Winter Break 2026: The Opportunities Your Store Is Ignoring

Every July I hear the same thing: "people don't buy in winter." And every July I see stores that outsell their "good" months because they understand something everyone else ignores: winter break changes shopping habits -- it doesn't eliminate them.

Think about what happens in July in Chile. Two weeks of school vacation. Kids at home. Parents scrambling to keep them entertained. Cold weather pushing people indoors, scrolling on their phones. That's potential traffic that many stores waste because they've gone into "pause mode."

Kids at home are your opportunity

When kids are on vacation, parents buy. Period. Board games, winter clothes, books, arts and crafts supplies, snacks, puzzles. And they buy online because going out with kids in the middle of a cold winter isn't anyone's idea of a good time.

If you sell products that can work as "vacation entertainment," build a dedicated collection. You don't need new products -- you need to present what you already have in a different context. A paint set isn't "a paint set." It's a "winter afternoon kit for the kids."

Winter bundles: sell more per order

July is the perfect month to test bundles. Why? Because people are looking for complete solutions, not individual items.

Examples that work:

• Winter kit: scarf + beanie + gloves at a price you wouldn't offer individually.
• Entertainment pack: 3 board games with a 20% discount.
• Self-care box: creams + candles + tea for cold nights.

The bundle raises your average order value and gives the customer the feeling they solved everything in a single purchase. Everyone wins.

Email marketing: your secret weapon in July

Most stores stop sending emails in July. "I don't want to bother people," they say. That's a gift to you, because your customer's inbox is going to be emptier than usual.

Three emails you can send:

1. "Everything you need for this break" -- a curated selection of seasonal products. No discount, just context.
2. "This week only" -- a 48-hour flash deal on winter products. Urgency works even better when people have free time to shop.
3. "For those staying home" -- target the audience that isn't traveling. In Chile, most people don't go on vacation in July. That audience is right there, with time on their hands and a phone in front of them.

Cheaper ad campaigns

Here's the secret few people mention: Facebook and Instagram ads are cheaper in July. Fewer advertisers competing, lower cost per click. If you normally can't compete with big brand budgets, July is your window.

Put a modest budget into remarketing campaigns (target people who already visited your store or followed you on social media). The return will be better than any other month of the year because you're paying less per click and targeting people who already know you.

Don't wait until August

Winter break lasts two weeks. If you start preparing your campaign after it's already begun, you've lost the first week. Prepare your collections, schedule your emails, and have your campaigns ready before July starts.

The store that sells in winter is the one that reaches September with momentum. The one that sits and waits reaches September starting from zero.