In the ever-evolving landscape of commerce, two days stand out as monumental opportunities for creators to boost their sales and connect with their fans: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (plus the Saturday & Sunday in-between). These shopping extravaganzas have become global phenomena, with consumers eagerly awaiting the chance to snag exclusive deals and discounts from their favorite brands and creators.

But don’t just take our word for it! Here are some staggering stats:

• According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Black Friday and Cyber Monday consistently rank among the top shopping days of the year, with billions of dollars spent collectively.
• Statista reports that in 2022, global online sales on Black Friday amounted to over $8 billion!

So enough with the reasons. Let’s roll with the reality that you’re ready to prep your store with products you’d like to promote for these two shopping sprees. Want to know how to cut through the noise and let shoppers know you have deals they should snag? Don’t worry, we’ll cover how you can set up Black Friday & Cyber Monday promotions in your Spring store and some best practices for creating content to promote on your socials. Let’s go!

How to create a Promo code on Spring

How to Create Content for Black Friday & Cyber Monday

When we talk about creating content, what we’re asking is: What content will you create that announces you are participating in the sales frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday? The easiest way to do this is to announce that you are running a promotion (a discount) on products in your Spring store through the shopping weekend. Promotions are what your fans are expecting, so this will be the linchpin of your content. 

Here’s what you should consider when creating promotions on Spring: 

1. Pick a dollar amount or percentage discount to offer your fans. Note that this will apply to all items in your store, so do the math on what makes the most sense. For example, if you have a die cut sticker, instead of offering a discount dollar amount, choose a percentage because you may be taking a loss on the item. On the flip side, offering 15% off on a $50 item will cost you more money than giving a promo code for $5 off. Do the math. See which one favors you.
2. Consider free shipping. Be aware that Spring’s shipping is only free in the U.S. so make sure you’re within your profit margin if you’re shipping internationally. 
3. Set a time limit on your promo codes. Keep in mind that Spring’s platform is on UTC time. So if you set your sale to end on Friday at midnight, it will end at 3:59 p.m. Friday PST. 
4. Timing is everything. Set your promotion to go live at a specific date, and make sure you announce the promo either right before or on that date. More on announcing promos on your socials below.

Tips for Promoting on Your Socials

Promoting your discount on social media is the main avenue for getting word about your promotion to your fans. However, there are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to posting your sale on social media:

1. Tease your promo. Announce that you’ll have an upcoming Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday sale. Build excitement. Do count-down posts. Make sure you clearly state the date it starts AND the date it ends (Note: All Spring promo codes are in UTC time zone).
2. Use short videos & graphics. Canva has many free templates you can use to create stunning graphics, and they also have social media sales templates that can easily be customized to match your brand. You can also use CapCut for free to make short form videos announcing your sale (check out their sale templates that are easy to use). 
3. Use samples! Photos and/or videos of you or others wearing your merch can increase sales by 300%. But if you don’t have samples to use, you can always use platforms like Placeit to drop your designs on models and use them in your content.
4. Post A LOT once your promo is live. Social is all about timing. Keep posting teasers and reminders about your promo and include a countdown to when it ends. FOMO is strong and if fans know time is running out, they’ll be incentivized to buy now.
5. Thank your fans when the sale is over. This is important. Once your promotion is over, be sure to thank your fans for participating. You don’t have to give numbers. But gratitude will go a long way, especially as you are asking fans to spend money on you. Give the love back.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent more than just days of frenzied shopping. For creators, these events are an opportunity to boost sales, connect with your fans, and position you and your brand as a player in a highly competitive market.

You got this! Happy selling!

You only get one chance to prepare for the biggest SELLING weekend of the year—Black Friday and Cyber Monday! 

Here are some stats to get you motivated: 

• During the 2022 holiday season in the US, Cyber Monday was the day with the highest e-commerce conversion rate for online shopping.
• Black Friday came in second place, with a desktop conversion rate of approximately 5.6% and a mobile conversion rate of 3.3%.
• Busiest holiday sales days research by Statista shows that Black Friday was the most popular sales day in 2022, with over 50% of American shoppers planning to buy gifts!

That’s A LOT of shoppers! Let’s review the checklist so you can have the best-selling season you’ve ever had!

STEP 1: Go to the Holiday Resource Hub.

The amount of resources you’ll find in the Holiday Resource Hub are plentiful, not just for this topic but for maximizing your sales throughout the holiday season. The hub is also where you will find another crucial tool, the Countdown Calendar, but we will cover that in detail below. 

