An e-commerce content calendar around launches and sales

Key takeaways

An ecommerce content calendar is built around the trading calendar: launches, restocks, sales and delivery deadlines go on first, then repeating slots for products in use, customer proof and how-to content fill the weeks around them. Promotions can be more frequent than for services, but every 'was' price must be genuine and every sale must state its end date.

• Put launches, restocks, sales and deadlines on first.
• Slots: product in use, customer proof, how-to, behind the brand.
• Every 'was' price must be genuine under UK consumer law.
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What goes on an e-commerce calendar first?

The trading dates: product launches, restocks of best-sellers, planned sales and seasonal peaks, and the last order dates for delivery before Christmas or other occasions. Each gets a sequence of posts, such as a teaser, the launch, a reminder and a last-chance post. Everything else fits around them.

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Which slots fill the weeks between?

Four repeating slots work for most online shops: the product in real use, customer photos and reviews (with permission), how-to or styling content, and the people or process behind the brand. Product posts can appear more often than in a service business, because browsing products is useful to followers.

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How do you keep sales honest?

State the end date of every sale, only show a 'was' price you genuinely charged for a meaningful period, and do not run a permanent 'limited time' offer. The CMA's guidance on unfair commercial practices covers misleading prices, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 gave the CMA direct fining powers.

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How do platforms differ for shops?

Instagram and Facebook suit product discovery and shops linked to your catalogue, Pinterest suits planned purchases and needs posts months ahead, and TikTok suits demonstration video and, for some products, TikTok Shop. Plan one main platform in full and adapt for the others.

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When should a shop sell less?

Sell less when discounts are training customers to wait, when margins cannot take another sale, or in the weeks after a big peak. Use those weeks for how-to content, customer stories and building the email list.

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What does this look like in practice?

A pattern with small online shops: a calendar that is all discount posts, and sales that only happen during discounts. Adding product-in-use and customer proof slots between sales usually lifts full-price orders over a few months.

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E-commerce calendar checklist

• Put trading dates and deadlines on first.
• Plan a post sequence for each launch and sale.
• Keep four repeating slots between them.
• Check every 'was' price and end date.
• Post delivery deadlines early.

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Next step

List next quarter's launches, restocks, sales and delivery deadlines. Each one is a post sequence for the calendar.