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You should always keep important dates in mind to plan promotions and sales accordingly.
Planning them in advance is key to campaign success and engagement and this is where a marketing calendar comes in handy. But what is a retail calendar and how can it actually benefit your business? A retail calendar is an overview of the most important dates, activities, and events for the upcoming year that businesses use to plan specific campaigns, product launches and optimise their sales strategy.
Good news! We’ve done the boring part for you and put together the most complete month-by-month marketing calendar to help you keep track of every event. No more missed opportunities but planned ideas to increase and target your sales!
Here’s our detailed holiday calendar and ecommerce calendar to jump into 2023 with a brand-new appeal.
January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September· October · November · December
UK and Europe Sales and Retail dates for 2023
Here are some key dates to keep in mind to plan your summer 2023 marketing strategy in advance. Tap into new opportunities to engage with your customer base and spark interest in new ones!
June
June is a busy month on the retail calendar. Apart from the single dates that could inspire your productivity, you can always create something big and meaningful on your social media or your email campaigns, engaging in a month-long event and supporting your community.
Dates to remember in June
- 1st June – Global Day of Parents
- 1st June – 30th – Pride Month
- 8th June - World Ocean's Day
- 10th June – World Gin Day
- 15th June – National Beer Day (UK)
- 18th June – Father’s Day (UK)
- 21st June – International Day of Yoga
- 21st June – Summer Solstice
- 21st June – Beginning of Summer
- 21st – 25th June – Glastonbury Festival
- 24th June – Midsummer’s Day
How brands celebrate Pride Month
Lego
On June 1, 2021, LEGO launched the LGBTQ-themed set called Everyone is Awesome, with 11 monochromatic figures, each with an assigned colour, and 346 pieces creating a rainbow.
I wanted to create a model that symbolises inclusivity and celebrates everyone, no matter how they identify or who they love”
Dr. Marten's
Dr. Martens, a well-known symbol of self-expression and freedom, decided to pay tribute to the Pride movement with a special rainbow edition.
Also, for Pride 2021, they partnered with The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQIA+ young people, donating $100,000 to help share valuable resources with whoever needs them.
How brands celebrated World Oceans Day
Lush
In 2020, vegan-friendly cosmetics brand LUSH launched the “Shark Attack” campaign against shark slaughter on World Oceans Day, raising awareness on the importance of sharks for the marine ecosystem.
100% of sales were donated to The Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation and after purchasing the soap bar, every customer received a sticker with messages such as “Beware: Shark Killers” that they could use to mark a place where a shark attack occurred—for example restaurants selling shark fin soup and beauty products with squalene, an ingredient that derives from shark livers.
La Mer
Each year, skincare brand La Mer releases special editions of its iconic Crème de la Mer jar, expressing love for the ocean and supporting awareness-raising initiatives. In this way, they also encourage customers to support ocean conservation organizations and adopt more environmentally friendly habits.
July
July may seem quiet, but business usually starts creating marketing strategies for the upcoming back-to-school excitement. Otherwise, there’s always World Chocolate Day to cheer everyone up and make sweet tooths happy.
Dates to remember in July
- 3rd July – Wimbledon Starts (ends 16th July)
- 4th July – American Independence Day
- 7th July – World Chocolate Day
- 17th July – World Emoji Day
- 18th July – Islamic New Year
- 24th July – School Holidays (depending on school)
- 24th July – Back to School (ends early September)
- 30th July – International Day of Friendship
Plastic Free July suggestions for more sustainable ecommerce
Save this month on your ecommerce calendar 2023 and make it become an opportunity to transform your ecommerce in a more sustainable business.
Plastic Free July is a global movement that encourages millions of people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution for a cleaner planet. The objective is to re-evaluate items we use on a daily basis, as well as the sustainability of the companies we choose to buy from. The objective is to integrate small lifestyle changes in our daily routine until they become a way of living without damaging the environment.
More and more shoppers find that the brands they shop from should commit to eco-friendly practices – not just in July but all year round.
So, it might be the right time to check your eco-credentials and consider adopting sustainable practices for your business, inspiring your clients to do the same.
Here are some ideas:- Make your supply chain greener
- Store goods in energy-efficient warehouses
- Minimise waste
- Switch to recyclable and compostable packaging
- Reduce the carbon footprint of your shipping
- Partner with eco-friendly couriers
Communicate your values to your customers, speak about what you are doing for the environment to raise awareness on the topic and include suggestions, instructions, and messages in your boxes to inspire people to adopt an eco-friendly behaviour as well. All this can be done in a highly creative, original way to strengthen your brand’s identity and social media engagement too!
