A D-30 to D+3 countdown for small sellers before 11.11 and 12.12, with chat reply templates, countdown captions and a margin check before you discount.
Preparing your shop for 11.11 and 12.12 does not take a big shop's budget. It takes a clear order of work. This article is a countdown checklist from D-30 to D+3, where D is the campaign day. By the end you can open your calendar, note the date of each step in your phone, and know what to do today. It comes with chat reply templates, countdown captions and a margin formula you can copy and adapt.
Dates were last checked on 30 September 2026. Campaign conditions, fees and sign-up methods differ by platform and change from year to year, so this article states no platform's rules. Check the seller centre or announcement page of the platform you sell on.
The countdown calendar for 11.11 and 12.12
The campaign dates are fixed. 11.11 is 11 November 2026 (a Wednesday) and 12.12 is 12 December 2026 (a Saturday). Here is each step as a date.
Dates for 11.11
D-30: Monday 12 Oct 2026
D-14: Wednesday 28 Oct 2026
D-7: Wednesday 4 Nov 2026
D-3: Sunday 8 Nov 2026
D-1: Tuesday 10 Nov 2026
D-day: Wednesday 11 Nov 2026
D+3: Saturday 14 Nov 2026
Dates for 12.12
D-30: Thursday 12 Nov 2026 (the day after 11.11)
D-14: Saturday 28 Nov 2026
D-7: Saturday 5 Dec 2026
D-3: Wednesday 9 Dec 2026
D-1: Friday 11 Dec 2026
D-day: Saturday 12 Dec 2026
D+3: Tuesday 15 Dec 2026
If you plan for both, use D+3 to D+7 of 11.11 to review results and prepare for 12.12 at the same time.
Buyer behaviour: treat it as a hypothesis and check against your own shop
Before a big campaign, some buyers may leave items in their cart, message more about discounts and delivery times, and compare several shops before buying. Treat this as a hypothesis to check with your own data, not a fact for every shop. An easy check is to look back at your chat and post views from last campaign, or read how to read social analytics and decide where to invest.
D-30 to D-15: check stock and margin before discounting
You do not need to post anything yet. The main job is to know your own numbers.
1. Stock and products for the campaign
List every product and sort into 3 groups: hero items you will really discount, regular items you will not, and items you should not discount, such as those with thin margins already
Count real stock on hand, not the number in your head
Ask suppliers whether they can restock in time and how many days it takes
Keep a reserve for items you expect to sell well. Running out mid-campaign loses sales and disappoints customers
For food or short-life goods, note expiry or the last date by which you can ship
2. The margin formula before discounting
Before setting a discount, know what is left after a sale. Use this formula for each group.
Profit per item = discounted selling price − product cost − packing cost − platform or payment fee − shipping you cover (if any)
Fill in real numbers for these 5 slots.
Discounted selling price = ______
Product cost = ______
Packing cost = ______
Fee = ______ (from the latest fee page of the platform you use, since numbers change)
Shipping you cover = ______
If the result is negative, reduce the discount or offer a free gift instead. If it is very thin, decide now whether you accept it, for example a small loss to bring in new customers who then add regular items to the same order. Make this decision today, not once the campaign is running.
3. Conditions you decide in advance
Decide your discount conditions ahead of time, for example a discount on campaign day only, a gift above a set spend, or free shipping on multiple items. Write the conditions as short sentences in a note, so you can paste identical wording into captions and chat.
D-14: prepare a set of 10 posts in advance
Two weeks out is the time to shoot and write everything. On campaign day you can then answer customers instead of thinking of captions.
The list of 10 posts
An announcement that the shop is joining the campaign, with dates
Hero product posts, at least 3
D-7 countdown post
D-3 countdown post
D-1 countdown post
Campaign morning post announcing that sales are open
A running-low or last-round post, only if true
A thank-you post after the campaign (D+1)
A story answering common customer questions
A short clip showing the packing or a hero item
Use the template below as the frame for countdown captions.
