The busiest day for holiday shopping? It’s not what you think.

There are a few surefire ways to know the winter is upon us: sandals are swapped for boots, all beverages become candy cane-flavoured and frenzied retailers guzzle coffee by the gallon in anticipation of the mayhem that is holiday shopping season. While some stores boldly begin their holiday décor takeover in late summer, for most the surge begins around Black Friday. Once solely a U.S.-based phenomenon, this extravaganza has made its way around the globe, causing shoppers to scour storefronts and sites for bargains in every time zone. Along with this mega sales event, every year the list of special days for deals seem to grow: Cyber Monday, Sleigh Day, Super Saturday…what’s next?

It may surprise you, but even with all the hype, Black Friday wasn’t the biggest day in retail last year: that honour went to the Friday right before Christmas. Although unexpected, as sales periods stretch to take advantage of crowds, anticipated events like Boxing Day become Boxing Week. Customers are no longer forced to limit their spending to a single day. While the most popular day to embark on a spending spree changes over time, one thing never does: procrastination. The tendency for consumers to leave their gift-giving selections to the last minute is simply human nature and more predictable than a drunk coworker at the office holiday party.

That doesn’t mean retailers shouldn’t prepare for these hallmark events – on the contrary, yearly fist fights in mall parking lots on such days argue otherwise. While you may not be able to predict your biggest sales day, you can ensure the optimal customer experience when it arrives. That means the site features you’ve been neglecting all year have to finally be considered. Grab a gingerbread latte and watch our webinar on Last Minute Holiday Prep and don’t miss out on a great holiday season.