STEP 2: Prepare Promo Codes and Promote.

Did you know that fans who visit a store off a promo code like are 25% more likely to purchase?

It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. When you choose to promote your products on social media, it’s good to have a promo code. These can be planned in advance and switched on when you’re ready. Make sure to have different promo codes for different times – it helps with tracking, what is working, etc.

Don’t fret—making promo codes is super easy! You can create them within the Promotions section of your dashboard. Line up your promo codes in advance and follow your calendar as to when they will activate. Find out more about creating promotions and promo codes here.

Promo codes can be applied to all of your products.

Reminder: You’ll need to ensure there’s enough profit margin to support the promo—no matter what product is being purchased, so do that math ahead of time.

More promo hacks:

• Create effective promotional content. Canva is a great tool for creating eye-catching images on social media. You can also get 40% off Kittl using Spring’s partnership to create sale announcements when you use the code: SPRING23 at checkout. There are hundreds of templates—just don’t forget to include the promo code, the dates your sale will run, and the discount type.
• Feature samples. Creators who highlight samples in promotional content earn as much as 200% more profit from their products. Make sure you’re doing it too!
• Use integrations. Make sure fans can find your products easily. Pair social content with a link straight to your listing. Present products underneath your videos using the YouTube Integration, or set up the Instagram Shopping Integration to begin tagging your products in posts (and more). Don’t have access yet? Start using the Linktree Integration, available to all creators right now.

STEP 3: Go to the Countdown Calendar.

The Countdown Calendar will give you key dates through the Holiday Season, including cutoff dates, shipping deadlines, and some key dates we’ll mention below. 

First, create your own “content & sales” calendar.

Calendars are super helpful, especially since you might run multiple sales leading up to Black Friday (for example, you might do your sales in one burst the week before, or several pre-sales in the weeks leading up—or both!). Plus, it’s not only sales you’ll be planning, but also promo codes you’re offering, when you choose to promote them on socials, and so forth. We recommend having your promos ready by November 1st. 

Second, mark these key dates on your calendar:

OCTOBER 10: Get your holiday products designed and sample orders in by October 10th so you can start promoting. 

NOVEMBER 1: Have all your promotional materials and promo codes ready by November 1st – Create your promotions in your dashboard so that you can switch them on when the time comes.

EARLY NOVEMBER: Include hints in your social content about upcoming sales and promos. 

• Build anticipation early with pre-sale benefits (like giveaways). 
• Run mini sales.
• Run different promo types to the ones you plan to run during Black Friday/ Cyber weekend. Example: offer free shipping early in the month, then switch to percentage discounts as you get closer.

NOVEMBER 11 thru THANKSGIVING DAY: Offer discounts for early birds. Continue excitement & anticipation with pre-sale benefits.

BLACK FRIDAY thru CYBER MONDAY (CYBER WEEKEND):

• Black Friday: Make the biggest impact on socials. Share promo codes in your content and be sure to feature sample imagery. See how other creators do it here. 
• Offer a percentage discount promo (ex. 15% off). Run it through Cyber Monday to maximize orders.
• Cyber Monday: Highlight your newest digital products. You might add a bonus gift as part of your listing. Example: a free bonus wallpaper.
• Giving Tuesday (day after Cyber Monday): Thank fans for their support. Offer a giveaway, or an extra discount for the rest of the week.

DECEMBER 1 – 18: Thank fans with more promotions

• Use the beginning of December to continue running other mini sales leading up to the shipping cut-off dates for Christmas. 
• Mid-December onwards is the prime time to start offering digital products. With instant delivery and no shipping or logistics to worry about, there’s every reason to create a variety of digital content. In fact, you can sell digital products up to and through Christmas Day! 

Here’s a free content schedule template you can use for November through the holidays.

We’ve armed you with everything you need to blow your previous holiday sales records away. Stay on course in the Countdown Calendar and utilize the Holiday Resource Hub as your Creator Bible. Get your designs, samples, and promo codes out there, Happy Holidays, and Happy Prospering! 

Creating content with your merch is a game changer for boosting sales. 

Compared to just posting about your merch on social media, adding an image of you with your products can crank up your engagement by 650%. 

And if you go all out and drop videos of your merch, you can experience an impressive 1200% increase in shares.

