Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us, and ecommerce brands can expect a healthy boost in sales. Although it’s true that the holiday shopping can bring in extra customers, there are other seasonal surges to anticipate as well. Back to school shopping, holiday gifting, and Mother’s Day are probably on your radar, but are you ready for wedding season or spring break? How about Chinese New Year at the end of January, when overseas suppliers close up shop to celebrate?

To stay ahead, plan your 2025 calendar with this Notion database of key ecommerce dates. Duplicate it and populate it into your favorite calendar app for a streamlined approach to the year ahead!

The complexity of selling costs (such as online marketing, checkouts, or logistics) in ecommerce versus traditional retail means brands will need to anticipate and plan in order to thrive. Consumer behaviours, economic pressures, and technological shifts change the way shoppers see the world; for brands, these changes will help lay the foundation when planning for years to come. 

What’s Shaping Ecommerce in 2025? Key Changes to Watch

• Changes in overall employment levels, which impact discretionary spending. Customers worried for their next paycheck are less likely to shop, and discretionary spending on ecommerce (such as buying fashion, jewelry, or home goods) is especially relevant here. 
• Lead times during busy seasons or winter shipping routes. Shipping times vary, and with most consumer goods made in Asia or abroad, ecommerce businesses need to prepare inventory for tomorrow’s demand. This is especially true in fast-paced industries such as food, fashion, or beauty.
• Environmental or geopolitical issues might change shipping, labor, or buyer behavior. Early snowfall might cause a spike in ski-boot sales, or there may be shifts in labour for temporary roles like packing deliveries or stocking shelves.
• Stockout/overstock risk rises with social media trends. Surges in demand are possible with social shopping and online “viral” swings. One beauty product popular on TikTok can fly off the shelves one day and sit until it becomes overstock the next.

Ecommerce Trends: Why Shoppers are Spending Smarter

Although Deloitte’s Consumer Signals report for 2024 suggests the global economy has stabilized post-pandemic, its growth remains limited. Consumers are keeping their spending to non-discretionary items like groceries, and even here they bought store brands more often and focus on getting a sense of value from the deal. Despite being relatively cautious shoppers, though, these buyers are still willing to splurge.  72% of Americans in Consumer Signals say they made a splurge purchase in recent months, especially on food, beauty, or electronics. 

Shoppers in 2025 are more discerning, and their idea of “value” goes beyond a good deal. Getting added value from the emotional or ethical impact of a purchase is a perk, so long as it doesn’t come at too much of a premium. Whether it’s natural ingredients, ethical workmanship, or eco-friendly packaging, the data across industries suggests that from beauty to baby products, the winning item is a combination of cost effectiveness, emotional satisfaction, and practical utility. 

Smart Spending: The Rise of Responsible Indulgences

For ecommerce brands, the key idea for 2025 might be “calculated frugality” or “responsible splurge.” Buyers are still interested in luxuries, indulgences, and treats – no matter what economic conditions prevail. Shoppers aren’t cutting out non-essentials, just picking and choosing pieces that feel “worth it” to them.  A “trade up” in custom perfume can mean a “trade down” on shampoo. With a variety of price points to choose from (and an ever helpful crop of influencers to guide the choice), buyers will happily upgrade some items and find a budget version for others. So while American beauty buyers across age groups suggest they’d be willing to spend more on luxury, if there is a “trade down” for each “trade up” buyers make, demand shifts may be net neutral.

The takeaway for ecommerce brands? Highlight the emotional and practical value you bring to customers. Small luxuries that feel like a “responsible splurge” are a highlight for both gift-giver and gift-getter. 

From Early Birds to Last-Minute Shifts: The New Seasonality of Ecommerce

Seasonal shopping trends will last longer and be more subtle in 2025. Market research indicated that when it comes to holidays, shoppers across multiple industries (including baby, snack, grocery, and seasonal) are getting started earlier. This means Christmas shopping in October, or getting a back to school deal in July, these longer shopping seasons will make sales feel a little smoother next year. For brands, running promotions or sales earlier in the season can help you move inventory and prevent stock outs during peak sales. 

American online spending has increased by 33% since 2019, a trend dubbed the “Amazon effect.” To put the magnitude of this trend into perspective, the number of shoppers on Amazon Prime Day last year was more than double the population of Japan. By 2027, we expect ecommerce will make up more than 22% of the retail market, with roughly one in every 5 purchases made online. Ecommerce brands are leading the charge – bringing in new ways to shop, sell, and spend in 2025.

Stay Ahead with Clearco’s Seasonality Insights for 2025

Want to stay ahead of the trends? Get Clearco’s Seasonality Insights 2025 delivered straight to your inbox on December 17, 2024. This exclusive whitepaper dives into key insights and strategies to keep your brand competitive in a fast-growing industry.

Register for the Whitepaper today and reserve your copy!