Start your free week
Sample Work
Founding clients: the first 3 clients get $900/month for their first 3 months (then $1,200/month) in exchange for a short testimonial. 3 spots open.See pricing

A Weekly Holiday Newsletter Plan for Small Online Stores

By Source Desk LLC · Last updated

Most small online stores have a customer list they rarely use. People bought once, liked the product, and then heard nothing until a discount email showed up months later. The holiday season is the easiest time to change that, because your past customers are already shopping for gifts and just need a reason to think of you.

This guide gives small online stores a simple six-week plan: one short, personal email a week from now through the end of the year, with a pre-send checklist so nothing goes out wrong.

Why a weekly newsletter beats a few sale blasts

  • It keeps you familiar. A customer who hears from you every week remembers your store when they need a gift. One who hears from you twice a year often doesn't.
  • It isn't only about discounts. Your story, how a product is made, and what's new give people a reason to open, so the occasional offer lands better.
  • You already own the list. Your past customers chose to buy from you. Email reaches them without paying for every view.
  • One idea becomes a week of content. The same story can be your newsletter, a short blog post on your shop and several social posts.

What to put in each issue

Keep each email short: one main story, one or two products, and one clear button. A good issue usually has:

  1. A personal opening. Two or three sentences from you, the owner. What's happening at the shop this week.
  2. One story. How a product is made, why you started the store, a customer favorite, or a mistake you learned from.
  3. What's new or back. One to three products, each with a photo and a plain button like "Shop the new arrivals".
  4. Photos. Two or three real photos: a product, you or your team at work, packing orders, or the workshop. Real photos beat stock images.
  5. An optional partner spot. A clearly labeled mention of a small business you like, which can turn into a cross-promotion where they mention you too.
  6. One clear next step. Shop, reply, or forward to a friend. Just one.

The 6-week plan

Week 1: Your story

Remind past customers who you are. Why you started, who makes the products, and what makes your store different. No hard sell.

Week 2: Behind the scenes

Show how a best seller is made, sourced or packed. Add two or three photos from the shop.

Week 3: Gift guide

Group a few products by who they're for ("for the host", "under $30", "for the person who has everything"). Use your real prices and check them before sending.

Week 4: Shipping cutoffs and a busy-season care note

Tell customers the last order dates for holiday delivery, based on your carriers' published dates. Add a short care note: if you choose to, offer store credit for any order that arrives late (for example, a small percentage of the order value per day late, claimed by emailing the order details for a promo code). If you'd rather not offer credit, simply apologize in advance for possible delays and promise to handle any problem quickly.

Week 5: Last-minute gifts

Gift cards, digital products, local pickup, or anything that still ships in time. Restate your final shipping date.

Week 6: Thank you

A short, warm year-end note. Thank customers, share one highlight from the year, and say what's coming next. This is the email people remember.

A simple weekly workflow

  1. Talk for 5 to 15 minutes. Record a voice memo on your phone about that week's topic, or have someone interview you with a few questions.
  2. Turn it into the email. Pull out the main story, add the products and photos, and write one clear button.
  3. Reuse it. Post a longer version on your shop blog and cut three or four social posts from the same story.
  4. Review, then send from your own email platform (like Klaviyo, Mailchimp or Shopify Email).

Pre-send checklist

  • Every product name, price and link is correct and in stock.
  • Shipping dates match what your carriers and your store policy actually say.
  • Any promo code works, has a clear end date, and its terms are stated.
  • No claims about a product that you can't back up.
  • Buttons and links show clean text, not long tracking addresses.
  • The email has your business mailing address and a working unsubscribe link, as US email rules (the CAN-SPAM Act) require.
  • You only send to people who bought from you or signed up for your emails.

FAQ

How often should a small online store email its list?

For most small stores, once a week is a good rhythm through the holidays: often enough to stay familiar, not so often that people tune out. Keep each email short and useful.

What if I don't have time to write every week?

Talk instead of writing. A short voice memo or a quick interview call about your week is enough material for a newsletter, a blog post and several social posts.

Do I have to offer discounts?

No. Stories, new arrivals, gift ideas and shipping reminders give people reasons to open. Save offers for when they make sense for your margins.

Should I include a partner or sponsor spot?

It's optional. A clearly labeled mention of a business you genuinely like can lead to a cross-promotion, where they share your store with their list too.

Want this done for you?

Source Desk turns one short recording or interview call a week into a ready-to-send customer newsletter, a blog post and about 8 social posts, written in your voice. You approve everything, and you send from your own platform. See our online store sample, read the general guide on turning episodes into a newsletter, or browse more sample newsletters.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check current email marketing rules and your carriers' published shipping dates for your situation.