The holiday season is one of the biggest opportunities of the year for Shopify stores, and shoppers are already on the lookout for gifts, hunting deals, and comparing options. That means your store needs to be ready to grab their attention and turn that interest into sales.

When it comes to holiday buying decisions, customers are primarily influenced by price (50%), sales or discounts (22%), free shipping (13%), fast shipping (7%), and easy returns (4%). Meeting these expectations can make the difference between a completed purchase and an abandoned cart.

In this article, we’ll walk through 12 Christmas marketing tips to grow your Shopify sales across the holidays, showing you how to optimise your store, marketing, and customer experience to align with what holiday shoppers really want.

1 - Plan Early, Sell More - Laying the Groundwork 

The Christmas holiday shopping window is getting longer every year - and shoppers aren’t waiting until December to start ticking names off their lists.

In fact, last holiday alone, consumers spent over $105.2 billion between November 1st and 27th, and around 30% of shoppers started shopping as early as October. If your Christmas marketing strategy isn’t in motion around Halloween time, you’re already missing out on a big slice of consumer action. 

But remember, early preparation isn’t just about logistics, it’s about momentum. So the sooner you take advantage of this and show up in your customers’ feeds and inboxes, the more likely they are to consider buying from you. 

Shoppers are emotionally driven at this time of year - nostalgia, generosity, and the joy of giving all play into their buying decisions, So, start leaning into that energy before your competitors do. 

Think of early-season content as a “soft launch” for your Shopify store’s Christmas offerings. Share sneak peeks, gift guides, or wishlist features to get customers saving ideas early. You could even build an email waitlist for exclusive access to holiday collections. 

By prepping your store, engaging your audience, and teasing your promotions, you’ll capture demand the moment it spikes. We’ll talk more about each of these Christmas marketing strategies throughout this guide, but the key takeaway for this section is that by planning ahead, you’re more likely to succeed.

2 - Include Seasonal Website Design Elements 

Your website is more than just a storefront during the Christmas period, it’s where shoppers decide whether to buy or bounce. 67% of shoppers say a brand’s website experience heavily influences their buying decisions, so a seasonal touch can go a long way. 

Think subtle; add gold accents, gentle animations such as snowfall, or more prominent holiday-themed banners, and pair them with wholesome copy. Keep things clean - adding new Christmas elements to your store doesn't mean it has to feel cluttered.

Interactive touches can also make the experience feel more fun and engaging. Hover effects, festive CTAs, and pop-ups highlighting limited-time offers can guide shoppers towards purchase.

And don’t forget to A/B test these different elements on your website to see what really clicks best with your audience. Many Shopify stores see noticeable conversion boosts when holiday features are done thoughtfully. 

3 - Create Dedicated Shopify Christmas Landing Pages

Landing pages can increase conversion rates by up to 160% compared to generic product pages. Think of a dedicated landing page as the place where shoppers can easily find everything they need for holiday gifting without having to search through your site. 

NEXT created a dedicated Christmas landing page on their website, making it simple for families to find festive items. The collection includes home decor, clothing, gifts, and more, all organised into clear sub-collections for easy browsing.

The page keeps with NEXT’s signature family-friendly vibe while leaning into the spirit of the season. By offering a wide range of products and collections that feel cohesive and approachable, they make it easy for customers to get everything they need for Christmas in one place.

A well-put-together, themed landing page can appeal to different audience segments all at once. This example shows that you can embrace the holiday theme while staying true to your brand’s core aesthetic and make Christmas shopping perfectly aligned with what your customers want and expect.

Urgency works wonders this time of year, so it’s a tactic worth building into your dedicated landing page. Countdown timers, banners with shipping deadlines (Eg “Order by 20th December for Christmas delivery”), or limited-stock alerts all work well. Subtle exit-intent pop-ups can also grow conversions - something like, “Leaving already? Take 10% off your Christmas list today!” feels valuable rather than intrusive.

4 - Optimise your Shopify store for mobile 

Over 70% of holiday ecommerce traffic now comes from mobile, so ensuring your store is mobile-friendly is essential. Start by making sure your Shopify theme loads quickly, has simple navigation, and supports one-click checkout. Test for tap accuracy, image compression, and overall responsiveness to make the experience smooth for every shopper.

To learn more about how to effectively optimise your Shopify store for mobile, read our guide. 

You should also consider getting a mobile app for your Shopify store. Many businesses, including our clients, use Shopify mobile apps to offer exclusive perks like free shipping, extra discounts, or early access to sales. The results speak for themselves: mobile apps have a 157% higher conversion rate than mobile websites, and 85% of consumers prefer apps over mobile sites. 

