It’s been over a week since Halloween, which means it is officially the holiday season. Time to get ready for the biggest holidays of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. According to Signal, 47% of consumers have already thought about gift ideas for the holiday season, which means they are starting the search process. Some even started as early as September, which means if you haven’t started preparing for the holiday season, you better start now.
This year is a huge shift for the retailer shipping experience. More consumers are shopping through digital platforms than ever. Last year on Black Friday, there was a 30% increase in sales via mobile devices from 2014. This year, holiday retail sales on smartphones are expected to grow by 50%.
What does this mean for you?
Go digital. Improve your consumer’s digital experience. As digital shifts consumer behavior, your marketing strategy should adapt. Keep your website simple and easy to navigate. If your website is slow, consumers are going to get frustrated and move to another retailer whose site is more fast, efficient, and seamless. Likewise, make sure your mobile platform is up to par in the same regards. Make their experiences consistent across all platforms. Adding options like buying online and picking up in-store will also attract consumers to retailers. In fact, 60% of consumers reported that purchasing online and picking up in-store will influence where they make purchases.
Make sure you have relevant, targeted digital advertising that won’t annoy consumers because it is generic. 43% of consumers report digital ads on a website or mobile app influence their purchasing decision and 27% of consumers say that ads help them with new gift ideas. However, 48% of people feel that digital ads are annoying. What does this mean? Customize and target your digital ads so that consumers can use them to help their purchasing decisions. Use first party data to recognize customers across different devices. Consumers want relevant ads that are going to make their shopping experience easier and simpler amidst the holiday chaos.
Who doesn’t love discounts and deals? 46% of consumers report that they will make purchasing decisions based on relevant deals and discounts. Make sure to include deals to attract these consumers. The holidays are expensive and any discount is quite enticing to consumers.
The advent of the holiday season means it’s time to start the race to get the best gifts and deals for family and friends. It’s time for the panic, rush, and chaos. Everyone is familiar with the anxiety and stress of the holiday season and no one enjoys it. That’s why it is pertinent for retailers to make the holiday season easier for the consumer. If you take away anything, make sure to remember these three marketing tips for this holiday season:
1. Provide fast, reliable platforms that offer a consistent experience across channels (emphasis on the digital)
2. Use targeted, relevant ads to help consumers with gift ideas and purchasing decisions.
3. Consumers want discounts and deals so they don’t break their banks!
Tis’ the Season to be Digital, Happy Holidays!