Plus, your fans are eager to see what you’re all about. Sharing your merch adventures not only shows off their quality but also sparks major envy, making them want a piece of the action.

So order your samples now and then keep reading to learn the best ways to use them in content. 

Why order samples?

Spring creators who order samples and use them to create content experience a 300% increase in sales vs the products they did not order samples of.

Thousands of creators are using merch samples to generate engagement and hype around their personal brands. Sharing photos and videos with your merch is extremely engaging and one of the most effective ways to increase your sales. 

How To Order Samples:

• Log into your Spring account and head to the Listings section of your Dashboard.
• Click Order a sample next to the listing and choose products and colors to order.
• Proceed to checkout.

For a more detailed step-by-step list, CLICK HERE.

How to use your samples in content

Now that you are ready to order samples to start promoting your new holiday merch, here are some tips on how to best use those samples and some key dates you’ll need to add to your calendar. Be sure to sync with our Holiday Countdown Calendar so you don’t miss important shipping cut off dates (plus, you can win fun prizes along the way!).

• Create a NEW design. This probably goes without saying, but the key word is “new.” Even if you don’t want to do a holiday-themed design, shoppers will be attracted to a newly launched product. 
• Order samples by October 10th. This is a rough date, but you’ll want your samples ordered by mid-October so you have time to produce your content, launch, and promote so your fans can buy in time for the holidays.
• Show off a variety. Did you create a great-looking tee in a few different colors and styles? Maybe order a few. This not only shows you have variety, but it gives you more content to post and promote throughout the season.
• Tease the new design in artwork. Waiting for your sample to arrive? Don’t delay your promo plans. Tease your new design in artwork you can post to socials and start driving traffic. Canva is a great design tool, with a robust free template library, that will help you design an eye-catching social post featuring your designs.
• Do an unboxing video. Once you get your sample, don’t open it in silence. Film your reaction to receiving your product. Unboxing videos are not just for kids toys, they create anticipation and will give your fans a glimpse into how their product will arrive after they purchase.
• Show how you wear/use your merch. When looking to buy products, it’s helpful to see how they will integrate into our lives. Designed a hoodie? Wear it out and about while you film your content. Designed a mug? Drink from it in your next Stories. Not only will you demonstrate how your product fits into everyday life, it might encourage buyers to post their own content using or wearing your product.
• Run a promo code. As we’ve stated before, promo codes are the easiest way to create FOMO and entice people to buy NOW. Online shoppers are looking for deals. Be sure to offer one or several. They are easy to create in your Dashboard and you can turn them on or off depending on your deadlines.
• Ask fans to post their merch. Maybe don’t wait for fans to post using your merch, encourage them to do so! Maybe run a contest on who can post the best video with your merch. Offer an incentive, maybe another discount. UGC (user generated content) is free advertising and re-posting fans with your merch will create FOMO and demonstrate that your merch is worth buying. 

Be sure to visit our Holiday Resource Hub where we have lots of comprehensive guides for designing merch and maximizing your holiday sales. And as always, Happy Selling!

There is no better time than the holiday season to drive more traffic to your store. And there is no better tool to help you do so than Spring’s Holiday Resource Hub and Countdown Calendar. 

Sure, you probably know the holidays are a great time to increase sales but did you know that creators are clocking in a staggering 121% more revenue this holiday season and on average make 35% more revenue during the season than the rest of the year?!? 

Even if you don’t make a lot of sales in general, the lessons you’ll learn here can be applied not just to this holiday season but all year long. So are you ready to drive more traffic to make more sales? Here are 4 awesome tips on getting it done! 

Tip 1: Launch New Merch 

Create a holiday product collection

Take note of the Christmas delivery cutoff dates (again, that Countdown Calendar at the Holiday Resource Hub is your best friend), so no one misses out. Add new products to your collection just in time, and add “limited edition” holiday designs to entice people to buy now.

Certain products sell especially well during the holidays. Here are some of the best sellers (based on current trends and recent years):

Hoodies

Beanies and Pom-Pom Caps

Premium Tees

Mugs

Die-Cut Stickers

All-Over Print Sweatshirts

Leggings

All-Over Print Unisex Joggers

Stainless Tumblers

Tote Bags 

Long Sleeve Tees

Bucket hats 

Prepare your store for peak seasonal selling

We’ve got three quick ways to optimize your store for the season: 

• Choose Featured Products: these will show up first, and get 20% more views on average.
• Add branding to your store, and if you already have branding, add holiday branding: stores with custom branding see 35% increase in conversion rates. 
• Customize your domain: creators with custom domains can sell up to 5x more on average than those who don’t. If you want a quick tutorial on how to connect or purchase a domain, click here.

