Finding the Pot of Gold: An Online Seller’s Guide to a Successful St. Patrick’s Day

Coming up with an effective e-commerce selling strategy for St. Patrick’s Day will help you wrap up the first quarter on a positive note.

The Numbers

Americans plan to spend a record-breaking $5.9 billion to celebrate the holiday this year, which represents an 11% increase over the spending from last year. In a 2018 survey compiled by the National Retail Federation, we have learned that 149 million U.S. adults plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, which is up from the 139 million estimate from 2017.

NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said, “With winter hopefully winding down over the next few weeks, consumers are ready to start celebrating spring with St. Patrick’s Day. The holiday falls on a Saturday this year, so Americans will have more time to splurge a little as they get together with friends and loved ones for a day of festivities.”

Although the holiday is the most popular among those ages 18-24, the biggest spenders are set to be those ages 35-44, spending an average of $45.76.

The Actions

The Irish holiday represents a fun opportunity for online sellers to capitalize on a boost in sales volume.

The top items that celebrants plan to buy are food, beverages, apparel (83% plan to wear green), decorations, and candy. With more Americans celebrating the shamrock-studded holiday, it’s expected that consumers will purchase their favorite green beverages and don their favorite green apparel, attend events in their community, and decorate their homes and offices with four-leaf clovers and other green paraphernalia.

Even if your assortment has nothing to do with the holiday, you can still take advantage of St. Patrick’s Day if you allow for ample planning:

Feature any St. Patrick’s Day-related products

Create relevance and capture consumers’ attention via any typical Irish items that you sell (green, shamrock-shaped, apparel with St. Patrick’s Day slogans, cookbooks, jewelry, etc.) and items that are unrelated to the holiday but that you make stand out by bundling green ones together or promote via a campaign that relates back to the holiday. If you have the means, stock up on accessories such as beaded necklaces, leprechaun hats, and green or St. Paddy’s themed scarves, socks, and leggings.

Run special deals and discounts

With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Saturday, use the week before to show customers that you’re there for them throughout their buying process. Give them special discounts or offers by email in order to entice them to buy in advance.

Knowing that you’re ready and prepared for the holiday prior to the day before will give them confidence in your business model and make them more likely to come back for another purchase.

Create a sense of urgency

Customers will do almost anything for a good deal – especially if they know that their time to take advantage of it will expire. Incorporate messaging such as “Be the first 17 shoppers and receive an additional 17% off your purchase” or “Shop St. Patrick’s Day before 7:00 pm and receive 17% off” in order to get customers to order as soon as possible. It’s an engaging way to catch the customer’s attention and increase brand awareness.

Remember, the luck of the Irish alone won’t drive a lift in sales this St. Patrick’s Day. Sellers need to couple that with advanced preparation and scouting, adequate product inventory, and captivating brand and campaign messaging.