It’s the festive season, and everyone wants to go on a holiday shopping spree for their loved ones. But things aren’t going to be as smooth this year due to ever-increasing inflation. According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, sales will remain stagnant and won’t show significant growth. However, it’s estimated that consumers will spend around $833 on presents, such as food and decorations.
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Holiday Shopping Trends 2022
Online Sales Would Skyrocket
This is not a surprise. Since the last decade, people have been shopping online at their favorite stores. The pandemic pushed the online market into a new era of success as there was an increase in impulse buying behavior. This year an increase of 2.5% is predicted as the holiday shopping season has already taken off.
The shopping season would end somewhere close to New Year’s Eve. Although the discount season has been prolonged, the sales volume would not be near as much as last year’s numbers. The lag in growth can be contributed towards the increase in inflation. Making people question everything that they want to purchase.
Brands would need to take it up a notch and make sure that their website or application is mobile-friendly. This would allow businesses to save money on leasing a space, and paying the ever-increasing rent moving towards an online store is the right decision in such an economic crisis. Imagine finishing your holiday shopping while resting on your sofa and taking a sip of hot chocolate.
Get Humans Involved
Even technology gets monotonous and brands should consider getting humans involved in the customer buying journey. Chatbots are sure good for answering the basic inquiries of customers. But you would need your sales agents to make sure that the query gets converted to a positive sale. Consumers want to interact with humans to ensure they aren’t being scammed.
A hybrid mix should be considered between a chatbot and live agents, where a customer can seek refuge from either one. 2022 was the year of technology, but it will just be part of the solution in the coming year. Brands can use this as a differentiating factor when competing with fellow companies. During the holiday season, a well-thought-out customer engagement strategy can take your company to new heights of success. Understand customers’ needs and their purchase history and create a marketing strategy accordingly.
Shoppable Live Streaming
Wherever you are, you would likely see you’ll find video content. From Facebook to TikTok, videos and reels are everywhere. Majorly because they are relatively easier to make and help boost engagement with clients. This is classified as social selling, which has very recently become a trending concept. It’s simple, live stream your current products and sell them through a live session on social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook.
There would be an increase in people buying your products during the live stream. Give your viewers a choice to buy while enjoying your live stream. Social media managers should use platforms such as Instagram to reach or interact with prospective audience members. This way, deals would be closed in a timely manner.
Holiday Shopping: Marketing Strategies for Businesses
Boost Sales Through Mobile Marketing
These days everyone uses handheld devices to purchase from their favorite brands. Mobile phones are simple and easy to use, even by the older generations. Consumers click on a link that redirects them to the retail website, where they can add their favorite items to the cart. All of this can happen while an individual is on the move.
As the holiday season is approaching, brands should focus on mobile marketing. This strategy would bear fruitful results in the form of increased sales. It was estimated that last year around $35 billion worth of sales were made through this strategy
Optimizing your mobile apps during the festive season can help increase conversion rates. Hence making your business a prime example in the world of digital marketing. One example that comes to mind is Amazon, which offers mobile-only deals that can’t be availed at the physical store. This measure helps drive the customers towards the mobile app providing businesses with valuable insights.
The best practice for mobile marketing is using A/B testing. This assures that you are delivering the highest quality customer experience across all channels. Consider website experience when optimizing your message. It will help with customer engagement levels. Include CTAs to make the lives of consumers hassle-free, and they can make purchase decisions without thinking twice.
Holiday Season X Influencers
In today’s social media landscape, partnering with influencers has become a need rather than a want. Seek help from micro or macro influencers, as they have a dedicated following. This holiday season, make room in your budget for marketing through influencers. Social media celebrities are good at creating hype around your products. This measure would help improve your website’s traffic.
Inevitably leading to an increase in conversion rate. Individuals seek advice from their favorite content creators before buying a product. This effect gets amplified, especially during the holiday season. Influencers can relay the usage of the given product and how it can help them in their everyday lives. Users tend to trust a product and its review when given by a human rather than a robot.
Holiday Shopping- For Consumers
When brands are looking to increase their profit margins, laypeople want something that is beneficial for them and their loved ones. We have struck a perfect mix. Here are some products that you can buy for your loved ones:
- DIY Slushy Maker Cup: Ever wondered how you can make a shush at home without putting in much time and effort? We have a product that can answer all your burning questions. All you need to do is refrigerate the cup for 5 to 6 hours. And then, pour the mixture of your choice into the cup. Squeeze the cup for a few minutes, and Voila!
- 14K Gold Hoop Earrings: If you are in the mood for love this holiday season, consider giving your partner these earrings. It’s simple and stylish and is as light as a feather. They are available in multiple colors, such as rose, white and yellow gold. Your significant other would love this gift and might even introduce you to her parents.
- 3D Moon Lamp: If you want to turn your room into a galaxy, things don’t get better than this lamp. It has around six color transformations that can be controlled via the remote that comes along with it. Listen to nostalgic music while turning on this lamp. It would teleport you to a world not known to anyone.
Let There Be Gifts!
Due to the increased inflation rate this holiday season, the foot traffic at different retail stores would be significantly lower. However, people would indulge in shopping through online stores. Individuals would avail coupons and use promo codes just to shave off a few bucks. This time comes once a year, so be mindful that you spend it with people close to you. Before signing off, I would ask you to also consider underprivileged people when celebrating the holiday season.
