The shop says when customer service is reachable over the holidays
Seasonal guideline. Applies in the run-up to Black Friday, Cyber Week and Christmas, in addition to the year-round guidelines. Holiday readiness →
What is being checked
Whether the contact page states how customer service can be reached during the sale and holiday period: which channels, at what times, how long an answer usually takes, and on which days the shop is closed.
Why it matters
Between Black Friday and New Year, the shop gets more questions than at any other time, while the team often has days off. A customer who writes on 23 December and hears nothing for days feels ignored, even if the shop is simply closed.
Saying it upfront turns the same delay into an expectation. "We answer within 24 hours, closed 25 and 26 December" is enough. It also helps a shopper decide before buying: someone who needs advice today knows whether they will get it.
Failure signals
- The contact page shows normal opening hours that are not true during the holidays.
- No expected response time is stated.
- Closing days are not mentioned anywhere.
- A chat window appears even when nobody is there to answer, with no note that answers will come later.
How to verify
- Open the contact page during the sale or holiday period.
- Confirm it names the channels, the times they are staffed, the expected response time and any closing days.
- Send a test question through the main channel. Confirm the answer arrives within the stated time.
- Open the chat outside staffed hours. Confirm it says when an answer will come.
Recommended fix
Add a short holiday notice to the contact page with channels, times, response time and closing days. Show the same notice in the chat and in the automatic reply to emails. Plan staff for the busiest days, and prepare answers to the most common questions in advance.