Happy New Year one and all! The first month of the year comes with space for new beginnings and new year’s resolutions. In the world of e-commerce, this means ample opportunity for sales on items to help people hit the ground running – literally and figuratively speaking.

New Year’s Day

The first of January is a public holiday celebrated in 90% of the world. People are nursing hangovers, the guests are finally heading home, and we can feel the promise of a fresh new start in the air. It’s time to make good on New Year’s resolutions, sift through gifts to decide what to keep and what to return.

Most people think that January is a bad month for online retailers, e-commerce, and business in general. Everyone overspent in the run-up to Christmas, credit cards are maxed out and accounts stretched to their limits. However, there are plenty of opportunities for targeted marketing campaigns, New Year discounts, and offers for those wanting to make good on their New Year’s resolutions. And let’s not forget the many business opportunities for online retail around the world just waiting to be discovered.

The “New Year, New Me” phenomenon

An American software provider analyzed online retail searches for various product groups for the months December and January 2020/21. They found that demand for personal fitness items was 53% higher in early January than during any other month of the year. According to a survey conducted in 2020 among 2000 Americans, 20% of respondents were ready to pay as much as necessary to succeed in their personal health goals for the coming year. And the Americans are not alone in their efforts to become better people when the new year comes around.

Your takeaway: targeted online retail advertising campaigns for the beginning of the year might be worth your while if your retail line includes health and fitness items of any description. That could be anything from health foods and supplements, to fitness apps, sports apparel, wearables, fitness studio memberships, cosmetics, and much more. After all – there were plenty of gift vouchers under many trees that still need redeeming.

Gift vouchers and returned presents

Just like every year, many gifts will be returned as unwanted, duplicates, wrong size, wrong color, etc. A busy time for call centers, but also a huge upselling opportunity for online retailers. While customers browse your website to see what they will order instead of the returned item, additional products will find their way into the virtual shopping basket.
The same applies for gift vouchers, as it can be difficult to find something for the exact amount of the voucher, and in many cases, (clever retailers issue) voucher amounts that are just below the “free shipping” requirement. All in all: a great start into the new year for creative online retailers!

And really, we aren’t even done with Christmas yet:

Three Kings, aka “Little Christmas”

Much of the Latin world, including Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Paraguay and Cuba celebrate this holiday  as the day when gifts are exchanged. The tradition stems from the biblical Three Kings, who came to see the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem bearing gifts. Particularly in Spain, this tradition is alive and well, filling online and offline shops during the first week of January with the same panic buyers found everywhere else in the run-up to Christmas in December. Having said that, in Belarus, Ukraine, Egypt, Georgia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Serbia, Christmas is similarly celebrated in January, or exactly 13 days after December 25th – have you ever thought of expanding your online retail base into these countries?
If you play your cards right, your international online shops will do great with the right promotions, campaigns, and last-minute gift ideas.

Important Dates for online retailers in January 2024

In January, the world of international retail will take center stage with major events that draw the attention of business professionals, online retailers, innovators, and industry enthusiasts alike. These international trade fairs represent more than just a marketplace for products and services; they are hubs of global connectivity, knowledge exchange, and cultural diversity.

Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2024

This highly popular and innovative retail trade event will be held in Hongkong from January 8-11. The fair attracts offline and online retailers and innovators in their thousands from around the world. The Hongkong Baby Products Fair and the Hongkong International Stationery and School Supplies Fair are held concurrently at the same venue. A very important date for retailers in a multitude of markets and industries!

Horecava 2024

Horecava, the annual trade show of the food and beverage industry, is scheduled to take place in Amsterdam from January 8-11. The expo offers a wide array of cutting-edge products, as well as an elite audience that includes over 60,000 decision-makers, the most promising start-ups, and big-name established online retailers. More than 2,000 exhibitors, many returning, are expected to attend Horecava 2024. The variety showcase is an excellent way for businesses to display their finest hospitality items and for clients to meet their suppliers.

Intersec 2024

Intersec is one of the top international trade fairs for the security, safety and fire industry. The 23rd edition of the event held in Dubai from January 16-18 is expected to attract more than 43,000 professional visitors and retailers from around the world. Over 1,300 exhibitors have confirmed their participation. They will present their products and services in 7 main areas: Commercial Security, Smart Home, Information Security, Fire and Rescue, Safety and Health, Homeland Security and Policing, Perimeter and Physical Security.

Ambiente 2024

Ambiente is one of the largest international trade fairs for consumer goods. The show’s expanding attendance of over 140,000 business visitors from offline and online retail, plus 4500 exhibitors speaks for itself. Ambiente provides a distinctive range of materials, tools, ideas, and solutions. Various products for various living spaces and fashion trends are on display at the exhibition held in Frankfurt from January 26-30. This year’s key topics: Sustainability, Lifestyle and Design, New Work, Future Retail, and Digital Extension of Trade.

Not such a bad month after all!

All in all, we can say with conviction that January not only means the start of a new year – it can mean the beginning of a whole new retail strategy for your business. This is the time to “go international” with your company’s goods and services. And if you already operate an online shop, you might think about expanding into entirely new regions and markets. The highly experienced team at Eurotext can help you get started. All you have to do is contact them.

Everyone here at Eurotext wishes all our readers a relaxing and refreshing start to 2024!



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