Each year, marketers have the same question: Did the holiday shopping season start earlier? Seasonal merchandise begins to appear in the summer, promotions creep further into the fall, and by September, it can feel like the holiday marketing train is already packed.

However, for marketers that aren’t advertising Halloween in July or Christmas in August, opportunity isn’t lost. Findings from Basis’ report reveal that holiday shopping now stretches from September to late December, with influence building over time.

The season hasn’t simply moved forward; it has expanded to a longer series of discovery, consideration, and purchasing moments. While some consumers move quickly, 79 percent don’t make a decision on a holiday purchase in the same instance as discovering. They often take time to evaluate and make sure they’re choosing the right gift.

While starting holiday marketing earlier still has advantages, the starting stage for marketers is no longer linear. It’s never too late to activate, but marketers need a more omnichannel and agile playbook to be successful.

An Expanded Holiday Season

With 68 percent of consumers saying they shop earlier to avoid delays, the pressure to get into the market as soon as possible is understandable. The mistake is assuming that because the season continues to arrive faster on the calendar that the entire opportunity has shifted earlier with it. Instead, the window has widened.

Consumers enter the market at different times and continue buying throughout the fall and winter months. Over half of consumers say they shop throughout the year to take advantage of deals. Brands should start early when they can, but the finish and conversion is what’s important. Also keep in mind that while a campaign may not be holiday specific, it could still have an impact on holiday purchasing.

Months to Shop, Days to Decide

Holiday shopping isn’t always a straight path from planning to purchase. Consumers may discover gift ideas weeks or even months before buying, using that time to research products, compare options, and validate their choice. However, once they actively consider a specific gift, decisions tend to happen quickly, with 83 percent saying they purchase within a few days or less of discovery.

A consumer may have started shopping weeks ago but is still waiting to discover the product he/she will ultimately buy. Being late to the season doesn’t mean being late to the decision. The overall journey is longer, and brands need to be prepared to convert attention quickly when discovery happens.

Meet Shoppers Where They Are

The ways consumers are discovering products is changing. Digital discovery, including search, social and artificial intelligence, make it easier and faster for brands to enter active discovery.

These channels provide a way for marketers to participate later in the game without recreating large-scale campaigns they wished they developed six months ago. Instead, prioritize establishing a presence in the places where consumers are already actively searching and discovering products. For smaller and midsize brands, this creates an even bigger advantage. While they may not have the budget or scale of larger brands, they can experiment with emerging channels and creative approaches more quickly.

When discovery can become a purchase decision within hours, agility and relevance matters most.

A Reason to Buy

Moving quickly doesn’t mean defaulting to discounts. With rising economic pressure, consumers are paying more attention to prices, shopping perks, reviews, and deals while still prioritizing the emotional side of gift-giving.

In fact, 54 percent say their primary goal is finding a gift that’s meaningful or personal, compared to just 18 percent who primarily want to stay within budget.

For brands entering the conversation later, it’s important to strike a balance between financial and emotional value. Compelling promotions can give consumers confidence to act, but the holiday season remains rooted in human connection and tradition. Brands that can combine tangible value with emotional relevance have a compelling case to enter consideration, no matter when they enter the season.

It’s Never Too Late

The holiday season is becoming longer, more fragmented, and digitally driven. Consumers are shopping earlier, but remain open to discovery throughout the season. And once the right product enters their mind, decisions happen quickly.

Brands entering the holiday season later than others don’t need to panic. Prioritize the channels where discovery is happening, make your value clear, and maintain that presence throughout the season.

There are plenty of opportunities to make up ground even when starting later. The holiday shopping season may open earlier, but that door isn’t closing any time soon.

This article was originally published by Total Retail, which is the sister brand of Women in Retail Leadership Circle.

Maggie Nemoy is vice president, research and Insights at Basis, an intelligent operating system for autonomous advertising.