Countdown caption template
Formula: {Number of days} days to {campaign name}. We have {hero product} ready for you with {exact discount condition or gift}. Starts {day and time}. See details at {where to check}
Example (home-baked treats): 7 days to 11.11. We have twin-box brownies ready, and a handwritten card comes with every twin box. Starts Wednesday 11 Nov at 10:00. See which flavours are open in the "11.11" highlight
Example (second-hand clothing): 3 days to 11.11. We picked 8 denim jackets, each photographed and measured. Opens Wednesday 11 Nov at 10:00. Message us early to reserve your size
Numbers and dates in the examples are invented. Put your own shop's details in.
Photos and video
Shoot everything in one day with the same background and light. A matching set makes a shop look ready. Before shooting, check that products are clean and that any text in the image is correct, since it is hard to fix after posting.
To help your posts get seen from the first announcement, read about the signals platforms take from posts in likes, comments and saves: which signals matter.
D-7: set up chat, packing and links
The last week before the day is for testing that everything works.
Saved replies
Prepare saved replies for questions that will be asked over and over on the day. Keep them in a note or your chat app's saved-reply feature. Invented examples for a home-baked treats shop:
Greeting and asking what they want: Hi, thanks for messaging. We open 11.11 orders from 10:00. If you want to reserve a flavour, type the flavour and number of boxes
Discount conditions: The condition for this campaign is {the condition you decided}, valid until {day and time}. After that it is the regular price
Delivery time: Orders confirmed by {cut-off time} ship within {number of working days}. Couriers may be slower during the campaign. We send the tracking number as soon as it is packed
Sold out: That flavour is sold out this round. The next round is {day}, or you can choose {another flavour}. Shall we note your name?
Tracking number: Your order has shipped. Tracking number is {number}. Check status at {where to check}
Reply 3 warns about courier delays in advance, which cuts repeat questions and frustration. If a real problem appears, tell the truth early. Do not wait for the customer to ask.
Packing
Buy enough boxes, bags, tape and cushioning now. Near a campaign supplies can run short or arrive late
Pack one of each product as if for real and time it. Then you know how many you can pack in one day
Set up the packing table and address labels before campaign day
If a courier collects from your shop, ask about pickup times ahead
Profile link and product pages
Tap the profile link on at least two real phones. If it fails or is slow, fix it now
Check that it lands on the right product page, not an old one
Prepare a saved message for pasting the link in chat
If you use highlights, reorder them so "11.11" or "12.12" comes first
D-3 to D-1: rehearse and schedule
The last three days are not for adding new work. They are for rehearsing and scheduling.
Schedule the posts due before campaign day, if the platform has a scheduling feature
Send saved replies to yourself or a friend to check they make sense
Check that price and conditions match across all posts before the last one goes out
Charge your phone, keep a charger nearby and mute other apps, leaving only the ones you use for customers
Sleep well. Campaign day means non-stop chat
D-1 and D-day: posting schedule and who answers chat
If the shop is just you
Plan clearly when to post, when to answer chat, when to pack and when to rest. An invented example, so adjust the times to when your customers are online.
Morning: post the opening announcement and answer waiting chats
Late morning: mostly chat, and post hero product 1
Lunch: keep answering chat and post a story reminding people the sale is on
Afternoon: pack confirmed orders and answer chat
Evening: post hero product 2 and say how much time is left (if true)
Night: clear the remaining chats and tally the day's orders
If you have helpers
Split into 3 roles and write a name next to each.
Chat: answers customers, uses saved replies, passes hard cases to the owner
Packing: packs, adds address labels, hands to the courier and sends tracking numbers
Posting and stock check: posts on schedule, checks remaining stock and updates when something sells out
All day
Update your posts or highlights as soon as an item sells out
Screenshot problem chats in case you need to review them later
Note the questions customers ask most, for a Q&A post in the 12.12 round
D+1 to D+7: follow up, ask for reviews, review results
After-campaign work matters as much as before, because this is when a one-time buyer can become a regular.
