America’s holidays have long been considered sales occasions—even Presidents’ Day is known for its mattress discounts. But in the case of Veterans Day, given its proximity to Black Friday, the holiday has become a means to roll out Christmas deals early.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen Veterans Day pretty much swept up in the pre–Black Friday hype,” Kristin McGrath, an editor and shopping expert at RetailMeNot, told Retail Brew.
Macy’s Veterans Day sale, for example, is already live, featuring discounts on everything from clothing to couches.
- Hello Fresh is offering 14 additional free meals, across multiple boxes, and free shipping to honor the holiday.
Make it special: McGrath said Veterans Day is a good opportunity to...actually support veterans with special coupons for veterans and their families, in some cases. Bed Bath & Beyond is giving veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their spouses 25% off from November 11–13.
She also admitted it can be hard to get people to shop a Veterans Day sale with Black Friday deals right around the corner. For secondary holidays, McGrath recommended “creating a tradition,” pointing to Memorial Day’s home sales.
“Try to differentiate what makes the holiday special,” she said. “Since Black Friday has the best deals of the year on everything, it pushes retailers to make those other holidays shine in very specific ways.”—JG
Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.