A peak season does not create new problems; it multiplies existing ones until they become visible. Preparation starts weeks before the campaign, not days.
Three weeks out
- Review stock on your twenty best sellers and reorder now.
- Agree expected volumes and pickup times with your carrier.
- Test the store under load: open several heavy pages and watch the speed.
One week out
- Prepare seasonal banners and pages and stage them as ready drafts.
- Set coupons with an expiry date — an open-ended coupon circulates after the season.
- Write canned support replies for the ten most repeated questions.
- Run a full test purchase after every price change.
During the season
Watch cart abandonment daily. Any sudden jump means a fault, not a change in customer behaviour. Check stock twice a day in the first days.
Maintenance mode is not a failure
If you need a major change mid-season, enable maintenance mode for a few minutes rather than letting customers see a half-broken store. A clear message beats a broken page.
After the season
Write down what broke and why while you still remember. That list is your preparation plan for next time.