
Throughout the year, retail experiences several "peak" periods, during which every savvy retailer, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store, can achieve record sales. However, not everyone can turn shopping-hungry crowds into their customers. Do you know which events or periods of the year we're talking about? At Uičko, we've rolled up our sleeves and listed them for you in order, from the beginning of the year. Even with an extra bonus! At the end of the article, you'll find tips on how to maximize numbers from shopping peak events.
What are the TOP shopping opportunities in retail?
These are usually holidays or periods in the year, before which we naturally feel a bit cramped in the aisles between shelves. Not just in groceries. Customers stock up on consumer goods across the entire spectrum. Or they bet on vouchers. If your core business is a product or service intended for the end customer, these are the shopping holidays throughout the year when you can achieve record sales.
1. Seasonal Discounts
Summer, winter seasons, and transitional periods have their top products and services, which are linked, for example, exclusively to the weather. In summer, air conditioning sellers and pool owners are on top, while in winter, ski instructors and e-shops with Christmas decorations thrive. If you sell consumer goods, clothing and footwear, or food, seasonality is the main line on which you should base products for campaigns and display shelves.
How long do seasonal discounts last?
Although they repeat annually, much depends on the current weather. However, the climate changes year by year, so to avoid being caught off guard by sudden summer, spring, autumn, or winter, calculate with the earliest possible date.
2. New Year Sales
A highly anticipated shopping trend that has settled in our regions is the sales at the beginning of the year. If you know you have goods that you need to clear from the warehouse and replace with new ones, this period is a high probability that you will get rid of them. People have even gotten so used to New Year sales that they gift their family members with gift vouchers to favorite stores, so they can buy what they want in the New Year sale, even at a discounted price.
When is the New Year sale?
At the beginning of the calendar year, usually in January, the duration is individual.
3. Valentine's Day – the holiday of love
Although Valentine's Day revolves around one day, you can communicate your goods or services related to the theme of love to your potential customers several weeks in advance. And since the trend of gifts in the form of classic Valentine's clichés is gathering dust, we recommend thinking creatively. And perhaps trying for a viral hit with Cupid's arrow, right into the customer's heart.
When is Valentine's Day?
The holiday of all lovers is celebrated annually on February 14th.
4. Easter Holidays
The second quarter of the year kicks off with the Easter holidays. Although at first glance it seems mainly about food and consumer goods, the potential is much greater. For example, various events, gastronomy (restaurant services) or florists and arrangement services. For a better picture, in the USA, sales related to Easter shopping (food, sweets, clothing, gifts, flowers) reach 18.2 trillion US dollars. And that's definitely not a small amount.
When is Easter?
Easter holidays start with Good Friday and end with Easter Monday, the exact date changes annually (usually early April). In 2025, Easter lasts from April 18th to April 21st.
5. Sports Themes – Ice Hockey World Championships, Football World Cup, Olympic Games, etc.
Even at these events, you can create a very impressive product portfolio and ride the theme that usually captivates masses of fans. Just find the right goods and target the audience that will likely add it to their cart. Either the electronic one or the real one. In retail, it can be everyday consumer goods with a sports event motif, fan gear, or a special offer for enthusiasts of a particular sport.
When are the biggest sports events?
While the Ice Hockey World Championships are held annually in spring, football fans enjoy the World Cup only every 4 years, just like the Winter/Summer Olympic Games. The next Ice Hockey World Championships will be from May 9th to May 25th, 2025, the Football World Cup in 2026. Winter Olympics from February 6th, 2026 to February 22nd, 2026, and Summer Olympics from July 14th, 2028 to July 30th, 2028.
6. Father's Day, Mother's Day, and Children's Day
Everyone has their own. And almost everyone has the habit of giving something to their loved one on their special day. Chocolate, a card, a voucher, jewelry, a toy, an experience... Special days can generate special profits with sufficient preparation. So why not take advantage of it? Perhaps you'll be inspired by the numbers from the United Kingdom, where retail sales related to Mother's Day increased by 54% year-on-year in 2022, and website traffic from the previous day by 32%. The same potential is held by events focused on this exceptional occasion, which you can thematically connect with your product portfolio or services and subtly reach new customers.
When is Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Children's Day?
Mothers celebrate annually on the second Sunday in May (next on May 11th, 2025), fathers on the third Sunday in June (next on June 15th, 2025), and Children's Day is always on June 1st.
