The Green Sheet Online Edition
October 13, 2025 • 25:10:01
Helping merchants navigate an extended holiday season
Like it or not, “holiday creep” is real: According to recent NRF data, more than 40 percent of consumers start their Halloween shopping in September or before. But not everyone cheers the early start. A national YouGov survey found 42 percent of Americans think people start celebrating the holidays too early, while 46 percent believe the timing is about right. This means your merchants will encounter this split sentiment in the aisles and at the POS.
Divide and prosper
For payment professionals, this extended season is an opportunity to guide merchants with empathy and precision. Encourage merchants to map promotions from late September through early January with distinct phases, such as fall/Halloween, early gifting, Thanksgiving–cyber week, last-minute and returns/resolutions.
This pacing reduces promo fatigue while letting merchants serve early birds without alienating late traditionalists. Layer payments messaging accordingly: installments and BNPL for bigger-ticket gifts in October and November; instant payouts and gift-cards for last-minute December shoppers; and streamlined returns and credits in January.
Next, segment with sensitivity. Use receipt data, loyalty files and email/SMS engagement to distinguish early planners from tradition keepers. Give the first group early access and ship-by reminders; give the second group “countdown” offers that begin closer to Thanksgiving.
For omni-channel shoppers, which are now the norm, ensure consistent stored-credentials, wallet options and tap-to-pay across web, app and store. Black Friday and Cyber Week are still huge, particularly online, but urgency is blunted when deals run for weeks, so merchants should craft limited-time windows and use strong authorization and fraud tools to protect spikes.
Always provide value
Also, theme checkout copy and email receipts by phase (spooky, thankful, festive) while offering payment choice: cards, wallets, installments, and, where appropriate, low-friction cross-border options. The goal is to make every customer feel seen without forcing a particular holiday rhythm on them.
Finally, in today's economy, value remains paramount. Encourage merchants to plan offers and financing with that in mind. And remember, the best gift you can give a merchant is a plan: phased offers, empathetic segmentation, and a checkout that welcomes everyone—whenever their holiday begins. 
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