Shopify mobile apps also help reduce abandoned carts by guiding shoppers smoothly from basket to checkout without distractions. Pages load almost instantly, making browsing and purchasing feel effortless. Push notifications (sent straight from your app) give you a direct line to customers, so you can notify them about flash deals, send friendly cart reminders, or drop exclusive discounts to create urgency and fast purchases. 

To learn more about how you can see more Shopify revenue growth through a no-code Shopify mobile app solution, feel free to book a call with one of our friendly experts at StoreLab.

5 - Run Shopify Christmas Marketing Campaigns 

During the holidays, shoppers are everywhere looking for deals, gifts, or just seasonal products in general - inboxes, social feeds, search engines, and their phones - and your brand needs to be there too. Having a strong, omnichannel strategy will help you to drive conversions across every touchpoint.

Email marketing 

68% of shoppers pay more attention to emails at Christmas, so it’s worth making yours stand out. Segment campaigns based on things like age, gender, or what shoppers have bought/shown interest in previously.

Countdown sequences like “12 Days of Deals” create urgency, while personalised recommendations show subscribers you care and make your marketing efforts personalised to them. 

SMS & push notifications 

Short, sweet, but impactful messaging keeps shoppers engaged and in the loop. SMS works well for time-sensitive updates such as “Only 48 hours left for guaranteed Christmas delivery”. 

Shopify mobile app push notifications are perfect for promotions, restocks, or exclusive offers. Keep messages brief, friendly, and timed strategically to see the highest engagement.

Learn more about how you can grow your Shopify sales through push notifications here. 

Organic social media 

89% of holiday shoppers are influenced by social media, and 54% of Gen Z check TikTok for gift ideas. 

Share UGC, short-form videos, unboxings, or holiday ideas/hacks across your organic social channels to inspire shoppers. Interactive content like polls, advent-style giveaways, or hashtag posts increase engagement, while behind-the-scenes content humanises your brand and builds trust.

Many platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest now offer shoppable posts, letting followers buy directly without leaving the app. Take advantage of this by creating standout content that shows your products in action - help shoppers imagine how your product fits perfectly into their own lives, or the lives of the friends and family they are buying for. 

SEO & content marketing

Optimise product pages and blogs for seasonal keywords. For example, “Personalised Christmas jewellery”, “Couples matching Christmas pyjamas", or “Christmas make up gifts under $/£50”

Link content to your holiday landing pages and update metadata and alt text with festive phrases to improve click-through rates. Blog posts can also double as gift guides, demonstrating your products directly to readers. 

Paid advertising (Meta ads)

Start your Shopify Meta ad campaigns early (October-November), since shoppers start researching their Christmas gifting ideas long before big events like Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday.

Running paid ad campaigns puts your brand in front of shoppers who are already in a festive buying mindset. On Meta, you can retarget people who’ve interacted with your store - for example, if someone has viewed or purchased a product, promote to them a Christmas-themed version of, or gift wrapping option for that same item.

Personalised retargeting like this makes your ads feel relevant, strengthens brand familiarity, and drives more clicks and conversions when it matters most.

A coordinated, multi-channel approach ensures your brand reaches customers where they are, delivers a smooth shopping experience, and works at maximising holiday sales from each shoppers’ preferred channel.

6 - Provide Product Customisation & Gift Wrapping Options 

You don’t need to reinvent your product range for the holidays - just give your bestsellers a seasonal twist. A few small touches and thoughtful details can make all the difference in how special and giftable your products feel. 

When it comes to festive packaging, limited-edition boxes or Christmas gift wrap work well because they can still be kept on-brand. Even a simple ribbon or tag can instantly elevate the unwrapping experience. Offer it as an upsell - for example, “Add a gift box and personalised note for $/£5” to increase average order value.

Customisation is another way to make gifts feel more meaningful. Add product options such as engraving or digital gift cards that buyers can personalise with a message. Shoppers love getting and buying things for their loved ones that feel unique.

7 - Offer Multiple & Flexible Payment Options

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) tools like Klarna or ClearPay are very powerful tools. Studies show that using BNPL can increase average order values by 85%, and 45% of shoppers make purchases with this option they wouldn’t have otherwise. And installment plans let shoppers treat themselves or go for those bigger gifts without the sting of paying everything in one go.