7. Spring and Autumn Marianne Days
Every shopping enthusiast knows that with falling leaves, prices drop in more than 3100 stores in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. If you haven't yet noticed this shopping frenzy, it's definitely time to add these "little Christmases (not just for ladies)" to your calendar to launch suitable campaigns. While discount coupons used to appear only in selected Marianne magazines, today customers conveniently apply them in a modern app. Among the partners are not only trendy fashion brands, but also furniture sellers, popular spas or entire shopping centers, like Avion. Shopping weekends twice a year are definitely worth considering joining.
When are Marianne Days?
Selected partners attract discounts on their assortment usually on a selected spring and one autumn weekend.
8. Halloween and All Saints' Day
Although Halloween is a traditional holiday from across the big pond, it has found its way here thanks to strong marketing. The theme of ghosts has a clear potential in autumn in gastronomy, events, but also in the clothing segment and decorations. Florists, arrangers, flower shops, and retail chains should not miss the somewhat sadder but also significant All Saints' Day and stock up on enough goods in the All Souls' Day theme.
When is Halloween and All Saints' Day?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, All Saints' Day follows on November 1st, and November 2nd is dedicated to the Commemoration of the Dead (commonly known as All Souls' Day).
9. Black Friday
They call it the shopping holiday of the year and preparations for it are in full swing when people around are enjoying the summer heat. Black Friday is becoming increasingly popular in Slovakia, and in 2023 its popularity jumped by 1900% over the past five years. According to statistics, the average Slovak buys 3 – 4 products during this frenzy, with the shopping peak reaching its maximum between 7 PM and 8 PM. At Uičko, we helped Dedoles manage Black Friday during its peak. You can find more info on how we processed 52,000 orders in the e-shop with a wave of a hand in the case study.
When is Black Friday?
The official date is the last Friday in November. However, many retailers set a longer period (Black Friday weekend, Black Friday week, and so on). In 2025, Black Friday falls on November 28th.
10. Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday was created as an online response to the original Black Friday, when it was still in its infancy and belonged only to brick-and-mortar stores. Today, however, the reality is that even in e-commerce, Black Friday plays the main role among winter shopping events. Cyber Monday definitely has potential. For example for customers who hesitated whether to buy or not during Black Friday... And eventually hesitated. Will you win them over?
When is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday follows on the first Monday after Black Friday. The next one is therefore December 1st, 2025.
11. Christmas
Although the last mentioned shopping opportunities revolve around them, Christmas is a chapter of its own. And that's across the entire retail spectrum. Food, gifts, services, events, even not only in the B2B segment but also B2C (gifts for business partners, Christmas parties, etc.), decorations... Christmas is simply the peak of the season, which the vast majority of stores and e-shops live through from the first half of autumn. And since consumer awareness is moving towards the tendency to enjoy preparing for Christmas holidays without the stress of last-minute preparations, you need to be even faster and take all the steps to not fail. And don't forget the important point – clearly and distinctly inform when you can guarantee delivery to the customer by Christmas, to eliminate unnecessary returns and negative reviews. Well, it's no wonder they say that preparation for Christmas starts in e-commerce with the arrival of spring.
When are the Christmas holidays?
We celebrate Christmas on December 24th, 25th, and 26th.
12. End-of-Year/Post-Christmas Sale
No, this is not point no.1. The post-Christmas sale is a great tool to clear all seasonal and thematic goods that you couldn't sell before Christmas. Although most e-shops turn off campaigns with the last day they guarantee delivery, you can make the most of this period. Many customers spend their free time during the holidays online. On social networks, browsing advantageous offers, or looking for ways to redeem gift vouchers they received for Christmas. And the cherry on top? Since the competition is retracting its claws, you can reach the same customers, for example in a PPC campaign, for a much smaller budget than before Christmas.
When to launch the post-Christmas/end-of-year sale?
You can launch the post-Christmas sale right on December 25th for any duration.
Tips on how to squeeze the highest conversions from shopping events
Noted? The year in retail is really diverse and full of opportunities that you definitely shouldn't let slip through your fingers. Besides when to appropriately and thematically communicate advantageous offers to your customers, don't forget about key points on how to refine them for even better results.
1. Make sure your online business is based on a suitable CMS.
2. Take specific steps to improve CX – customer experience.
3. Don't underestimate sufficient preparation.
4. Think creatively.
5. Don't rest on your laurels and constantly innovate.
6. Be where your customers are (search engine advertising, social networks, your own app).
7. Bet on omnichannel and connect brick-and-mortar stores with online.
8. Automate with AI.
9. Don't underestimate data. Monitor, optimize, and finally evaluate.
10. Bet on a reliable one-stop-shop agency that can boost your results sky-high.
