#217 The Holiday Hangover | Why January Breaks So Many Ecommerce Brands

2026-01-02

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What is the (ecommerce) holiday hangover? If December was your biggest month ever, January can feel like something broke overnight.During December sales spike, ads look strong, and dashboards glow green.But January hits and suddenly refunds accelerate, inventory disappears and cash tightens.In this Week in Review, Neil breaks down why December rewards volume but January reveals discipline. You’ll learn how post-holiday returns, refund timing, inventory lockups, and fixed expenses quietly crush unprepared ecommerce brands, even after a “record” Q4.If you understand what January is actually showing you, it can become your s...

What is the (ecommerce) holiday hangover?

If December was your biggest month ever, January can feel like something broke overnight.

During December sales spike, ads look strong, and dashboards glow green.But January hits and suddenly refunds accelerate, inventory disappears and cash tightens.
In this Week in Review, Neil breaks down why December rewards volume but January reveals discipline. You’ll learn how post-holiday returns, refund timing, inventory lockups, and fixed expenses quietly crush unprepared ecommerce brands, even after a “record” Q4.

If you understand what January is actually showing you, it can become your strongest quarter instead of your worst.

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In This Episode, We Cover:

✅ How post-holiday returns distort revenue and cash flow

✅ The inventory lockup problem sellers never model

✅ How refund velocity creates cash flow gaps

✅ Why payroll, 3PLs, and ad bills expose weak systems

✅ How operators plan for January before Christmas

📍 Chapters

01:49 Why January is revealing, not slow

02:59 How post-holiday returns break cash flow timing

04:15 Inventory lockup and reverse logistics delays