> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.recart.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.recart.com/holiday-playbooks/holiday-shipping-and-last-minute-gifting.md).
# Last-Minute Holiday Gifting
Covers shipping deadlines, last-minute gift campaigns, popups and offers for the weeks between Cyber Monday and the holidays.
BFCM is over, but holiday shopping isn't. In the weeks before the holidays, shoppers have one question on their mind: will it arrive in time?
This playbook covers both sides of the last-minute rush: getting orders in before your shipping deadline, and still making sales once it's passed, with gift cards and local options.
A clear shipping deadline is the most useful urgency you have in December. You don't need a bigger discount than BFCM - you need to tell shoppers exactly when to order, remind them before time runs out, and give them a gifting option once shipping has closed.
### Key dates and lead time
#### Set your order-by date
Your order-by date is the last day a customer can order and still get their package before the holidays. Work it out from:
* Your carriers' holiday shipping deadlines - carriers publish these each year, and they change, so check the current ones
* Your own processing and packing time, especially when order volume is high
If you offer faster shipping, set a second, later date for it (for example: standard by one date, express by a later one).
{% hint style="info" %}
Leave yourself a buffer. It's better to promise an earlier date and deliver on time than to miss it.
{% endhint %}
#### When to start
* **Right after Cyber Monday:** decide your order-by date(s) and set up your popups, discounts and campaigns
* **About two weeks before your order-by date:** send your first shipping-deadline message
* **After your order-by date:** switch to gift cards and any local options you offer, such as in-store pickup
* **After the holidays:** thank your customers and move into your post-holiday sale
### Campaign send plan
Five to six sends are enough to cover the season. Use these messages as a starting point and customize them to suit your brand. Recart adds your site name to the start of every message automatically (shown here as \[Site Name]), and you can personalize further with [variables](/sms/writing-messages/use-variables-in-sms-flows.md) like the subscriber's first name or your support phone number (shown here as \[Support Phone Number]).
| Send | When | Goal |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| 1. Shipping deadline announcement | About 2 weeks before your order-by date | Tell shoppers the date to plan around |
| 2. Gift guide or bestsellers | About 1 week before | Make choosing easy |
| 3. Last call | 1-2 days before | Create urgency |
| 4. Final hours | Morning of your order-by date | Catch the last-minute shoppers |
| 5. Gift cards | The day after your order-by date, until the holidays | Keep selling after shipping closes |
| 6. Thank you / post-holiday | After the holidays | Bring customers back in the new year |
#### Sample messages
**1. Shipping deadline announcement**
"\[Site Name]: Holiday shopping? Order by \[date] to get your gifts in time. Shop now: \[link]"
**2. Gift guide or bestsellers**
"\[Site Name]: Not sure what to get them? Our most-loved gifts are all in one place - and still ship in time. \[link]"
**3. Last call**
"\[Site Name]: Only \[2] days left to order for holiday delivery. Don't leave it to chance: \[link]"
**4. Final hours**
"\[Site Name]: Today's the day! Order before \[time] for delivery before the holidays. Questions about delivery? Call us at \[Support Phone Number]. \[link]"
**5. Gift cards**
"\[Site Name]: Missed the shipping deadline? A gift card arrives instantly and they get to pick. \[link]"
**6. Thank you / post-holiday**
"\[Site Name]: Thank you for shopping with us this year! Here's a little something for the new year: \[offer]. \[link]"
#### Send tips
* Add an image of your order-by date to the first and last sends, so the date is impossible to miss
* Schedule your sends in advance so nothing slips during your busiest weeks
* Send your last-call and final-hours messages to subscribers who haven't ordered recently, so recent buyers aren't over-messaged
[How to schedule SMS campaigns in Recart](/sms/campaigns/run-successful-sms-campaigns-with-recart.md)
[Add images to SMS messages](/sms/writing-messages/add-images-to-sms-messages.md)
[Create SMS segments and lists](/sms/subscribers-and-lists/create-sms-segments-and-lists.md)
### Popup ideas
Your popup should match where you are in the season. Build a version for before your order-by date and one for after, and schedule them to swap automatically.
#### 1. Order-by date
**Design:** Put the date front and centre - it should be the biggest text on the popup. Add the offer and a reminder ("plus a reminder before the cutoff") underneath, and a short shipping note at the bottom.
