Week of August 11, 2026 | Issue #7
This Week's Headlines
Holiday shopping season is only four months away, but the time to prepare is now. Retailers are already stocking shelves, and payment processors are gearing up for the busiest time of year. Last year, holiday sales reached $886 billion, with a record 42% of purchases made online. This year is expected to be even bigger. If you're not prepared, you'll leave money on the table and frustrate customers during the most profitable time of year.
What's Happening in Holiday Retail Right Now
Early Planning Drives Sales: Retailers who start promotions in August see 15-20% higher sales during the holiday season compared to those who wait until November.
Buy Now, Pay Later Explodes: BNPL options now account for 8% of all holiday purchases, up from 3% two years ago. Customers expect flexible payment options.
Mobile Shopping Dominates: 65% of holiday purchases will be made on mobile devices. If your checkout isn't mobile-optimized, you're losing sales.
Gift Card Sales Peak: Gift cards account for $30 billion in holiday spending. Retailers that offer digital gift cards see higher conversion rates.
This Issue Covers
- Holiday shopping trends and what they mean for your business
- How to prepare your payment processing for peak season
- The biggest myth about holiday sales
- Practical steps to maximize holiday revenue
- Payment options customers expect
The Merchant Myth: Holiday Sales Will Take Care of Themselves
The Myth: If I have a good product, customers will buy it during the holidays regardless of how prepared I am.
The Reality: Holiday success requires planning. The businesses that dominate during the holidays are the ones that prepared months in advance. They have optimized checkout processes, adequate payment processing capacity, and customer service staffed up and ready.
Last year, a retail shop in Chester County lost an estimated $50,000 in sales because their payment processor couldn't handle the volume during Black Friday. Their system crashed, customers couldn't complete purchases, and many didn't come back. That's not a technology failure—it's a planning failure.
The good news? You can prevent this with proper preparation starting now.
Holiday Payment Trends
Contactless and Mobile Payments Surge: During the holidays, contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, tap-to-pay cards) account for 35% of all transactions, compared to 22% during normal months.
Gift Card Purchases Peak: Retailers see a 300% increase in gift card sales in November and December. Digital gift cards are especially popular.
Returns Spike: January sees a 40% increase in returns and chargebacks. Customers buy multiple sizes or colors and return what doesn't fit or match. Plan for this.
International Purchases Increase: Online retailers see a 25% increase in international orders during the holidays. Make sure your payment processor supports multiple currencies and countries.
Fraud Attempts Increase: Criminals know holiday shoppers are busy and distracted. Fraud attempts increase 35% during the holiday season.
Your Action This Week
Step 1: Audit Your Payment Processing Capacity - Contact your payment processor and ask: Can you handle 3x your normal transaction volume? What's your uptime guarantee during peak season? Do you have fraud detection in place? If the answers aren't satisfactory, it's time to switch.
Step 2: Optimize Your Checkout Process - Test your checkout on mobile devices. Is it fast? Can customers complete a purchase in under 60 seconds? Can they save their payment information for faster checkout next time? If not, fix it now.
Step 3: Offer Multiple Payment Options - Customers expect choices. Offer credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and BNPL options like Affirm or Klarna. Every payment option you don't offer is a lost sale.
Step 4: Plan Your Inventory and Staffing - You can't process more orders if you don't have inventory or staff. Make sure you have enough of both to handle peak season demand.
Step 5: Set Up Customer Service Support - Holiday shoppers have questions. They want to know about shipping times, return policies, and tracking. Have customer service ready to respond quickly.
How to Maximize Holiday Revenue
Start Promotions Early: Begin holiday promotions in August and September. Early birds spend more and help you build momentum.
Offer Flexible Payment Options: Customers who can't afford to pay in full want BNPL options. Offering these increases conversion rates by 15-20%.
Optimize for Mobile: 65% of holiday purchases happen on mobile. If your site isn't mobile-optimized, you're losing two-thirds of your potential customers.
Leverage Email Marketing: Holiday shoppers respond to email. Send targeted promotions to your existing customers. They're more likely to buy and have higher order values.
Create a Sense of Urgency: Limited-time offers, flash sales, and countdown timers drive purchases. Use them strategically.
From Robert
I've watched businesses transform their entire year based on holiday season performance. A restaurant that implemented a gift card promotion in September sold $40,000 in gift cards by December. That's recurring revenue that will drive sales in January and beyond.
The businesses that struggle during the holidays are the ones that didn't prepare. They're reactive instead of proactive. They're scrambling instead of executing.
You have four months to prepare. That's plenty of time to optimize your payment processing, train your team, and plan your promotions. The question is: will you?
If you want to discuss holiday season preparation or explore payment options that can maximize your revenue, call me at 484-393-1576. I'm happy to help you plan.