Well friend, the countdown to Q4 has begun and it’s going to be here sooner than you think. Yes, we are already talking about Q4 and we’ll continue to talk about it over the next few weeks.
But before we get too deep into the nitty-gritty of how to get your shit together this holiday season I wanted to address the elephant in the room…
Is the election going to screw up sales in Q4?
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What Does the Data Say?
While I certainly don’t have a crystal ball and can’t exactly predict the future – I CAN look at the data and fall back on my experience to say that it’s unlikely the election will hurt your Q4 sales.
Yes, we’ve heard the stories of businesses that are struggling right now and have been all year.
Yes, we’ve talked about the fact that election years often result in uncertainty and wonky customer behavior throughout the year.
Yes, everything has gotten more expensive and people keep talking about the price of their groceries, etc.
But at the same time…
There are plenty of businesses that are up or flat over last year.
When you look back at retail sales data over the last 20+ years; the only election years that show a decrease in Q4 spending compared to the year prior were 2008, the Great Recession, and 2020, the Pandemic.
How Elections Affect Retail Sales During the Holiday Season
Further research shows what we see is a dip during the actual election season, reaching its height on election day, with a bit of a hangover the days immediately afterward
But once we get through that initial dip, things essentially rebound back to normal.
At the end of the day. If people have money, they spend it. And the truth is, when it comes to the holidays. Even if people don’t have money, they still spend it.
Will they spend less per person or lower their overall holiday spending budget? Maybe.
Does that mean you should go into Q4 with a negative outlook assuming that sales aren’t going to be what you hope – absolutely not.
How to Approach Q4 in Your eCommerce Business During an Election Year
If I’ve learned anything in my adult life it’s like negativity just breeds more negativity. If you go about your business thinking things aren’t going to work out well, you’ll constantly have that idea validated by the headlines you see, the things you hear from your business friends, and the general sentiment on the Internet.
In turn, you don’t fully show up in your business or your marketing because you feel like what’s the point? If the result is going to suck anyway, why bother trying?
Believe me, I 100% understand these feelings. I feel them sometimes. My students and clients feel it sometimes. And it can feel lonely AF when you’re deep in the struggle.
That’s why I prefer to share the real real here on the podcast and with my clients. It can be such a relief when you realize that you are not the only one.
But it can be a slippery slope, right? Getting that validation that things just suck all around can really knock the wind out of your sales. You could always just pretend everything is great even if it isn’t, but I am not a fan of toxic positivity.
At the end of the day, the best thing you can do is acknowledge that things suck. Know you are not alone. And then focus on controlling the things you CAN control.
When it comes to Q4, that’s going into it knowing that even though it’s an election year, even though prices are high, even though it’s been a weird fucking year….
People are going to be spending money during the holiday season. It’s your job to curate a kick-ass holiday assortment, go balls-to-the-wall with your marketing, and show the fuck up for your customers.
I want you to go into this holiday season without any preconceived notions about how bad it might be. Just think about how good you can make it. Yes, you still need to be realistic with your inventory and such, don’t go crazy. But I want you to go into the season with a positive mindset about what’s possible.
And you know I’m no mindset coach, but I promise, when you operate from a place of what’s possible you’re going to show up different in your business.
Listen to the Episode
Resources
Is the Election Effect on Retail a Real Thing?
Presidential Elections Do Not Deter Holiday Shoppers in the Long Run
