When should I start preparing for the fourth quarter holiday buying season?

Start right now—don’t wait until the day after Thanksgiving. The last three months of the year (October through December) are the most important for the art business. More art and photography will be sold during this period than just about any other time all year long. This is when Western culture has trained people to loosen the reins on their wallets and spending. But you can’t just suddenly run a sale after Thanksgiving and expect success, because no one will know you exist. A good fourth quarter starts now, by letting people know you’re a talented artist, showing them you have a range of pricing, and making them aware you’ll be having promotions in the latter half of the year. Building that awareness and relationship beforehand is what makes the fourth quarter successful. You owe it to yourself—you’ve created all this incredible work, and Q4 is the number one time people are ready to buy.

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Asked by general audience · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-17