If you’ve been around for a while, you know I love Q4 in retail. I’ve done a ton of episodes on holiday marketing over the years — everything from prepping your website, to creating your holiday promotions, to planning your email campaigns. Check the bottom of this post for links…
But today I want to zero in on one of the most important questions of the season: how do you actually stand out in the holiday chaos?
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Why Standing Out is Important
To set the stage, let’s go back to something I shared in episode 326. I was breaking down a survey about online shopping, and it really stuck with me. The big takeaway? People are missing the experience of in-person shopping.
Think about it… when you walk into a store, it’s not just about buying a product. It’s the day out with your mom, the latte in hand, the treasure hunt through the racks. It’s touching fabrics, smelling candles, stumbling on something you didn’t even know you needed but now can’t live without.
But online? Seventy-six percent of people say it lacks surprise or delight. Nearly 80% say it feels lonely. And almost a third straight-up call it a chore. Yikes.
That’s why standing out in Q4 isn’t just about running a deeper discount than the next brand. It’s about recreating some of that magic of discovery, connection, and care that people are craving.
And that brings us to the million-dollar question — How do you stand out in the chaos of Q4 when everyone’s shouting about sales and discounts?
At the end of the day, your customers don’t want just another deal, they want someone to do the heavy lifting for them. They want a brand that says, “Here, I found the perfect thing for your sister-in-law who already has everything”
The brands that win this season are the ones who create a unique experience. The ones who make shopping easier, more enjoyable, and way less of a chore.
And that’s what we’re diving into today.
Curation: The Secret Sauce of Holiday eCommerce Sales
At the end of the day, one of the best ways to stand out in Q4 is product curation.
Your job is to be the guide. To sift through the noise, organize the chaos, and present your customers with exactly what they need… before they even realize they need it.
Sure, there are some people who know exactly what they’re looking for, but that’s not generally the majority. Most people are just thinking about the specific person they’re shopping for, that they want it to be thoughtful, and likely within the pre-determined budget they had in mind.
That’s why curation is so important. You don’t want to throw your entire catalog at them and hope they figure it out. You want to say “I already did the work for you. Here are three perfect options.”
When you take that burden off your customer, you’re not just selling them a product… you’re selling them relief, confidence, and the joy of checking another name off their list. And that, my friend, is priceless.
Holiday Gift Guides
Gift guides are my favorite way to curate products for your customers. How you curate these is going to depend on your product assortment and your customers, but typically you’ll do it by:
- Price: Under $25, $50, $100. Perfect for Secret Santa or budget-conscious shoppers.
- By Interest: The foodie, the self-care queen, the outdoorsy adventurer.
- By Relationship: Mom, partner, bestie, boss, that hard-to-shop-for brother-in-law.
Ideally, I like to keep it to 3-5 categories and 3 price points. Once it gets wider than that, it stops feeling like an actual guide and more like an old school Sears catalog.
Which actually, I’m not knocking the Sears catalog. My grandparents used to hand me one and tell me to fold down the pages of the things I wanted. Ditsy floral dress, check. Combat boots, check. Oversized boyfriend blazer, check. But I digress.
Creating the product groups is typically the easy part. The real magic happens in the presentation.
At a minimum you want to set each group as a collection, create a gift guide landing page that directs people to those collections, and link to it all in your navigation menu. I also recommend you feature it on your home page, ideally in your hero banner, and as a kicker in your emails. If your product line is narrow and doesn’t warrant multiple collections, a blog post product round up can work too.
Create a Flippable Holiday Gift Guide Digital Magazine
But if you really want to elevate the experience, turn your gift guide into a digital flippable magazine. Yep, a true glossy with page-turning sounds and all.
I started doing this in my Lounge membership. In the early days, I sent monthly newsletters with updates, content drops, upcoming events — but it was way too much for one email. Then I saw another program switch to a PDF magazine-style format, and I had a lightbulb moment. Of course!
But me being me, I wasn’t thrilled with a static PDF. Instead, I turned it into a flippable digital magazine… and The SIP was born. The feedback was instant. Members loved it. It made them want to read, and it instantly elevated the perceived value of what I was sharing.
That’s exactly what a flippable magazine gift guide can do for you. It creates an experience. And yes, it sounds like a heavy lift, but I’ve got you covered. I created a template and step-by-step mini-course called the Gift Guide Glow Up and you can get your hands on it right now. (Included in the Lounge Membership)
Even if you don’t go the magazine route, just curating and presenting products in a thoughtful way — whether on-site, in email, or on social — helps you overcome customer decision fatigue and get the sale.
Holiday Exclusive Drops + Bundles
Another powerful way to stand out this season is by creating something your customers can only get during the holidays. This is where exclusivity and curation meet — and it doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel.
