Getting To Know Your Holiday Customers

2015

The holidays may still be a few months away, but consumers are already gearing up for the year’s biggest shopping season.

They’re searching for deals and checking them twice across a variety of screens (mobile, increasingly).

Given that the holiday shopping season kicks off earlier every year, here are some seasonal highlights from last year.

'Tis the season... to shop

ON THE RIGHT COURSE FOR A STRONG 2015 HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON

NRF forecasts Holiday retail sales to increase

4.1%

Source: NRF

All OF Q4 IMPACTS HOLIDAY SALES

Source: NRF

In 2013, October thru December delivered similar levels of sales.In 2014, November was a strongest driver for sales activity.Predicting the best sales month may be difficult for 2015, so a continual advertising presence starting in October would be the optimal course of action.

Start early

2015 HOLIDAY SHOPPERS WILL…

Use mobile more frequently to help them shop online

Half of shoppers will research purchases before Thanksgiving weekend

52% of online smartphone shoppers used their phones throughout the shopping process

Source: Google Holiday survey

Consult more sources before

making decision

12 sources consulted... nearly tripled from 2010

I've already started before Labor Day Before Halloween Black Friday/Cyber Monday

early December

15%5% 9%

19%

48%

SHOPPERS START EARLY

29% of shoppers will research before Halloween

Halfwill research before Thanksgiving

Source: Google Holiday survey

WHY CONSUMERS START SHOPPING EARLY

Source: NRF

MARKETERS HAVE MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE EARLY IN THE SEASON

57%of holiday shoppers don’t have

specific products or brands in mind when they begin their holiday

shopping

78%of consumers are not loyal to a particular

brand

Source: Google Holiday survey

WINDOW OF INLFUENCE EXTENDS THRU THE HOLIDAY

Source: Google Holiday survey

41%of shoppers will not complete holiday shopping until mid-December

24%of shoppers will not complete holiday shopping until the “last minute”

8%of shoppers will not complete holiday shopping until after Christmas day

SO LONG BLACK FRIDAY, HELLO GRAY FRIDAY

Source: Google Holiday survey

Last holiday season, shoppers seemed hungrier for a deal than they were for turkey.

Black Friday transformed into Gray Friday; the big shopping day’s sales were diluted a bit as retailers began their promotions and deals early.

Retailers stretched Black Friday deals and promotions across the whole month of November removing the focus from one big day of shopping.

GRAY

Week of Thanksgiving & Black Friday

9 WEEK PRIOR

8 WEEK PRIOR

7 WEEK PRIOR

6 WEEK PRIOR

5 WEEK PRIOR

4 WEEK PRIOR

3 WEEK PRIOR

2 WEEK PRIOR

1 WEEK PRIOR

2012 2013 2014

QUERIES PEAKED EARLIER‘Black Friday’ Query Demand

Consumers are researching Black

Friday earlier each year

2013

2012

2014

Source: Google Trends/US

HOLIDAY SHOPPING HAPPENS ONLINE

5 hours 46 minutesTime spent on digital

Increased by more than 2 hours in the past three years

Source: Google Holiday survey

4 of 5 holiday shoppersconsider the internet themost “useful” resource

ONLINE SEARCH INFLUENCES SHOPPERSShoppers are 1.5x more likely to buy than those who do not use search

Source: Google Holiday survey

SMARTPHONE – ULTIMATE SHOPPING ASSISTANT

75% of smartphone shoppers plan to use the phone in-store this holiday season

Source: Google Holiday survey

Source: RAM

Top Sources For Holiday Shopping Decisions

Among Newspaper Readers

61% Coupons61% Newspaper Ads56% Online Retail56% Newspaper Inserts53% Catalogs40% Online Reviews18% TV/Radio Ads

89% Look in the newspaper for THANKSGIVING

specials

NEWSPAPER IS A GREAT RESOURCE TOO!

Source: RAM

Among Newspaper Readers

71% browse ads for gift ideas

58% use ads to compare prices

WAYS THEY USE NEWSPAPER ADS

Source: RAM

RECAP…BIGGEST DAYS FOR SHOPPING

Source: Google Holiday survey

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

ThanksgivingMore

than 50% started

shopping

Biggest days for in-store shoppingBiggest days for online shoppingDays spike in shopping-related to searches on mobile

BlackFriday

CyberMonday

GreenMonday

Gifts for Dad peak

ChristmasGifts for Mom peak

KEY TAKE-AWAYS

The Internet has changed the game for the holiday season.

Smartphone owners are comfortable using their phone as a shopping companion.

There is no shopping season… consumers like to shop early and late.

Want to learn more about reaching holiday shoppers for your business?

Contact us today

P: 517.377.1124E: sholmes@Michigan.com