How to Run Seasonal FSA/HSA Campaigns That Actually Convert

Turn key FSA/HSA moments into sales, retention, and loyalty boosts.

Here's a secret: FSA/HSA shoppers aren't thinking about their benefits every day.
They think about them at specific times of year — and when they do, they're in spend mode.

If you're not running campaigns around those seasonal spikes, you're missing out on one of the easiest ways to grow conversion and AOV.

The 3 Big FSA/HSA Seasons

1. Open Enrollment (Nov–Dec)

• Shoppers are choosing benefits and thinking about how they'll use them.

• Perfect moment to educate and capture subscriptions.

2. Use-It-or-Lose-It (Nov–Dec, especially late Dec)

• Most FSA funds expire Dec 31.

• Shoppers scramble to spend leftover dollars.

3. Tax Season (Feb–Apr)

• Consumers get tax reminders and realize how much pre-tax money they left unused.

• Perfect time to retarget past buyers with “don't leave money on the table” campaigns.

Pro Tip: You don't need separate playbooks for each — just tweak messaging and timing.

Campaign 1: Open Enrollment

Why it matters:

• Consumers are re-evaluating health spend.

• They're actively looking for ways to stretch benefits.

What to do:

• Launch educational content: blog posts, PDP copy, FAQs explaining eligibility.

• Promote subscriptions: “Lock in your savings for the year.”

• Use email/SMS: subject line “Make your 2026 benefits go further.”

Burst tie-in: Highlight that Burst automates reimbursements all year long, so shoppers don't need to think about claims.

Campaign 2: Use-It-or-Lose-It (December urgency)

Why it matters:

• Billions of dollars expire unused every December.

• This is the single highest-intent shopping window for FSA.

What to do:

• Create a dedicated collection: “Use Your FSA Dollars Before They Expire.”

• Add urgency banners: “Only 5 days left to use your FSA.”

• Bundle products: pre-packaged kits that feel like easy, last-minute decisions.

Burst tie-in:
Add checkout reassurance: “Your FSA/HSA-eligible items will be reimbursed automatically — no paperwork needed.”

Campaign 3: Tax Season

Why it matters:

• People are already in financial mindset.

• They see how much they wasted last year and don't want to repeat it.

What to do:

• Email campaign: “Maximize your 2025 benefits — don't leave dollars unspent.”

• Push content on FSA-friendly subscriptions: “Never scramble at year-end again.”

• Retarget existing customers: “Remember, your [product] is FSA/HSA eligible.”

Burst tie-in:
Remind customers they can set-and-forget reimbursement with Burst by connecting their account once.

Awareness Levers That Drive Seasonal Success

Seasonal urgency only works if shoppers know what qualifies.
That means doubling down on badges, collections, and nudges:

• ✅ Badges: Add them to PDPs and cart to reduce doubt.

• 🛍️ Collections: Create seasonal landing pages (“Year-End FSA Savings”).

• 💬 Nudges: Checkout banners + order confirmation emails reinforcing reimbursement.

Burst makes this automatic — products are tagged, collections build themselves, and post-purchase nudges guide shoppers.

Which Campaign Channels Work Best?

Different channels shine in different seasonal windows:

• Email & SMS (highest converting):

  • Perfect for year-end and tax season when urgency is high.

  • Shoppers are already checking inboxes for deadlines and financial reminders.

  • Use: urgent subject lines (“3 days left to spend your FSA dollars”).

• Paid & Organic Social (best for discovery):

  • Strong during open enrollment when shoppers are exploring and planning.

  • Works well to drive new traffic to “FSA/HSA Eligible” collections.

  • Use: educational creatives + explainer videos.

• Best Practice:

  • Use social for awareness and education.

  • Use email/SMS for conversion and urgency.

  • Layer both to maximize seasonal spikes.

Examples of Campaign Messaging

• Open Enrollment:
  “Set up your subscription now and get reimbursed automatically all year long.”

• Year-End:
  “Don't let your FSA dollars expire. Shop eligible products today — we'll handle reimbursement.”

• Tax Season:
  “See how much you could save with your benefits this year. Your [Product] qualifies.”

Common Merchant Mistakes

• Running generic discounts instead of benefits campaigns. Customers prefer real savings with their pre-tax dollars over % off sales.

• Only messaging year-end. Leaves money on the table in open enrollment and tax season.

• Forgetting education. Seasonal urgency works best when paired with clarity around eligibility.

How Burst Powers Seasonal Campaigns

With Burst, merchants can:

• Auto-tag eligible SKUs into seasonal collections

• Surface eligibility badges across PDP, cart, checkout, and emails

• Automate LMN generation (<24 hrs) for products that need them

• Trigger post-purchase flows that reinforce reimbursement

👉 Want to make seasonal campaigns turnkey? See how Burst works for brands.

Next Steps

1. Plan 3 campaigns: Open Enrollment, Year-End, Tax Season.

2. Use social for education and email/SMS for urgency + conversion.

3. Build seasonal collections with Burst's auto-tagging.

4. Add urgency messaging to PDPs, cart, checkout.

5. Automate reimbursement education in post-purchase flows.

The Bottom Line: FSA/HSA campaigns work best when they're seasonal, multi-channel, and reinforced at every step. With Burst, you can make each campaign a high-conversion event without adding ops overhead.

References

[1] Devenir Research. “FSA/HSA Utilization Trends.” 2025.
[2] Burst. “Boost sales with friction-free FSA/HSA checkout.” getburst.com