Marketing Strategy
Last-Minute Holiday Marketing for Local Business
Last-minute holiday marketing for a local business comes down to four moves between Dec 12 and Jan 3: sell e-gift cards that arrive instantly, fill the last open appointment slots, correct holiday hours on Google Business Profile, and send email and SMS on fixed dates. Super Saturday 2026 falls on Dec 19, six days before Christmas Day (Friday, Dec 25). Figures below come from earlier NRF surveys, because a 2026 Super Saturday survey is not part of the sources cited.
157.2M↑
Super Saturday shoppers expected, 2024
NRF survey as reported by Retail Dive (secondary)
28%↑
Planned to give an experience gift, 2022
NRF and Prosper survey, Dec 2022
70%→
Shopping plans include after Dec. 25, 2022
NRF and Prosper survey, Dec 2022
47%→
Want to receive gift cards, 2026
NRF 2026 winter holiday data page
See Sources at the end of the article. Cards marked Assumption are examples, not results.
How many shoppers are still buying in the final week?
NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics publish a Super Saturday estimate each December. The 2022 survey expected more than 158 million shoppers, about 10 million more than the year before and the highest since tracking began in 2016 (NRF, 2022). The 2023 survey expected nearly 142 million (NRF, 2023). The 2024 survey expected 157.2 million, up from 141.9 million (Retail Dive, 2024 (secondary)).
These are past-year figures, not a forecast for Dec 19, 2026. NRF's 2026 holiday page does forecast November and December retail sales up 4.2% over 2025, to $1.013 trillion, and reports that 43% of holiday shoppers plan to start before November (NRF).
Early starters do not remove the late crowd. As of early December, shoppers had finished 53% of purchases in the 2022 survey and 49% in the 2023 survey. In 2023, 36% of people with more than half their list left were still figuring out what to buy. In 2024, over half expected to finish in the week before Christmas.
Which channels do last-minute shoppers use?
Most plan to use both stores and online. The mix shifted when the calendar changed: in 2023, Super Saturday fell two days before Christmas, and NRF noted more consumers planned in-person last-minute purchases.
| Survey year | Expected Super Saturday shoppers | Stores only | Stores and online | Online only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | More than 158 million | 28% | 46% | 27% |
| 2023 | Nearly 142 million | 37% | 41% | 22% |
| 2024 (secondary) | 157.2 million | 31% | 44% | 24% |
Super Saturday fell eight days before Christmas in 2022 and falls six days before in 2026. That makes 2022 the closer calendar match than 2023, though the sources do not say how 2026 will play out.
Local services sit outside the retail categories NRF lists, so the practical reading is simple: be reachable both ways. A gift card link and booking link serve the online share, while a counter sign and a QR code serve the walk-in share. Message timing between channels is covered in SMS vs email for local business.
Why do gift cards and experiences suit local businesses?
Gift cards sit at the top of the 2026 wish list. NRF reports that 47% of holiday shoppers would like to receive gift cards, ahead of clothing (44%), books and other media (25%), and personal care or beauty items (24%) (NRF).
Experiences are growing too. In the 2022 survey, 28% planned to give a gift of experience, such as a gym membership, spa service or art class. That was up from 23% the year before and the highest since NRF began asking in 2015 (NRF, 2022).
A gift card also answers a problem visible in the 2024 data: 37% of people with at least half their shopping left were still figuring out what to buy, and 24% were waiting for family or friends to say what they wanted (Retail Dive (secondary)). A card removes the guess. Groomers can adapt the same idea with pet grooming gift certificates.
What should each type of business offer?
Offers should match how the business fills its calendar. The table below lists example structures, not benchmarks.
| Business | Last-minute gift offer | Last open slots | Week-after offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shop | E-gift card in small fixed amounts, scannable from a phone | Pre-order pickup windows on Dec 23 and 24 | Reload prompt: card balance reminder plus a January loyalty start |
| Salon | E-gift card by dollar value or by service | Open chairs Dec 21 to 23, posted as named times | Booking link for card holders with first-week-of-January times |
| Pet groomer | Gift certificate for a bath or full groom, delivered by email | Cancellation-fill slots before Dec 24 | Post-holiday coat and nail visit for certificate holders |
| Fitness studio | Class pack or membership gift, sent by email | Last trial-class spots before the 24th | New-year start-date pass for gift recipients |
Pick one headline offer per business. A single gift card link, repeated in every message, converts more cleanly than four competing offers. That is a design principle, not a sourced result. For the earlier season build-up, see the holiday marketing strategy guide.
What belongs on Google Business Profile before Dec 19?
Google's help page says holiday hours are set through special hours, and that the profile can be edited directly on Search or in the Maps app (Google Business Profile Help). Set special hours for every date that differs from normal: Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 26, Dec 31 and Jan 1 are the likely candidates, plus any extended hours before Christmas.
The same page notes that some business categories can add links for online orders, reservations or appointments. Where the category allows it, point the booking link at the page with open slots and the gift card link at the e-gift card page.
Check the name, phone number and website while in the editor. A shopper who finds closed hours listed as open on Dec 24 will not return. The full Google Business Profile optimization checklist covers the rest of the profile.