We recommend doing all of this ASAP but if you’re running behind, try to get set by November 1st. Again, check the Countdown Calendar and the Holiday Resource Hub! Yes, we will keep harping on it because they’re great tools for success. 

Keep profits rolling until Christmas with digital products

Okay, we just threw a bunch of dates at you on the Countdown Calendar. One thing with a bit of flexibility is digital products. Since these don’t have to actually ship anywhere (fans download immediately), you have up until the holiday itself to sell these products. Ensure your digital products are added to your store at the start of the season, so you can start promoting right away. Go extra hard on promotions after Cyber Weekend.

Get fans excited with special promotions on holiday themed digital products. Include bonus products (e.g. a free wallpaper background) with their digital product purchase—this is a great way to boost your sales even more.

Find inspo for digital products to create for the holidays, and don’t forget, we’ve got free digital product templates you can download and customize here. 

Tip 2: Promote

Once you’ve finished creating, it’s time to promote. 

The power of promo codes

It’s no secret that one of the best ways to promote holiday products is with promo codes. Why?

Offering discounts with promo codes greatly increases traffic to your store, and it creates  major Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO). If you don’t believe us, then take a look at these five incredible facts found in a Blippr report:

1. Online shoppers spend 24% more when using coupons
2. 29% of online shoppers will purchase a product they didn’t intend to buy if it’s significantly discounted
3. 36% of coupon lovers will not make a purchase if a discount is not offered
4. 77% of online shoppers follow brands on social media to stay updated on sales and offers
5. Brands that offer promos experience 26% higher average order values 

Clearly, promo codes are great for optimizing your marketing strategy. To make them even harder to pass up, make sure you’re offering limited time incentives. Discounts with a time limit incite action and help push reluctant buyers off the fence. It’s not only FOMO on the deal, but for the item itself (maybe a limited supply campaign works for you, too). 

If you need a refresher on how to create promo codes, check out this blog.

So, with your holiday products and promo codes in hand, what do you do next? Share the good news! You want to let your fans know that you have festive, limited-time products available and that they’re getting a sweet deal by using your promo code. 

Prepare for Black Friday weekend

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest online shopping days of the year. Creators who offer discounts during this weekend can double their sales. We suggest running sales during those days so you can double your sales, too! Again, consult the Countdown Calendar at the Holiday Resource Hub so you’re ready to switch your promotions on your dashboard when the time comes.

Here are some of the best ways you can show off your holiday deals:

Email blasts

According to the same Blippr report, 81% of online shoppers enjoy receiving emails announcing sales and discounts and 91% of brands use email to share promotions. 

Additionally, emails are a great way to let your fans know you’re offering holiday products in a fun and creative way. Even if you don’t include a promo code, visually appealing emails that showcase your holiday products will send many fans to your Spring store!

Social media

As stated earlier, many shoppers follow their favorite brands on social media in order to be made aware of current and upcoming promotions and sales. 

Social media allows you to share your holiday products with all the creative flare you can muster up through images and videos. Even if you don’t have a large following, still post your holiday products! You may attract new fans from your posts and encourage existing followers to check out your holiday specials!

Videos

Many creators make videos and if you don’t consider doing at least one to annonce your holiday products & promotions. It’s an effective and engaging way to show off you and your products, and entice followers to visit your store. 

You can also use videos to show the value of your products and why they need them (by ordering samples of course. That’s next).

Tip 3: Order Samples and Use in Socials

Creators who do so sell 3x more than those who don’t. 

We recommend ordering your product samples by October 10th. This gives you enough time for shipping, and for you to create your promo content.

Tip 4: Contests

At the end of the day, people just love to win stuff. It’s amazing what they will do at the thought of something for free. Tap into that natural human instinct by offering that possibility and most importantly, deliver on the promise. Plus this is a fantastic way to not only gain insight, but if set up correctly, can drive more traffic to your store. Here are some easy tips on how to best run social media contests: 

Ask your followers to pick a product to promote

The more you listen to what someone wants, the more loyal they become. For example, use your socials to ask your followers to sound off in the comments about which of your products they would like you to offer a promo code for. This, of course, will require them to visit your store to pick a product. Pick a few winners and run the promo for everyone. This method helps with your own decisions on which product to push, drives more traffic to your store, and shows your followers that you care about what they want. 