Beyond BNPL, it’s also worth offering credit and debit cards, plus digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal, which make checkout quicker and easier. The more flexibility you offer, the more likely shoppers are to complete their purchases, especially when they’re juggling multiple gifts or last-minute orders.

Even options like gift cards, store credits, or loyalty points, can give customers additional ways to pay while increasing engagement and repeat purchases. The goal is simple: let customers pay the way they want. The easier it is for them, the more confident they feel, and the higher your holiday sales will be.

8 - Use Reviews, UGC, & Social Proof

When it comes to holiday shopping, trust matters more than ever, and nothing builds it faster than real stories from real customers. User-generated content (UGC) and authentic reviews help new shoppers feel confident they’re choosing the right gifts for their friends and family.

Create UGC galleries on your site or landing pages with a prompt like “See how customers are gifting [Brand Name] this Christmas”. Showcase photos, short videos, or testimonials from past buyers to turn your community into your best marketing asset. Shoppers love seeing how others are gifting and using your products; it helps them visualise doing the same.

Encourage customers to share festive moments with your products by running simple social campaigns or hashtags. You can even highlight these posts in your newsletters or social feeds to build excitement and social proof.

It’s also a good idea to incentivise reviews; offer a small discount, loyalty points, or an entry into a giveaway for every verified review. Also, adding prompts to your review page like “Tell us how this made your Christmas special” can bring out heartfelt, genuine feedback that connects emotionally with potential buyers.

Authentic customer stories often outperform other Shopify Christmas marketing campaigns because real voices create credibility, warmth, and the kind of trust that turns browsers into confident buyers.

9 - Offer Festive Discounts & Incentives

77% of shoppers say discounts and coupons directly influence where they shop. And with so many brands competing for attention, your offers can make or break a sale. 

Try using tiered promotions that reward bigger baskets, such as 10% off orders over $50 or 20% off $100+, or “Buy two, get the third one free”. Shoppers love feeling like they’re getting more value, and you’ll see your average order value climb as a result.

Pair these offers with urgency triggers and you’ll create momentum. A simple “Ends at midnight!” banner or countdown timer can create just enough pressure to subtly encourage hesitant buyers into checking out. Limited-edition bundle offers or “Low in stock” messages work beautifully for creating that same sense of excitement.

And don’t forget your existing customers - 2 out of 5 holiday purchases come from loyal, repeat customers. This is a great time to thank these customers for their loyalty by giving personalised or exclusive perks. This way, you create a Shopify Christmas promotion strategy that feels both generous and exciting, strengthening long-term relationships with your most valuable customers.

10 - Create the Best Possible Customer Experience

Christmas shopping can be stressful, so adding a little extra care to ensure a smooth and reassuring customer experience can set your store apart. 

Customer service 

Holiday shopping means more traffic, and more traffic means more questions. So make sure your customer support is up to scratch and easy to access; offer live chat, chatbots, or 24/7 support to help customers quickly find the answers they need. 

Even small touches, like festive autoresponders, such as “Santa’s elves are working on your query!”,  can make interactions feel warmer and more personal.

Trust signals

Around Christmas, shoppers won’t buy from a store they don’t fully trust - there are just too many other options.

Add trust badges like “Shopify Secure,” “Fast Delivery,” or “Free Gift Returns” to reinforce credibility. Using clear reassurance banners such as “Guaranteed delivery before Christmas” or “Free extended holiday returns” can help eliminate hesitation at checkout.

Shipping, delivery, & returns 

Transparency is key, so be clear about your shipping cutoffs. For example, let shoppers know the last day to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery and offer specific delivery date options. Customers might not want a product or gift delivered within 3-5 days from order, but on a specific day e.g. December 20th.

Extending your return period for gifts adds even more peace of mind, giving buyers confidence and making holiday shopping feel completely stress-free.

11 - Run Post-Christmas Marketing Campaigns 

The holiday rush might slow down after Christmas, but your marketing definitely shouldn’t. This is the time to keep the momentum (and sales) going. 

Turn returns into retention

Returns happen - wrong size, duplicate gifts, or just a change of mind. Instead of letting them eat into your profit, use them to your advantage by offering store credit, vouchers, or easy exchanges so customers keep shopping with you.

Send follow-up emails

A simple follow-up or thank-you message can go a long way - especially if you include a little incentive, like 10% off their next order.

Don’t wait too long to check in with customers while the experience is still fresh. Run a quick survey to see how their Christmas shopping experience with you was, or even include a one-click rating feature in your email campaign.

