Rakuten Viber for Business

From Click to Checkout: The Retail Messaging Playbook

September to January is retail’s highest-stakes messaging window. Discover how to use Viber across 11 key shopping moments — from building your audience and converting peak-season demand to supporting customers and driving repeat purchases.

3D mockup of the Retail Playbook 2026 cover

81%

of retailers have already seen measurable revenue or engagement gains from messaging

2x

more retailers rank Rakuten Viber #1 for trust and security than other messaging apps

Source: Omdia, commissioned by Rakuten Viber (2026).

The season where every message counts

Peak season moves fast. Every customer interaction is a chance to turn attention into action; and one well-timed conversation can make the difference.

That’s what this playbook helps you do:

  • Follow the customer journey.

    From discovery through conversion, delivery, and retention — the full arc of the season, not just the peak.

  • 11 key moments, made practical.

    Viber business messaging strategies for each moment along the way, with what to send and when.

  • Consistent with your brand.

    Every conversation stays aligned with your brand voice, your audience, and your campaign goals.

The goal: Turn peak-season attention into immediate results and lasting customer relationships.

Get the playbook

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One season. Four phases. The right conversation at every stage.

Shopping season isn’t one long promotional window. Customer needs change from September through January — and your messaging strategy should change with them.

  1. 1

    Pre-Season / Warm-up

    September – early October

    Awareness & Consideration

    Brand awareness campaigns and lead-generation flows that build your opted-in audience — the list you’ll activate all season.

  2. 2

    Peak Surge

    November — 11.11, Black Friday, Cyber Monday

    Consideration & Conversion

    Personalized promotions, referral flows, and cart-recovery messages that turn peak traffic into completed checkouts.

  3. 3

    Holiday Stretch

    Early – late December — 12.12, gifting, delivery deadlines

    Conversion & Customer Service

    Checkout-recovery nudges, cross-sell bundles, and automated order updates that protect revenue and your support team at once.

  4. 4

    Post-Peak

    Late December – January — returns, New Year sales

    Customer Service & Retention

    FAQ automation, follow-up offers, and win-back campaigns that turn one-time peak buyers into long-term customers.

What’s inside

  • 11 use cases, mapped end to end

    Awareness, consideration, conversion, customer service, and retention — each mapped through Entry → In-thread → Conversion.

  • Your shopping season at a glance

    How the season shifts from September to January, and where messaging makes the biggest impact at each phase.

  • Regional data snapshots

    Quick wins from real Q4 results in Ukraine, Greece, the Philippines, and Bulgaria — timing, format, and length, ready to test.

  • Shopping season best practices

    Four principles for sharpening your messaging strategy before campaigns go live.

  • Getting started

    A month-by-month launch checklist, from September template approvals to the January retention campaigns that pay off longest.

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Ready for shopping season?

Get the strategies, insights, and a practical checklist to help you connect with shoppers from their first interaction through their next purchase.