Run a “Name a Holiday Product” contest

The name of a product can make or break it. Why not let your community weigh in on the name of your next holiday-themed product? There are ingenious suggestions everywhere. When you hear the perfect name, you’ll know it. It also makes followers feel they’re involved with your brand because, well…they are! Offer a discount to the winner(s) and ask them to post about it so you can tag it.

Ask your followers to submit new ideas

Engage your followers by requesting them to submit ideas for new products. What this does is empower your community while also getting them to visit your store so they don’t suggest a product you already carry. They might stick around and buy something. 

As a creator, you’re probably already a rockstar at sharing your content with your fans. Use your skills and resources to share your holiday products and increase your traffic and sales through promo codes.If you need help increasing product visibility and sales, check out this tips and tricks blog. Happy Selling!

When fans visit your Spring store, the way it looks can determine whether or not you close a sale. 

In fact, 82% of consumers are less likely to make a purchase if a store appears dated. Additionally, the average person has abandoned 24 online purchases this year because an online store looked unprofessional.

So with the holidays around the corner, you need to prepare your store for increased traffic.

Since you only have one chance to make a first impression, follow our 5 simple steps below to maximize your holiday success this season! 

1. Customize your logo, navigation bar, and footer 

To add a logo to your store, click on Stores, Edit Store. On the left-hand side, click on the Navigation bar. 

Adding a personalized logo to your navigation bar sets your store apart. A logo is an important way to brand your store because it helps your buyers identify and remember you. 

If you already have a logo, and want to add a festive flare, you could tweak it to feature a Christmas font or add some snowflakes, for example. If you don’t have a logo, this is the perfect time to create one! Read how here! 

Beyond dropping in a logo, you can also change your navigation bar’s background and text color. 

Switching them to holiday colors might be fun and exactly what your store needs to look trendy, but keep in mind that you have a brand image to uphold. So whatever changes you make to the navigation bar and footer should be consistent with your brand.

You’ll also want to re-brand your footer to match. Use a consistent design with what you’ve used elsewhere. Staying on brand in your footer and nav bar is a huge plus to the aesthetic of your store. 

2. Update your hero banner

Your store’s hero banner is the first thing that pops out at a visitor. It’s one of your most important visual aspects of your store. And first impressions happen quick. It only takes 50 milliseconds to form an opinion of a website and 75% of consumers judge a store’s credibility based on it’s design. 

So having an eye-catching, well designed banner can have a huge impact on your sales. 

To update your banner, click on Hero banner in your store editor. There you can drop in your image. 

For a trendy seasonal banner that stays true to your brand, try giving it a winter color palette.

Adding a holiday touch to your banner signals that your store is up-to-date with the season, but it’s not mandatory, especially if it doesn’t align with your brand. A well-designed banner alone can boost your credibility with shoppers and increase sales.

Consider spicing it up by incorporating festive photos of yourself or your customers. If you’re short on time or resources for photoshoots, no worries! Tools like PlaceIt make it easy to create eye-catching lifestyle mockups. Just upload your design file, and you’re good to go.

If you’d rather have a professional touch, you can hire a designer to create a store banner for you here: https://affinityx.creator-spring.com.

3. Reorganize your products 

Products featured within storefronts get 58% more views and sell 20% more on average. So you want to place your best sellers and holiday favorites upfront and center. 

So how do you reorganize your products? Follow these steps: 

1. Go to your Store editor
2. Click on Products
3. Click on the star icon to feature products

Featured products will appear at the top of your store and there’s no limit to how many you can feature.

Another way you can reorder your products is by removing your products from your store (clicking on the circled x) and then re-adding them based on the order you want them to appear. 

New products get added to the bottom of your store, so add the ones you want at the top of your store first! 

4. Connect or purchase a domain

A rock-solid domain is key to the success of your store. 

What is a domain, why does it matter, and how do you connect or purchase one? 

Simply put, a domain is the name of a site. A good domain name helps visitors find your site easily and allows search engines like Google to know what your site or brand is about. A REALLY good domain name is short, easy to remember, and describes your brand. 

Choosing a great domain name is vital because it can attract more visitors to your site, which of course increases your chances of selling more merch. 

If you want to know how to connect or buy a domain, we’ve got that covered, too. 