**Headlines to try:**
* Order by \[date]. Under the tree in time.
* Order by \[date] for holiday delivery
* Gifts that arrive on time
**Button text to try:** Unlock \[15%] off · Shop gifts now
#### 2. Shipping cutoff with an offer
**Design:** Product photo on one side, offer on the other. Put the cutoff date in the small label above the headline, so the headline can focus on the promise.
**Headlines to try:**
* Get it there by \[the holidays]
* Delivered in time - guaranteed
* There's still time to get it there
**Button text to try:** Get my \[15%] off · Claim my offer
#### 3. Last-minute express shipping (the final days)
**Design:** When standard shipping has closed, lead with a faster option. A free express shipping upgrade is often worth more to late shoppers than a discount.
**Headlines to try:**
* Still time to gift \[a glow]
* Running late? We've got you.
* Free express shipping until \[date]
**Button text to try:** Unlock express shipping · Get it there fast
#### 4. E-gift card (after your order-by date)
**Design:** Once shipping has closed, switch to gift cards. Say how the gift card is delivered (email or text) and point the button to your gift card page.
**Headlines to try:**
* Send an e-gift card
* Too late to ship? Not too late to give.
* The gift that arrives instantly
**Button text to try:** Get \[$10] off · Shop gift cards
#### 5. Exit-intent popup
Duplicate your order-by popup, set it to show on exit, and lead with the deadline.
**Headlines to try:**
* Before you go - shipping ends \[date]
* Wait! Order by \[date] to get it in time
{% hint style="info" %}
You can't use scheduling and A/B testing on the same popup at the same time. If you want the popups to swap automatically on your order-by date, turn off A/B testing on them first.
{% endhint %}
[Schedule your opt-in tools](/list-growth/testing-and-scheduling/scheduling-opt-ins.md)
[Customize your CTA button](/list-growth/popups/customizing-your-cta-button-in-popups.md)
[Create an exit intent popup](/list-growth/popups/exit-intent-popup.md)
### Discount ideas
After BFCM, shoppers have seen plenty of big discounts. In December, the deadline does most of the work - keep your offer simple.
* **Free or upgraded shipping:** free shipping over a set order value, or a free upgrade to express shipping in the final days
* **Expiring popup code:** a welcome code that only lasts a few hours or days adds urgency without a bigger discount
* **Gift with purchase:** a small extra item or free gift wrap
* **Spend and get:** for example, $10 off orders over $75
* **Gift card offer:** a fixed amount off for shoppers buying after your order-by date
* **New-year thank-you code:** a code for after the holidays, to bring customers back in January
#### Discount code ideas
Keep codes short - one word or a word and a number - so they're easy to remember and type on a phone.
| Offer | Code ideas |
| ------------------------- | -------------------- |
| Free or upgraded shipping | SHIP · FAST · ONTIME |
| Expiring popup code | HURRY · QUICK · LAST |
| Gift with purchase | BONUS · WRAP |
| Spend and get | GIFT10 · SAVE10 |
| Gift card offer | CARD10 · EGIFT |
| New-year thank-you | NY10 · THANKS |
{% hint style="info" %}
For unique and expiring codes, Recart creates a different code for each customer. Use your code idea as the prefix, so every code still reads like your offer.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Expiring discount codes work in popups and Welcome Flows, but not in campaigns. For campaigns, set your discount's end date to your order-by date.
{% endhint %}
[Create and manage discount codes](/discounts/create-discount-codes-in-recart.md)
[Expiring discount codes](/discounts/expiring-discount-codes.md)
### Recart setup checklist
1. Set your order-by date (and express date, if you offer one)
2. Create your discounts, with end dates that match your order-by date
3. Build your order-by popup and gift card popup, and schedule the swap
4. Add the order-by date to your abandoned cart and checkout messages, and set a reminder to remove it afterwards
5. Schedule your campaigns
6. Send yourself test messages before anything goes live
[Abandoned cart flow](/sms/automated-flows/automated-flows-abandoned-cart.md)
[Test Recart SMS messages](/sms/getting-started/test-recart-sms-messages.md)
If you need help planning your holiday sends, [contact the Recart Support team](/contact-recart-support.md). We'd be happy to help!
---
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