How brands developed effective Back-to-School marketing campaigns
The North Face
North Face came up with a beautiful animation for its Back-to-School campaign. The tagline “You can carry it forever”, together with the animation’s setting, suggests the quality and durability of the brand’s products while conveying a sense of nostalgia, family and nature.
Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer created a dedicated web page for Back-to-School, making it easy for customers to find useful tips and relevant products. The page was carefully and cleverly organized in sections like “New Term Kit” or “Stress-Busting-Uniform”. The key to this marketing campaign was not coming up with new releases but rather repurposing existing product pages in a new, smart format.
How brands celebrated World Emoji Day
What you sometimes cannot say in a sentence you can say with an emoji. Let’s see how brands unleashed creativity for World Emoji Day.
Starbucks
Starbucks found a clever approach to engage on social media, making people have a little fun with a game around their beverage and food names decoded in emoticons …and why not? Maybe even make them think about a double chocolate Frappuccino.
Slay Coffee
Other brands, like Slay Coffee, decided to use irony to engage on social media by addressing relatable themes that resonate with their target audience.
August
By now, holiday mode is already switched on for most people and getting consumers’ attention may seem like a stressful activity. However, there will always be online shoppers around, and concentrating marketing efforts on specific targets could do the trick.
But remember, International Beer Day, Book Lovers Day, World Photo Day, National Dog Day, or International Cat Day will undoubtedly find an audience!
Dates to remember in August
- 1st August – Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland)
- 4th August – International Beer Day
- 8th August – International Cat Day
- 9th August – Book Lovers Day
- 19th August – World Photography Day
- 24th August – National Burger Day
- 26th August – National Dog Day
- 28th August – Summer Bank Holiday (England and Wales)
How brands celebrate World Photography Day
OnePlus and Domino’s Pizza India
The smartphone brand OnePlus and Domino’s Pizza India are two examples of businesses that came up with a creative photography challenge to engage with customers all around the world.
Domino’s Pizza India
How brands celebrate International Cat Day
Sheba
In 2020 for National Cat Day, the SHEBA cat food brand launched the #4AMStories campaign in solidarity with all those cat owners who know the feeling of being woken up early in the morning by a familiar meow.
Funko
Charles M. Schulz Museum
All marketing dates for 2023
January
January is one of the best months for consumers and retailers, as it inaugurates the new year, offering everyone a fresh start. Remember, many people make a New Year’s resolution, and although most of them are likely not to commit to it, you can still inspire them and give them great ideas.
Also, consumers can’t wait to spend their Xmas money on post-holiday sales. They’ll be on the lookout for attractive opportunities, and you can find creative ways to make new customers discover your brand.
Dates to remember in January
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
- 1st – 31st January – Dry January
- 1st – 31st January – Ginuary
- 1st – 31st January – Veganuary
- 6th January – National Shortbread Day
- 16th January – Blue Monday
- 22nd January – Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit)
- 25th January – Burns Night
- 26th January – Australia Day
- 27th January – Chocolate Cake Day
How brands celebrate Blue Monday
Pret a Manger
Café chain Pret a Manger subverted Blue Monday in their own way. They decided to spread some joy and enable 100,000 customers to make someone smile by giving them a free drink on the day that is known as the most depressing day of the year.
Nothern Rail
Tesco
February
February is a month for free thinkers, dreamers, lovers, and food lovers. From LGBT History Month Day to World Nutella Day, National Pizza Day or Love Your Pet Day, February could really help you develop valuable ideas.
Dates to remember in February
- 1st – 28th February – LGBT History Month
- 4th February – World Cancer Day
- 5th February – World Nutella Day
- 5th February – Yorkshire Pudding Day
- 9th February – National Pizza Day
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
- 17th February – Random Act of Kindness Day
- 20th February – Love Your Pet Day
- 21 February – Shrove Tuesday
- 21 February – Pancake Day
- 22 February – Ash Wednesday
March
March brings along a happy, cheerful mood, with sunnier days, flowers blooming and making way for spring. You can inspire and engage your audience with themed email campaigns or become more colourful on social media. Even some green will do when Saint Patrick’s Day is around the corner!