5. Add your social profiles

50% of consumers are disappointed when a brand they want to shop with has no social media presence. So it’s important to show off your socials on your store!

To do this, just go to Stores and scroll down to Social Profiles. There you’ll be able to connect all of your social media accounts.

Once connected, you can enable “Display Links” in your store editor under the navigation bar and footer. 

If both are enabled, your social icons will then appear on the right-hand side of your navigation bar, as well as in the center of your footer. 

And that’s it!

When your store is branded for the holiday season, you’re setting yourself up for maximum success! Happy Holidays and Happy merch sales!

The popularity of ugly sweaters is skyrocketing, with people donning them at Christmas parties, office shindigs, family get-togethers, holiday parades, and more. They’ve even earned a special day on the calendar—National Ugly Sweater Day, every third Friday of December in the U.S.

And with one in three people snagging an ugly Christmas sweater each year, the demand is undeniable. That’s why it’s essential to add these festive fashion statements to your Spring store and ride this trend to success.

Keep reading to uncover the top-selling designs, the right products to use, and even get your hands on free ugly sweater templates. ‘Tis the season to cash in on the holiday spirit!

Designing your ugly sweater

The right ugly sweater design can be a sales bonanza, potentially bringing in thousands of purchases. Yet, as a creator with a devoted following, you’re not looking to churn out just another run-of-the-mill Christmas tree or snowflake sweater. Your goal is to infuse your brand identity into your design.

Here are some expert tips on crafting an ugly sweater that not only stays true to your brand vibe but also adds a generous dose of epic holiday flair:

On-Brand Theme:

Start by picking a theme that vibes with your brand’s style. Inject your brand’s values, messages, or symbols into the holiday theme to make sure your sweater screams “you.” Take a look at the example below.

Color Palette:

Stick to your brand’s color palette, but don’t shy away from tossing in some festive shades that complement your usual colors. This keeps your sweater on-brand while giving it that holiday pop. You can also add red, green, and blue to your product’s color options.

Use Irregular Patterns:

Ugly sweaters often feature irregular or asymmetrical patterns. Think about including geometric shapes, uneven lines, and random arrangements to achieve that chaotic charm. But even though the overall design may be wild and chaotic (it’s an ugly sweater, after all), make sure the patterns and symbols you use are consistent with your brand’s style. You want folks to instantly recognize your brand.

Playful Brand Messaging:

Inject some of your brand’s personality into the design with cheeky messages or clever wordplay. It’s a way to let your brand shine alongside the holiday theme.

Test It Out:

Before finalizing your masterpiece, post a few variations on social media and get feedback from your peeps. Getting their opinion on the best option will make them feel valued and excited for the launch, and at the same time, it will help you put out a design with the highest chance of success. 

For example, you can ask your followers if they’d wear an ugly sweater with their favorite hedgehog on it like in the image below! If you get positive responses, you’ll have a good chance of selling a lot!

What products to drop your designs on:

Traditionally speaking, ugly Christmas sweaters are sweatershirts with festive and chaotic designs, text, and coloring. But you don’t have to limit yourself to a single product. 

Christmas designs pop on a variety Spring products, and they’re just the boost you need to make this holiday season one for the books!

Check out our top-selling products below and decide which ones you want to drop your ugly sweater design on.

Hoodies

Hoodies sell 20% more between the months of October and Decemeber, so it’s a great product to put your ugly Christmas sweater design on! Check out Spring creator Mike Dice’s hoodie from last year!

Sweatshirts

Like hoodies, sweatshirts also see a 20% bump in sales during the holiday season. Spring offers print-all-over sweatshirts that you can use to create the typical ugly sweater look, as well as a more afforable, classic sweatshirt seen in the image below. 

Long sleeves

Long sleeves make the perfect canvas for your ugly sweater design – keeping your fans comfy without overheating them at a holiday bash!

Socks

Festive socks are a great alternative for those of us who want to join in on the holiday fun, but don’t want to feel like a walking billboard for Christmas. Add your creative designs to some socks to give your fans the opportunity to celebrate in a subtle, trendy way.

Beanies

Beanies are a timeless holiday vibe. Beanies, along with our Pom-Pom Knit Caps, can rock a simple holiday design and make an excellent addition to your Spring store during the holiday season. 

Ugly sweater templates and design help options

For more design inspiration, hop over to our Holiday Design Inspo board on Pinterest. It’s a goldmine of fresh ideas to keep your creative juices flowing.

