What goes into a festive campaign checklist for a small seller?

Why a checklist

During a festive rush you will be tired, orders will come at odd hours, and small things will slip: you run out of tape, you forget to update a price, you promise a date you cannot keep. A written checklist puts the thinking in advance, when you are calm.

Copy these lists into a note or a notebook, and add your own items.

Stock

• Count what you have of every product you plan to sell; doing a weekly stock count in 30 minutes gives a quick method
• Decide how many more to make or buy, and order raw material early
• Mark items you will not restock after the campaign
• Check that the quantities in your store match your real stock
• Decide what to do when something sells out: a waiting list, or hide the product

Content

• Take clear photos of every festive product, in daylight, with a plain background
• Write short descriptions with size, material and what is included
• Prepare a handful of posts and stories ahead of time
• Draft your WhatsApp messages: announcement, reminder, last call, thank-you
• Update your store banner or featured products to match the season

Prices and offers

• Decide any offer in advance and check your margin; festival sale discount: extra units needed helps with the arithmetic
• If you use coupon codes, set the value, use limit and expiry in the Coupons screen of the Varchas admin and test one yourself
• Check shipping charges and any free-shipping limit on your store

Packaging

• Count boxes, mailers, tape, fillers, labels and thank-you cards for the number of orders you expect, plus extra
• Pack one sample parcel and shake it; see choosing packaging material for small sellers
• Prepare gift wrap or a gift note option if you offer it

Shipping

• Check that your pickup arrangement with your courier is working
• Pick your last order-by date and last dispatch date, with a buffer
• Test your pincode handling by placing a test order
• Keep a list of your most common destinations and any areas you cannot serve

Messaging

• Tell customers your last order-by date several times, in different places
• Reply to enquiries quickly; set aside fixed hours to do so
• Prepare a reply for delays and sold-out items; see communicating festival and weather delays
• Plan a thank-you to everyone who orders

Helping yourself

• Plan some rest; a tired seller packs wrongly
• Ask family for help on set days
• Keep money aside for refunds or reshipping

After the campaign

• Count what sold and what is left
• Note what went wrong and what to do next year
• Thank customers and invite them to hear about the next batch

Do not put any date in this checklist unless you have confirmed it yourself. A checklist is a tool for you, not a guarantee of results.