Every year, marketers know when to expect the same tentpole events. Back-to-school buying occurs around August and September, while holiday shopping primarily happens in November and December.
Despite being one of retail’s most predictable demand cycles, many brands still treat these events like a last-minute sprint instead of a long-term strategy. Budgets are activated weeks before peak shopping, creative is rushed into market and campaigns are optimized only after shoppers have started making purchases. By then, the most valuable opportunity has often passed.
Today’s consumers are much more savvy when it comes to shopping. They research, compare prices and read reviews from news sites and forums. By the time advertisers dramatically increase spend, shoppers have already narrowed their choices or made their purchase.
This highlights the broader issue: many marketers allocate budgets around the moment they want sales to happen rather than when the purchase journey begins.
Seasonality is predictable, shoppers aren’t