What is the day-by-day plan from Dec 12 to Jan 3?
Dates follow the 2026 calendar: Dec 12 is a Saturday, Dec 19 is Super Saturday, Dec 25 is a Friday and Jan 3 is a Sunday. Send SMS only to contacts who opted in.
Week 1: Dec 12 to Dec 18
- Sat Dec 12: build the e-gift card page and run a test purchase end to end.
- Sun Dec 13: draft the four messages below and confirm holiday hours with staff.
- Mon Dec 14: set special hours on Google Business Profile and add the gift card and booking links.
- Tue Dec 15: email 1 to the full list, with the gift card link and instant delivery.
- Wed Dec 16: counter signs and a QR code at the register.
- Thu Dec 17: SMS with the open slots for Dec 21 to 24.
- Fri Dec 18: email reminder that Super Saturday is tomorrow.
Week 2: Dec 19 to Dec 25
- Sat Dec 19: Super Saturday. Morning SMS with the gift card link, staff briefed on selling cards at the counter.
- Sun Dec 20: update the open-slot list; email only if slots remain.
- Mon Dec 21: refresh slots on the booking page.
- Tue Dec 22: SMS with the final slots.
- Wed Dec 23: last email, since gift cards need no shipping.
- Thu Dec 24: recheck Google hours; stop sends.
- Fri Dec 25: no sends.
Week after: Dec 26 to Jan 3
- Sat Dec 26: thank-you email explaining how to redeem and book.
- Sun Dec 27: open January booking times.
- Mon Dec 28: remind card buyers to tell recipients how to book.
- Tue Dec 29: email to the list with January availability.
- Wed Dec 30: SMS with the first January slots.
- Thu Dec 31: confirm Jan 1 hours.
- Fri Jan 1: hours only, no sends.
- Sat Jan 2: reply to messages and fill cancellations.
- Sun Jan 3: count cards sold, cards redeemed and January bookings.
Subject lines and sequencing are covered in holiday email marketing campaigns.
What could a salon's last-minute campaign return?
Every input below is an assumption for illustration. Replace each one with the business's own numbers.
| Input or result | Value |
|---|---|
| Email list (assumption) | 1,500 contacts |
| Opted-in SMS list (assumption) | 400 contacts |
| Email gift card conversion (assumption) | 1.0%, so 15 cards |
| SMS gift card conversion (assumption) | 3.0%, so 12 cards |
| Average card value (assumption) | $75 |
| Gift card sales | 27 cards x $75 = $2,025 |
| Open slots filled Dec 21 to 23 (assumption) | 5 slots x $90 = $450 |
| Cards redeemed by Jan 31 (assumption) | 70%, so about 19 cards |
| Extra spend per redeemed card (assumption) | $20, so $380 |
| E-gift card platform fee (assumption) | 3% of $2,025, about $61 |
Cash collected through January is $2,025 + $450 + $380 = $2,855, or about $2,794 after the assumed fee. Stylist time, supplies and any ad spend are not included. The eight unredeemed cards are prepaid revenue, and January redemptions cover service time that carries its own cost.
The structure travels: swap the average card value and slot price for a groomer, studio or coffee shop.
What should the week after Christmas say?
In the 2022 survey, 70% said their shopping plans included buying after Dec. 25, on par with pre-pandemic levels. Prosper's strategy lead said strong post-Christmas shopping was expected as shoppers aim to use retailers' sales and promotions (NRF, 2022). That describes retail sales, not appointment businesses, so the local version is a clear reason to book rather than a markdown.
Two messages carry most of the weight. The first, on Dec 26, tells gift card recipients how to redeem and where to book. The second, on Dec 29 or 30, shows real January openings.
Where a promotion makes sense, tie it to a quiet weekday in January rather than a blanket discount. For a related November tactic, see Small Business Saturday 2026.
FAQ
When is Super Saturday in 2026?
Dec 19, 2026. Christmas Day is Friday, Dec 25, so the last Saturday before Christmas falls six days earlier.
Should a local business discount gift cards?
NRF's 2023 survey found that 85% of Thanksgiving weekend shoppers expected deals during the rest of the season to be the same or better (NRF, 2023). Whether a bonus lifts card sales for a given business is not documented in the sources. A small, capped bonus tested on one send is the safer approach.
How late can e-gift cards be sold?
Because delivery is by email or text, sales can continue until close on Dec 24. The cutoff should match staffing and the Google Business Profile hours.
Do paid ads make sense in the final two weeks?
Ad prices for this window are not documented in the sources. Ask for current rates and a daily cap before committing, and compare against the free channels above first.
Sources
- NRF: Record 158 Million Shoppers Expected During Super Saturday (Dec 12, 2022)
- NRF: 142 Million Shoppers Expected for Super Saturday (Dec 13, 2023)
- NRF: Winter Holiday Data and Trends, 2026
- Retail Dive: Over 157M expected to shop in stores, online on Super Saturday (Dec 17, 2024) (secondary)
- Google Business Profile Help: Edit your Business Profile
A free review of the Google Business Profile, booking page and gift card setup can catch hour errors and broken links before Dec 12. Request one through the free audit.
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Nataliia Rumiantsewa
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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