But if these design tips and product suggestions don’t quite kickstart your creativity, we’ve got your back! Explore ugly sweater templates on Kittl, where you can easily tweak them to match your brand and style with just a few clicks.

Also, Spring creators get 40% off an annual plan! Just use SPRING23 at checkout! So go to Kittl and check out the resources available to you.

And if time or energy is in short supply this holiday season, no worries. You can always hire a pro designer to craft your perfect ugly Christmas sweater. Check out https://affinityx.creator-spring.com for expert help! 

By accessing the link above, you pay a small fee (only $17) to get professionally designed, branded, eye-catching images, such as:

• Spring Store hero banners
• Social posts/promotional assets
• Merch graphic designs
• Logos

Now go create and launch your ugly sweater designs!

Every year, the holiday shopping frenzy starts earlier, with 57% of consumers commencing their gift-hunting even before Thanksgiving! 

So don’t let this golden sales opportunity slip by. Start crafting and releasing your ugly sweater designs early, so your fans can deck the halls in style and celebrate National Ugly Sweater Day in your creations! 🎄🎉

Spring creators rake in a jaw-dropping 121% more sales over holidays than the rest of the year! 💰 It’s time to get those designs locked and loaded for launch, but don’t worry, we’re here to help. Check out all our tips and tricks to launch your best merch yet. 

Why are the holidays so lucrative? 

The holidays are filled with anticipation and excitement—and shopping! Having fresh designs for the holidays gives your fans something new to get excited about and drives more traffic to your store. But let’s dive deeper on why. 

Launching new merch for the holidays is…

• exciting for fans who want to get into the holiday spirit, 
• exclusive since they’re only around for a limited time,
• and for everyone. People who shop during this time of year are looking for that special something new for themselves and loved ones. 

But how do you know what to create? Spring has 8 helpful tips to ensure your holiday products are poised for success. 

TIP 1: Crowdsource fans to discover what they want.

When it comes to crushing it as a creator, tuning into what your fans really want is key. Crowdsourcing design ideas is a direct hotline to your audience’s hearts. When you let your fans be part of the creative action, you’re not just selling products they love – you’re also stacking the odds in your favor.

So what exactly is crowdsourcing?

To break it down, crowdsourcing is like a brainstorming session on steroids. It’s all about gathering ideas from your fans and using them to craft merch that THEY want. 

The fastest way to get this info is by heading to where your fans hang out the most: social media. It’s not just quick and easy; it’s also a chill space where fans tend to be real and honest in their comments, rather than filling out stuffy feedback forms. But, you’ve gotta have a game plan for collecting this info. 

Don’t sweat it, though. Check out our crowdsourcing blog for five killer ideas to kick things off.

Tip 2: Launch new clothes. 

Clothing items are consistently top sellers, especially when you feature fun new designs. In fact, fashion and apparel was the most popular gift category during the holiday season in 2022. You don’t have to design from scratch, you can add a holiday-twist to a current best-seller or take a popular trend and holiday-ify it. 

Here’s what sold well in 2022: 

Hoodies: 

A top seller is the Unisex Classic Pullover Hoodie, featuring a classic fit and cotton-polyester blend. This hoodie is durable and soft to the touch. 

T-shirts:

T-shirt sales make up 65% of total global apparel sales! Tees can be worn alone in warmer months and layered in cooler months. You’ll want something stylish, yet durable. Go for classics like the Hanes tagless tee (people hate tags!), the Next Level tee (a premium quality T-shirt that can be dressed up or dressed down), or for a high-quality T-shirt that has a silky smooth feel, try the premium tee. 

Sweaters: 

Ugly sweaters rule the season. One in three people under 35 buys an ugly Christmas sweater every year! The crazier the better, so unleash your creativity. Spring has some basic sweatshirts you can use as your canvas and here are some design templates from Kittl you can use to speed up the process. Use the code SPRING23 for 40% off an annual plan! 

TIP 3: Use trendy color palettes. 

Here are some telling statistics:

93% of people believe that color/design is the #1 influencing factor in what they buy!

Within the first 90 seconds of seeing a product for the first time, we make a subconscious judgment. 90% of that judgment is made based on color alone! So how to apply color? 

