Holiday season shopping trends in 2021- Google Research
Monday, November 21
The New Year’s shopping season has already started. However, according to Google data, it started in the summer for many shoppers. Yes, yes, research by Google and Ipsos has shown that people in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa have started preparing for the new year in June! And why not, actually.
Why do people start buying gifts for Christmas & New Year so early? First of all, it happens because of transportation issues. The pandemic hit logistics hard resulting in constant delivery delays and goods shortages. To make sure their gifts arrive on time, people order them a few months ahead. And secondly, retailers themselves start their Christmas & New Year advertising campaigns early to attract as many buyers as possible.
The Google team has spotted some trends in shopper behavior this holiday season. They also shared tips on how marketers can communicate effectively with potential customers at every step of the buying journey.
Google’s user movement reports show that offline store traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, about 40% of shoppers say they will shop holiday gifts online. According to Google research, 37% of users in the EMEA region think that pandemic has changed the way they shop.
Logistics issues also seriously affected customer behavior. 49% of online shoppers say they need to be sure the product is in stock before making a purchase. Google is seeing an increase in searches for product availability.
Google noticed that users are more likely to buy products from local manufacturers. This way, they help businesses to stay afloat in these uncertain times. There have been launched many ad campaigns to support local brands around the world.
About 56% of consumers try to buy locally produced food and goods. First of all, as we said, they help small businesses. And secondly, buying from local brands is more convenient. People don’t need to wait days or even weeks for delivery.
The pandemic has weakened people not only physically and mentally, but also financially. We try to be more aware of our expenses. Google report showed that 46% of shoppers plan to postpone a purchase until the sale starts. Many users shop for gifts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Even though people are going to spend money on gifts, they want to do it consciously and control their spendings. Therefore, retailers need to develop lucrative offers and follow what their target audience is interested in. Also, don’t forget to track customer preferences in Google Trends and ad statistics.
We do not know for sure how the 2021 festive season will go. New pandemic restrictions, possible delivery delays, and shortages of goods are just a few options for what could go wrong. That said, Google marketers provide some tips for what brands need to look out for this season.
We hope these trends from Google will help you upgrade your Christmas and New Year ad campaign.
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