Dates to remember in March
- 1st March – St David’s Day
- 2nd March – World Book Day
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
- 9th March – Popcorn Lovers Day
- 17th March – St Patrick’s Day
- 19th March – BAFTA’s
- 19th March – Mother’s Day
- 20th March – First Day of Spring
- 22nd March – Ramadan Start
- 26th March – BST starts
How brands celebrate World book Day
Bloomsbury
In 2020, for World Book Day, Bloomsbury and other UK publishing houses created various campaigns to focus on the importance of reading and literacy. They also encouraged staff to share their favourite books on social media with the hashtag #ShareAStory.
April
April too is a month full of great opportunities on the ecommerce calendar! From April Fool’s Day to National Pet Day and Easter gifts, there are plenty of occasions to impress your audience. Don’t wait too long to sort your April out in the best way!
Dates to remember in April
- 1st April – April Fool’s Day
- 10th April – Siblings Day
- 11th April – National Pet Day
- 7th April – Good Friday
- 9th April – Easter Sunday
- 10th April – Easter Monday
- 19th April – Bicycle Day
- 21st April – National Tea Day
- 22nd April – Earth Day
- 22nd April – End of Ramadan
- 23rd April – St George’s Day
May
May is the return of summer… and of surprises! There are some surprisingly interesting celebrations that you can use to intrigue your customer base and draw attention to your brand. And if World Baking Day doesn’t resonate with you, you can always go for the plot twist and celebrate Star Wars Day in your own original way. Why not?
Dates to remember in May
- 1st May – Labour Day (UK)
- 2nd May – Early May Bank Holiday
- 4th May – Star Wars Day
- 11th May – National Eat What You Want Day
- 13th May – World Cocktail Day
- 16th May – International Day of Light
- 17th May – World Baking Day
- 20th May – World Bee Day
- 29th May – National Biscuit Day
- 29th May – Spring Bank Holiday
September
In September, most people are back from their holidays and children get ready to go back to school. No better time for themed promotions and discounts.
Dates to remember in September
- 1st September – Back to School (depending on school)
- 4th September – Labour Day (US)
- 6th September – Read a Book Day
- 12th September – National Chocolate Milkshake Day
- 16th September – World Guacamole Day
- 23rd September – Autumn Begins
- 27th September – World Tourism Day
October
October holds some interesting opportunities when it comes to marketing campaigns and events on the retail calendar. Apart from Halloween promotions and deals, there are important days that you can keep in mind if you want to support meaningful causes and raise awareness with your brand.
Dates to remember in October
- 1st – 31st October – Black History Month (UK)
- 1st – 31st October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- 1st – 31st October – Go Sober for October (Stoptober)
- 1st October – International Coffee Day
- 1st October – World Vegetarian Day
- 10th October – World Mental Health Day
- 16th October – World Food Day
- 22nd October – National Nut Day
- 25th October – World Pasta Day
- 26th October – National Pumpkin Day
- 29th October – National Cat Day
- 29th October – BST ends
- 31st October – Halloween
How brands celebrate World Mental Health Day
Headspace
The app Headspace was created to support people in their wellness journey. It is a big name in the mental health industry, and it found an authentic way to celebrate World Mental Health Day with the #myheadspace campaign, combining videos from Mediation Teacher Sam Snowden and quotes from real Headspace users.
Spotify
For World Mental Health Day 2021, Spotify encouraged listeners and employees to “take a beat”, and “tune in to yourself” to start a conversation on mental health awareness. They also created the Wellness Hub, where people can easily access mental health resources.
November
November is the most exciting and busy month for every online retailer. The week before Black Friday can be as nerve-racking as Black Friday itself. So, make sure you’re on track with your promotions and your logistics too. High demand is a blessing only if you can keep pace!
Dates to remember in November
- 1st – 30th November – Movember (Men’s Health Awareness Month)
- 1st November – World Vegan Day
- 5th November – Guy Fawkes Night
- 11th November – Remembrance Day
- 12th November – Remembrance Sunday
- 24th November – Black Friday
- 27th – November – Cyber Monday
- 30th November – St Andrew’s Day
December
Demand is still extremely high in December, as everyone obviously looks for gifts and late Christmas gifts too. Promote your brand well and remember to make sure that your orders will reach your client’s home in time for the big day.
Dates to remember in December
- 4th December – National Cookie Day
- 14th December – Christmas Jumper Day
- 22nd December – Winter Solstice
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Boxing Day
- 27th December – Bank Holiday
- 31st December – New Year’s Eve