Here are a couple color trends for this fall:

• Shades of Pink and Purple – Hot last year and the popularity has not waned one bit. Rose (light pink), mauve (pale purple), and lavender (a light purple with a blue tint) are named after flowers. These shades bring a lighthearted, youthful energy to designs, whether you go with a shade that’s bright or muted. 
• Neutrals – Earth tone shades work well on clothing and appeal to a broad consumer base. You can make designs stand out when including a bright pop of color (such as orange and yellow) or keep it chill. 
• Shades of Blue – Blue consistently ranks as everyone’s favorite color, most likely due to its calming effect on the brain. But know what else is cool? Blue can work for a variety of Holiday designs, especially when tying in wintry themes. 
• Or be on trend and use the 2023 color of the year Viva Magenta.

Tip 4: Create a branded ugly Christmas sweater.

With one in three people grabbing an ugly Christmas sweater each year, it’s a must-have holiday product to launch this year. 

But for your highest chance of success, you don’t want a standard, run-of-the-mill design. You want a design that’s uniquely YOU. 

Here are expert tips for an epic, on-brand holiday sweater:

• On-Brand Theme: Start with a theme that matches your brand’s style. Infuse your brand’s values, messages, or symbols into the holiday vibe.
• Color Palette: Stick to your brand’s colors, but don’t be shy about adding some festive shades. Keep it on-brand with a holiday pop.
• Irregular Patterns: Ugly sweaters thrive on chaos. Think geometric shapes, uneven lines, and quirky arrangements. Keep it consistent with your brand’s style for instant recognition.
• Playful Messaging: Inject your brand’s personality with cheeky messages or witty wordplay. Let your brand shine in the holiday theme.
• Test It Out: Before the final masterpiece, share variations on social media and get feedback from your crew. It’ll make them feel valued and excited for the launch, ensuring the design’s success.

For design help and best practices, check out our Ugly Christmas Sweater Design Guide.

Tip 5: Offer stocking filler gifts. 

Stocking stuffers are always popular and many shoppers buy more than one! Try out some of our new products, which are ideal stocking stuffers for holiday gifting:  

• Die-Cut Stickers – This means that the sticker is cut around the contour of your design. Unlike stickers in the standard shapes of a circle, square, or rectangle, die-cut stickers will be completely customized to the shape of your artwork. Any shape sticker you’re imagining is possible as a die cut. 

•  Mugs – winter’s top accessory and a great canvas for your most popular designs.

• Tumblers – A tumbler is an insulated mug or cup you can take on the go. Another great way to keep your brand in their hands all day long!

• And of course, phone cases. Always in style, always needed.

• Nintendo Switch Case – perfect for young gamers.

•  Notebook – decorative organization tool for lifestyle & wellness buffs.

• Must haves for your techie friends, like an Apple watch strap. 

Tip 6: Launch a classic design. 

Tired of the holidays already? You don’t have to create a holiday theme if you don’t want to. The goal is to launch something shiny and new. Go for a classic design that fans can wear year-round. 

You can still lean into the colors that are trending (mentioned above) and the products that are top-sellers (like Tees and hoodies). 

There are plenty of people who don’t want to spend the next 3 months sporting pumpkins and santa hats. Give fans a variety to choose from so you can capture both the holiday-enthusiasts and the Grinches.

Tip 7: Hire a professional designer.

Short on time or seeking top-notch merch designs? Consider hiring a pro designer. 

Quality designs can significantly boost your sales, making it a worthwhile investment. 

With our AffinityX partnership, you can get a merch design tailored to your brand vision for just $17.

Learn more and place your custom merch graphic design request here.

We also offer store banners, promotional assets (think social posts, ads, etc.), and logos!

Tip 8: Take advantage of templates.

Unlock the power of design templates to craft amazing merch graphics and social posts. Our partnership with Kittl offers you access to a vast library of templates, including merch designs, logos, social graphics, and more.

Plus, you’ll enjoy an exclusive 40% discount on an annual membership when you use this special link and use the code SPRING23 at checkout! 

Templates are your time-saving secret weapon, allowing you to create top-notch, market-ready merch in mere minutes!

Final thoughts

Want more tips? Get them along with more inspiration at our Holiday Resource Hub. While there, check out the Countdown Calendar for key benchmark dates to keep on schedule so you can maximize those sales. The best part?—you can earn prizes, too (like free merch designs)! 

Keep in mind that the earlier you get your designs done the earlier you can start promoting, especially for products that need to ship in time for the holidays…Capitalize on that holiday excitement and start creating those holiday designs! Happy Holidays and Happy Selling!