The announcement bar is the first line every visitor reads. In December it should answer the question on everyone’s mind: “Will it arrive in time, and how much is delivery?” Here are fifteen messages you can copy, adapt and schedule.
Early December: delivery and offers
- 🎄 Order by 18 December for delivery before Christmas
- Free shipping from 50 € until 18 December
- Free gift wrapping on every order this month
- Our Christmas gift guide is here: ideas from 10 €
- Secret Santa? Discover our gifts under 20 €
Mid-December: urgency, honestly
- Only 3 days left for standard delivery before Christmas
- Express delivery available until 22 December
- Last chance for personalised gifts: order before 15 December
- Bestsellers are going fast: see what is still in stock
- Add a gift message at checkout, we write it by hand
Last days: keep selling
- Too late for delivery? Our e-gift card arrives instantly
- Click and collect in our shop until 24 December, 5 pm
- Open on Sunday 20 December, 10 am to 6 pm
- Order now, delivery from 2 January, with a card to print for the tree
- Thank you for a wonderful year! Shop closed 25–26 December
Tips
- One message at a time. A rotating bar with five messages is rarely read.
- Link to the right page: gift guide, delivery page, gift card product.
- Schedule changes so you do not have to remember to update it on the 18th at midnight.
- Keep it short on mobile: under 45 characters if possible.
Topbar lets you schedule each message with a start and end date, add a countdown and a button, and hide the bar on checkout. See the demo and how to add one.
How to choose your message
Ask what most visitors need to know today. Early in December, it is the offer and the deadline. Mid-December, it is the deadline only. After the last shipping day, it is the alternative: gift card, click and collect, or delivery in January. If you have one shop and one website, adapt the message to both: opening hours in the shop and delivery online.
Colours and design
Use your brand colours with good contrast, not flashing red and green. A calm bar with a clear message is read; a blinking one is ignored. Keep the text size readable on mobile and the close button easy to tap.
How to measure the result
Compare the same weeks before and after the change in WooCommerce › Analytics: conversion rate (orders divided by visits in your statistics tool), average order value and the share of mobile orders. Change one thing at a time when you can, and give each change at least a week of traffic before judging it. In December, compare with the first half of November rather than with last year, because your catalogue and traffic have changed.
Frequently asked questions
What should a Christmas announcement bar say?
First the delivery deadline, then the shipping offer, then a link to your gift guide.
Should I rotate several messages?
Better to show one clear message and change it on a schedule.
Should the bar appear on the checkout page?
No, keep the checkout free of distractions.