This will give you real insight into your checkout process, delivery, and overall experience, as well as creating reviews and UGC for your store. Shoppers appreciate being asked, and you get valuable feedback to make next year’s experience even better.

You could just simply wish a Merry Christmas, just like AYBL did…

Keep the energy up

After Christmas, shift the focus to Boxing Day, New Year, and January sales. Use your marketing channels to remind shoppers of what’s coming up; staying visible (without overdoing it) keeps your brand front of mind, long after the holidays come to an end.

12 - Utilise Shopify Apps & Integrations 

There’s so many apps, integrations, and tools on the Shopify App Store. Choosing the right ones for your store can make a huge impact across the season, helping you see more conversions, streamline operations, and create FOMO.

Here’s 3 of our favourite recommendations for Shopify apps to help your business thrive and see more sales across Christmas and beyond…

1 - StoreLab

At StoreLab, our Shopify Growth Service is designed to help you grow sales and strengthen customer relationships through powerful tools like our Shopify mobile app builder. 

With an easy drag-and-drop builder, you can create a fully branded iOS and Android mobile app for your Shopify store without needing any technical expertise. It integrates smoothly with your existing Shopify tools and supports features like push notifications - perfect for promoting limited-time deals, restocks, and abandoned cart reminders during Christmas.

Combined with targeted Meta ads, your app can turn casual browsers into loyal, repeat customers. Learn more.

2 - Wrapped: Gift Wrap & Messages

Wrapped lets you, as a Shopify merchant, add gift-related options directly to your store - ideal for the Christmas season. It enables customers to include gift wrap, gift messages, and personalised notes on individual products or entire orders, either on product pages, in the cart, or at checkout.

Wrapped is fully customisable to match your Shopify store’s branding and theme, supports multiple languages, and helps increase AOV by encouraging upsells through Gift Blocks and other gifting features. 

3 - Swish Wishlist

Swish is a tool on the Shopify App Store that lets customers save products they’re interested in, helping merchants boost conversions and track purchase intent across the holiday season.

It integrates seamlessly with any Shopify theme and includes advanced analytics, automated wishlist notifications, and out-of-the-box integrations with Klaviyo, GA4, and Meta. Swish also offers free setup and customisation on all plans, making it easy to match your store’s design and capture valuable customer data to grow Shopify sales.

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FAQs

When should I start prepping my Shopify store for Christmas?

30% of holiday shoppers start as early as October, so having your strategy, landing pages, and marketing campaigns ready before Halloween gives you a head start.

How can I optimise my Shopify store for holiday shoppers?

Focus on festive website design, mobile optimisation, fast loading times, intuitive navigation, clear CTAs, and a dedicated holiday landing page with bundles, limited-time offers, and social proof.

What are some Shopify Christmas marketing campaigns I should run for my store?

Effective holiday marketing campaigns include seasonal email sequences, gift guides, limited-time discounts, countdown offers, social media giveaways, influencer collaborations, and Meta ads. 

How can I reduce abandoned carts during the holidays?

Optimise checkout, offer multiple payment options, include urgency triggers like countdown timers, and send cart abandonment emails or Shopify mobile app push notifications.

Why should I get a mobile app for my Shopify store this Christmas?

A Shopify mobile app provides a smoother, faster shopping experience, reduced cart abandonment, and streamlined checkout. Push notifications let you send time-sensitive offers, restock alerts, and personalised recommendations, helping grow Shopify sales and repeat purchases during the busy holiday season. Learn more.

How can I measure the success of my Shopify Christmas marketing campaigns?

Track conversion rates, average order value, traffic sources, email engagement, cart abandonment, and revenue per marketing channel to review and optimise your Shopify Christmas marketing campaigns.

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Looking for more ways to grow your Shopify sales?

If you’re looking to maximise the success of your Shopify store this Christmas, you’re in the right place. Our Shopify growth experts are here to help you skyrocket your sales, increase AOV, boost customer retention, and more.

It’s a Dog’s Life are a UK clothing and accessories business founded as a side project by long-time salesman, Mark Littlewood.

Mark had been seeing some great results during big seasonal moments, such as Christmas and Shopify Black Friday, but was struggling to build consistent sales in between.

With the help of our Shopify mobile app and Meta Ad plans, Mark’s been able to drive more sales throughout the year - 400% more sales, to be precise.

“Prior to working with StoreLab, sales were absolutely minimal. It was an absolute eye-opener the increase they achieved.”

Would you like to get the same results as Mark? Get in touch with our team at StoreLab today to see how we can help you make the most of the holidays and beyond!