D+1 to D+3
Check that every order shipped and has a tracking number
Clear all pending chats, including thank-you messages
Post a thank-you and mention the next round
Thank-you message after shipping
Hi, thanks for ordering {product} from us. Let us know how it goes once it arrives. If anything is off, message back here and we will help
D+4 to D+7
Ask for reviews from customers who have received their order. Ask politely, do not push, and do not trade gifts for a full score
Collect common questions and turn them into a post or permanent highlight
Sum up the numbers: orders, best sellers, items that did not move, messages received and problems
Note what you will do differently for 12.12
Review request message
Thanks for letting us take care of this order. If you have a moment, tell us how {product} worked out. Honest feedback helps us improve, and there is no need for a full score if that is not how you feel
Summary table: what should be done by when
A short sheet you can save.
D-30: stock counted, products grouped, margin formula filled, discount conditions decided
D-14: the 10 posts written and shot
D-7: saved replies complete, packing supplies complete, links tested
D-3: posts scheduled, messages tested, prices checked for consistency
D-1: last-day reminder posted, campaign-day schedule ready, helpers know their roles
D-day: open sales, answer chat, pack, update sold-out items
D+3: all orders shipped, chat cleared, thank-you posted
7 common mistakes
Setting the discount before checking margin. You find out once the campaign starts that nothing is left however much you sell. Do the margin formula first, every time
Stock that does not match. Posts or listings say it is available, but it is gone. Customers are disappointed and may not come back
Different conditions in different places. The caption says one thing, chat says another. Use one set of saved replies
Untested links. A broken link on campaign day loses buyers who were ready to pay
One person doing everything with no schedule. Chats and packing fall behind, shipping is late and complaints follow. Make a schedule and estimate how many orders you can really handle in a day
Slow replies because there are no saved replies. You cannot type every message from scratch on the busiest chat day
Not measuring after it ends. When it is over you forget, and next year starts from zero. Always note the results, and use them to prepare for 12.12 and next year
If you want the profile to be ready for visitors
During a campaign people open your profile to judge whether the shop can be trusted before ordering. If content and stock are ready and you want follower or view numbers that match the work you do, see Instafollow services for TikTok and Instagram. It needs only a public username, no password. Results vary by account, and a service does not replace good products, ready stock and timely chat replies. For more on planning sales through social media, read your first online sales through social media.
FAQ
How many days before a campaign should I start?
Start at D-30 if you can. That gives time to check stock, shoot photos and test systems. If you have less, start with the margin formula and saved replies, which prevent the most damage.
Should a small shop with few products join both 11.11 and 12.12?
Decide from your stock and packing capacity, not from a feeling that you must. If stock or people are short, one campaign done well beats two with late shipping.
How big should the discount be?
There is no right number for every shop. Let the profit-per-item formula decide. Discount only as far as the shop still keeps a margin you accept, or use gifts, free shipping or bundles instead of a straight discount.
What if I have no helper and cannot handle the orders?
Cap the number of orders per day, or open in rounds and say so clearly. Customers accept waiting if told in advance, but not silence.
Do I need video, or are photos enough?
Either works. If you have time, a short clip of the product or the packing shows the shop is real. If time is short, clear photos with complete information beat a rushed clip.
Do platforms have different campaign rules?
They can, and they change from year to year. This article states no platform's rules. Read the latest announcement in the seller centre of the platform you use.
What should I do after the campaign ends?
Clear pending chats, check that everything shipped, ask politely for reviews, sum up the numbers and note what to do differently next round. Most shops skip this part, but it pays back the most over time.
Summary
Open your calendar and note the D-30 to D+3 dates for the campaign your shop will join. Then work in order: stock and margin first, posts in advance, chat and packing systems, rehearsal and scheduling. On the day, answer chat by schedule. Afterwards follow up with customers and review the results. A small shop can be well prepared without a big shop's budget.
