4 ways to snag last-minute Super Saturday shoppers with email marketing

The fourth quarter of the year is an intense time for any Shopify merchant devoted to staying relevant. You’ve got changing seasons and Halloween to address before spiraling into the chaotic rhythm of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) and winter holiday mode.

Once Super Saturday on Dec. 23 rolls around, you might be ready to ease up on the marketing gas pedal. It would be so easy to give into exhaustion and forget promotions.

Easy, but perhaps not wise. Last-minute shopping on Super Saturday is so abundant that the day ranks among the busiest for holiday shopping. 

You want your store to grab a slice of the spending, so carve out space on your holiday email marketing calendar for Super Saturday. 

We’re discussing Super Saturday’s spot in the holiday rush, sharing four email examples for assisting subscribers, and closing out with overarching advice.  
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What is Super Saturday?

Super Saturday, aka Panic Saturday, is the last Saturday before Christmas.   

One year — 2019 — it beat Black Friday to become the biggest single sales day in U.S. retail history. And in 2023, experts are predicting Super Saturday will be the second-busiest shopping day of the holiday season behind Black Friday.

While Super Saturday’s place has fluctuated among the top four busiest shopping days of the holiday season, its stats are relatively impressive when considering brands pull the levers on numerous holiday shopping days to reel in customers:

• Pink Friday (Nov. 17): a day for boutique shops to get ahead of the prominent players that dominate Black Friday.
• Black Friday (Nov. 24): the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season that falls the day after Thanksgiving. People begin holiday spending well before Black Friday, but it remains a critical shopping day. In 2022, it racked up the second-highest sales revenue between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.     
• Small Business Saturday (Nov. 25): the day after Black Friday, when small businesses shine the spotlight on supporting local/small.   
• Cyber Monday (Nov. 27): the Monday after Thanksgiving; in 2022, Cyber Monday became the biggest online shopping day ever.   
• Giving Tuesday (Nov. 28): the Tuesday during Cyber Week, when businesses and non-profit organizations encourage charitable donations. 
• Green Monday (Dec. 11): the second Monday in December, when shoppers know that time is ticking and shipping cutoffs are quickly approaching.  

That’s six significant days to consider — not to mention pre-BFCM marketing. 

Super Saturday email marketing might feel like overkill. But as the cliche goes, you need to be in it to win it. 

Put your email marketing platform to work on Dec. 23 this year — or even Dec. 22, depending on what you’re promoting.  

4 email strategies for attracting Super Saturday shoppers

Now that we’ve answered the question, “What is Super Saturday?” how do you use email to intrigue and convert the 11th-hour shoppers?

Shopify stores with a physical presence have an advantage when Super Saturday falls extremely close to Christmas, as in 2023. Shipping is no longer an option for those needing a gift in time for the big day.   

Therefore, some of the ideas below aren’t suitable for online-only shops.  
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1. Promote local shopping options 

For all Shopify merchants with a brick-and-mortar store, leverage Super Saturday to increase foot traffic. 

Let your email subscribers know you’re open and ready to assist in checking off their shopping lists. 

Your Super Saturday email doesn’t need a striking design. The example below from Alchemy & Herbs demonstrates that a plain text email from the founder can work. Extra points for extended hours in the aftermath of a snowstorm — it communicates the brand cares about and wants to serve customer needs.

Otherwise, mention gift wrapping if you offer it. Remember how busy people are right before Christmas. Some frazzled customers will welcome and appreciate an extra hand.   

And if you offer any of the following, mention it prominently: 

• A popup shop for last-minute shopping 
• Local same-day delivery 
• Buy online option with in-store or curbside pick-up 
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2. Run a limited-time, in-store discount 

Once again, our next Super Saturday email tactic works for shops with physical stores. 

Try a flash sale that applies to in-store purchases only. 

Research shows it’s a better approach than conducting an online flash sale. One study found that limited deals offered “offline” (in-store) more effectively drive purchase intentions than when available online.  

Forever 21 illustrates how Shopify merchants can apply this concept. Hold a flash sale or blowout on clearance items, or offer a special discount. Reserve the deal for in-store shopping. 

Spice up your newsletter and grab attention like Forever 21’s motion graphic. It’s easy to turn a video into a GIF.

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3. Save the day with a gift card

Gift cards are often a savior. And people are OK with receiving them. Nearly 80% of consumers view digital gift cards as acceptable holiday gifts.  

Use Super Saturday to suggest a gift card, especially if you only have a digital storefront. It’s also an excellent way to cap a multi-email holiday gift-giving campaign. 

Huck & Peck advertises three price allotments and tosses in a 10% discount. 

Discounts aren’t necessary, but they could sway shoppers who haven’t decided on the store. Amplify any gift card savings with a temporary website popup.  

We’ve also seen brands offer a buy one, get one deal. Something like “buy a $75 gift card and get a $10 one for yourself.” It promotes future spending by the gift buyer in addition to the recipient. 
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Subscriptions are another digital promotion idea for Super Saturday shoppers.

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4. Appeal to the self-gifter

Super Saturday email marketing doesn’t always have to center on finding last-minute gifts. You can also leverage it to nudge subscribers toward a bit of self-indulgence or impulse buying. 

Intent already exists. According to one survey, 74% of shoppers research gifts for themselves during the holiday shopping season. 

Tell shoppers they deserve to treat themselves. Suggest products that won’t break the bank, like Makeup & Cocktails Cosmetics does in the example below. Few will desire — or potentially have the means — to splurge on higher-priced products after buying for everyone else.  

Some other suggestions to consider for self-gifting emails: 

1. Segment your list by gender and create an email for women, as they’re more likely than men to self-gift
2. Incentivize purchases with unique coupon codes 
3. Alleviate the guilt of self-gifting with limited-time discounts
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Optimize emails for down-to-the-wire shoppers

The Super Saturday shopper is different from the early bird. They simply don’t have the luxury of time. 

Bake intentionality into your email to assist subscribers and subsequently emerge as the choice: 

• Write email subject lines that instill urgency while being helpful. 
• Steer subscribers to product suggestions like Gray’s Florist does and include calls to action (CTAs) for easy access. The time has passed for extensive gift guides.

• Serve as a holiday checklist backup. Use Super Saturday to say, “Did you remember everything?” Promote anything from stocking stuffers to dinner festivity necessities, depending on what you sell.  
• Toss in an incentive. Though the example below from Neso is a “Happy Holidays” email, it demonstrates how to encourage an impulse buy through a free gift with purchase.

Squeeze out more holiday sales with Super Saturday emails

Any Shopify merchant keen on maximizing 2023 holiday sales should put Super Saturday on the email marketing agenda. Reaching out to subscribers who are up against the clock and motivated to buy can foster a strong finish. 

Highlight your in-store hours or local delivery if applicable. Appeal with a discount and promote digital gift cards. Don’t forget about the shoppers who are looking for themselves, either. 

And check out how Seguno can streamline email creation with holiday templates that fit the bill.