Planning for 2025/2026 Peak Season Dates

For many ecommerce businesses, holiday sales – known as Peak Season in the retail world - represent one of the biggest revenue opportunities of the year. Ecommerce Q4 kicks off in September and runs through the December holidays, beginning with the planning process, followed by ordering additional inventory to meet higher consumer demand, and ramping up with targeted advertising and product promotions to drive sales.

This year, the shifting tariff landscape means more uncertainty and added cost pressures on imported goods. It is essential for ecommerce businesses to monitor trade and tariff policy developments closely, as even modest increases in duties could tighten margins or require price adjustments during the highly competitive Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales.

In addition to pressure from tariffs, the surge in consumer demand during the holidays means that sellers must navigate common pain points like poor inventory management that results in costly stockouts and retail order fulfillment errors that lead to dissatisfied customers. Third-party logistics providers support scaling ecommerce for growing manufacturers by handling every aspect of logistics from inventory management and efficient holiday season order fulfillment to kitting and customization and product returns, streamlining supply chain processes to meet peak consumer demand and improve the bottom line.

Planning for 2025/2026 Peak Season Dates

Ecommerce retailers need to be ready with special promotions and fast shipping options to make sure customers receive their gifts on time. To pull this off, many retailers will rely on a 3PL like G10 that offers same-day shipping, strategically-located warehouses, and tools for forecasting demand. The right 3PL can help manage last-minute holiday orders and keep top-selling products moving quickly, with delivery windows as short as two to three days.

There are many shopping events throughout the year for ecommerce businesses to be aware of based on holidays and organized shopping events, including Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving), Super Saturday/Panic Saturday (last Saturday before Christmas), Prime Days (mid-July and second week of October), Walmart Deals (mid-July), and Target Circle Week (mid-July).

Consumers often wait for these events to make large purchases because of the huge discounts offered by retailers to attract high-intent audiences. When promotions, inventory levels, and order fulfillment are handled well, Peak Season and other shopping events can be a major driver of growth for ecommerce merchants. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the upcoming Peak Season events for 2025 and into 2026.

Amazon Prime Day Event #2: Mid-October (Dates TBA)

Amazon’s second Prime Day event of the year is expected to be scheduled for the second week of October. Sellers should prepare to offer discounts on strategic products and product bundles. For ecommerce sellers, it’s a valuable chance to move holiday inventory and connect with a massive audience of motivated buyers. Top Prime Day product categories include electronics, home and kitchen goods, beauty products, tools, clothing, and sports equipment.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM): November 28-December 1, 2025

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have grown into a global shopping weekend that marks the start of the holiday season. Shoppers expect deals across nearly every product category, which creates a great opportunity for ecommerce sellers to drive sales. Businesses should plan ahead to secure inventory by early November, use customer data to personalize offers, and automate promotions so resources are focused on fulfillment and returns once sales start coming in.

Super Saturday through Christmas-Eve: December 21-24

Super Saturday—often called “Panic Saturday”—marks the final rush of holiday shopping before the winter holidays begin. With gift deadlines approaching, shoppers are more likely to spend extra to make sure gifts arrive on-time, creating a strong sales opportunity for retailers. Ecommerce sellers should be prepared with fast shipping options, clear return policies, and targeted promotions to capture these high-intent buyers in the final days of the season.

Boxing Day: December 26, 2025

Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in several English-speaking countries outside the U.S., such as the U.K., Canada, and Australia. While it doesn’t generate the same level of demand as the days leading up to Christmas, it does provide a good opportunity for online retailers to clear out leftover holiday stock and handle a surge in returns and exchanges.

Partnering with a 3PL for e-commerce can be especially valuable at this stage, because advanced fulfillment systems help ease the pressure of returns and create a smoother customer experience.

Amazon Prime Day Event #1: Mid-July

The first Prime Day event of 2026 will likely be scheduled for mid-July. *See Amazon Prime Day Event #2 above for other details.

Walmart Deals: Mid-July

In July 2024, Walmart introduced its first “Walmart Deals” sales event to rival Amazon’s Prime Day. The expanded five-day event was a huge success and featured deep discounts on electronics, home goods, toys, travel, and more, both in-store and online. Walmart Deals should be seen as a huge opportunity for Walmart sellers to attract new buyers and grow sales in 2026.

Target Circle Week: Mid-July

Target rolled out “Circle Week” in 2025 during the same week as Amazon’s Prime Day and Walmart’s Deals event in hopes of boosting revenue after slower sales in early 2025. The event featured discounts of up to 40% across hundreds of thousands of products, with daily deal drops on popular categories like back-to-school items, apparel, home décor, and electronics. If you are part of the Target+ Sales Channel, it is important to plan for Circle Weeks throughout the year.

Need Peak Season Support? G10 Is Here to Help.

At G10, we partner with our clients to provide comprehensive D2C ecommerce fulfillment solutions that drive growth during Peak Season and beyond. Our fulfillment experts tackle all day-to-day logistics needs from inventory management to returns, ensuring that orders are processed, packed, and shipped accurately and efficiently, so you can focus on building your brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about how our logistics services can serve your business, please reach out to us at info@geneva10.com. We would love to answer your questions!