4 days ago3 min read

Preparing for Christmas on Etsy: The Critical Timing of Holiday Prep

Title: Preparing for Christmas on Etsy: The Critical Timing of Holiday Prep

Hey there, Etsy sellers! Today, we’re diving into a crucial topic—preparing your Etsy store for the Christmas rush. Many sellers make the mistake of thinking they should start getting ready for the holidays when sales pick up, but by then, it’s often too late. If you're serious about selling during the Christmas season, preparation starts months in advance.

Early Prep is Key

Here at our 3D printing business, Christmas season technically started 6 months ago. For mass production and fulfilling orders during this period, you need to get ahead of the game—two quarters before December. Why so early? Well, as October rolls around, many sellers suddenly realize the holiday season is upon them, and that’s when manufacturers get overwhelmed with requests. We, like many others, simply don’t have the bandwidth to take on last-minute projects without jeopardizing the timelines of our existing clients.

This is your friendly reminder: if you haven't started preparing for Christmas yet, you're late. But it's not too late to take action.

Stocking Up on Materials and Human Resources

Running a business, especially in 3D printing, involves more than just fulfilling orders. You're going to face a few key challenges: running out of material, running out of human labor, and not having enough time for post-processing and packing.

If you’re selling on Etsy, be aware that starting November 1st, Etsy experiences a significant surge in demand. Your sales will likely double from what you did on October 31st. Then, it just keeps ramping up. By Black Friday, whether you run a sale or not, the demand spikes further. That’s the time Etsy distributes its massive buyer traffic to all sellers on the platform, so you’ll need to be fully prepared.

Sales Strategy: To Discount or Not?

Although Black Friday is synonymous with discounts, you don’t necessarily need to offer one. Many sellers increase their prices to manage the overwhelming demand. You can also decide whether or not to run a sale, but one thing is certain: turn on your ads and be available. Etsy will shine a light on all active stores during that time to ensure customers can find products.

Avoid the Christmas Cutoff Trap

As the holiday season progresses, some sellers—particularly those running print farms—take vacations during the first week of December because they can no longer handle the influx of orders. But, you’ll lose out on sales if you can't deliver in time for Christmas. Many buyers are looking for gifts up until the last possible shipping day, so ensure your operations can handle the late-December demand.

If you have popular or commonly sold items, stock up on inventory now. And if you’re unable to keep up with demand, consider outsourcing some of the production. Services like Slant 3D can help print and ship orders for you, providing much-needed backup.

Final Steps to Prep for Christmas

Purchase materials early. Make sure you have enough filament and supplies to meet the holiday demand. Waiting until the last minute means you risk suppliers running out of stock.
Plan for labor. Whether it's just you or a small team, make sure you’re prepared for the workload—particularly with post-processing and packaging.
Build a buffer of inventory for your best-sellers.
Look at last year’s data if you’ve been through a holiday season before. This will give you insight into how much material and labor you'll need.
Consider using plugins like those available for Etsy and Shopify to offload some of the production work.

By taking these steps, you'll be better prepared for the massive holiday spike and avoid running out of materials, capacity, or energy. Remember, success during the holiday season isn't just about having great products—it’s about being ready to handle the demand.

Good luck to all sellers this holiday season, and if you have any questions or topics you'd like covered, leave a comment below!