How does the timeline for holiday shopping affect when artists should start marketing?

The holiday buying season starts much earlier than most people think. Studies show that 49% of holiday shoppers plan to start before Halloween, and 42% begin browsing and buying before November. By mid-October, 40% already know exactly what they’re buying—and that percentage increases every year. The days when everyone waited until Black Friday are long gone. Merchants have moved their promotions earlier and earlier, so the blitz now starts in late October and runs straight through Christmas. This means artists need to be visible and top-of-mind well before October if they want to capture those early shoppers and gift buyers.

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Asked by general teaching · Answered by Patrick (inferred) · art-marketing-podcast · 2026-07-27