Let’s start with bundles. These are curated sets that bring your products together in a way that feels intentional and gift-ready. Think: a candle, wick trimmer, and matches in a holiday box. Or a skincare trio packaged with a special tote. You don’t necessarily need brand-new products — sometimes it’s the packaging, the theme, or the deal of the bundle itself that makes it irresistible.
Then there are holiday-only products. Limited-edition scents, flavors, or designs that people look forward to all year. Starbucks has their peppermint mocha. Bath & Body Works has their seasonal candle drop. Trader Joe’s even releases those reusable mystery tote packs during the holidays — and let me tell you, it’s pandemonium in my family when we open them. My husband’s aunt buys everyone a set every Christmas, and it turns into a full-on trading frenzy. One year I scored two New York–themed bags and I was so excited. That’s the kind of energy exclusivity creates.
And here’s the kicker — exclusivity isn’t just about the product. It’s also about the process. One of my clients does this brilliantly every holiday season. She creates a curated gift box, sometimes with unique seasonal items and sometimes just with existing products presented in a special way. Over the years, she’s trained her customers so well that her early access list usually sells out the entire run before she can even release it to the public. That’s the power of curation + anticipation.
So, when you’re planning your exclusives, don’t just think about the products — think about the customer journey. Build an early access list. Offer pre-orders. Give your best customers that first peek behind the curtain. Not only does this make them feel like insiders, but it also builds urgency and guarantees you sales before the chaos of Black Friday even starts.
At the end of the day, exclusives give you something fresh to talk about. When you’re promoting the same products all year long, sometimes you blend into the noise.
But when you create those limited, curated offers — whether it’s a bundle, a seasonal scent, or a surprise tote pack — you’re creating excitement, anticipation, and that “I’ve gotta grab this before it’s gone” energy that drives holiday sales.
Gift Finder Quizzes: Personalization at Scale
Another great way to uplevel the holiday experience is to create a Gift Finder quiz.
You already know I love a product-recommendation quiz for regular shoppers, and gift shoppers are no different. It’s the closest thing you can get to a real-life associate they’d encounter in a brick and mortar store or on a live chat… without the additional payroll hours.
If you already have a product-recommendations quiz on your site, you can probably duplicate it and rejig it a smidge to make sense for the gift giver.
If you don’t, and you need to create one from scratch I’ve got a customGPT you can use, Greta the Gift Finder Generator.
All you have to do is put in few details about your products and she’ll take care of the rest. It’s obviously difficult to account for every nuance in a simple AI tool like this, but she should get you about 75% of the way there.
The other thing that’s super cool about product recommendation quizzes, is they give you instant insight into what the customers is looking for. It allows you to personalize the follow up emails you send based on the answers to the questions – and you can do it as early as the results delivery email.
Plus, quizzes are super fun and shareable… who wouldn’t want to tell their friends.
Bonus points: if you go the flippable magazine route, make sure you add a QR code and a link to the gift finder quiz on your website.
Adding Value Through the Experience
As we wrap this up, I want to remind you that standing out in Q4 isn’t just about what you sell — it’s also about how you deliver it. Sometimes the most impactful things aren’t new products or flashy bundles, but the little touches that make shopping with you feel easy, thoughtful, and personal.
Think about ways you can add value to the experience:
- Gift wrapping that feels luxe. Whether it’s free or a small upsell, offering wrapping saves your customer time and makes their life easier. Bonus points if it’s branded or has a signature look that elevates your brand.
- Handwritten notes or surprise samples. These touches make the customer feel seen, appreciated, and like they’re unwrapping more than just a product.
- Clear shipping cutoffs. Don’t underestimate the power of giving people confidence. A simple “Order by December 18th to guarantee delivery” can take away the stress and make your store the safe, reliable choice.
- Live shopping events. Hop on Instagram, TikTok, or even Facebook to showcase products, answer questions, and help people pick the perfect gifts in real time. It’s like giving your customers a personal shopper from the comfort of their couch, and it builds connection in a way your competitors probably aren’t.
These things might feel small, but they’re huge differentiators in a season where everyone else is fighting for attention. They show your customers you’re not just trying to sell them something — you’re making their lives easier at a time when they need it most.
And really, that’s what all of this comes back to. Whether it’s a curated gift guide, a seasonal bundle, a fun quiz, or thoughtful add-ons, the brands that win in Q4 are the ones that step in as a trusted guide, not just another store.
So as you’re planning your holiday marketing, ask yourself: How can I curate the experience for my customer in a way that makes them feel taken care of? Do that, and you won’t just stand out this season — you’ll create loyal customers who come back long after the holiday rush is over.
Listen to this Episode
Episodes Mentioned
326. Brining Joy Back to eCommerce & Replacing the In-Person Shopping Experience
