Social Platforms Remind Businesses Not to Sleep on Q5 Sales

By Brittany Siminitz | December 01, 2025

While some small retail businesses close their doors between Christmas and New Year’s, they shouldn’t ignore opportunities for online sales—through websites and social media—during that time.

That’s the basic message from both Pinterest and Snapchat in regards to the period known as Q5, which begins the day after Christmas. This is a prime time for consumers to shop, according to the apps—gift giving is over, end-of-year deals are live, and people are ready to buy for themselves what they didn’t receive under the tree.

Pinterest says that “Q5, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, is one of the most active periods of the year” on its platform: Its data shows that 55% of weekly users buy online, and 45% shop in-store then. Brands that give their marketing a rest at the close of business on Dec. 24 risk missing out on sales. The search for gifts may be over, but it’s a key time for self-purchase.

Categories popular on Pinterest during Q5 are what you might expect—those related to self-care (such as beauty routines and healthy eating) and other New Year’s resolutions (home organization, personal finances). Jewelers shouldn’t feel left out: A good jewelry purchase is indeed self-care, and there’s plenty of room for retailers’ voices to encourage customers to snag a new piece to ring in the year. When making resolutions for 2026, what better way than to remember them than through a piece of jewelry?

Snapchat, which considers Q5 as running all the way through January, says that 88% of its U.S. users shop for gifts in the post-Christmas period. “With gift cards to spend, time oﬀ to relax, and budgets planned ahead, Snapchatters see Q5 as their moment to treat themselves and others,” the platform says in its report on the period’s sales potential.

Whereas holiday marketing focuses on scoring the perfect presents, Q5 marketing should be geared to self-indulging. This is supported by the types of products that are most purchased by Snapchat users in Q5—clothes, beauty, gaming, for example.

Jewelry and accessories ranks as the sixth most popular category for Snapchat users to shop during Q5. But don’t let not getting into the top three deter you—people always buy more clothing than jewelry, because of the sentimentality and significant cost involved in a jewelry purchase.

The right pitch could bring you customers looking to buy for themselves, so don’t miss your chance for Q5 sales, even if you take that time off from your brick-and-mortar store (a much-deserved break!).

(Photo: Getty Images)