You may be thinking, “It’s way too early to start talking about the holidays.” But, this year the holiday shopping season is shorter, with five fewer days between Thanksgiving and the end of the year compared to last year. In today’s Tech News Tuesday, we’re talking about holiday shopping trends and how to make the most of them. We’re also looking at how to connect with Gen Z shoppers for the holidays.
With the holiday season condensed, consumers are starting their shopping earlier, with 34% of U.S. consumers having already begun by July 2024. That’s a significant jump from 28% last year. This shift means you can’t wait for the traditional peak days like Black Friday. You’ll want to engage consumers throughout the season.
Consumer Mindsets
Google talks about four consumer mindsets to consider when planning your customer engagement strategy — deliberate, deal-seeking, determined, and devoted. Understanding these can give you an edge in your holiday marketing strategy.
Deliberate Mindset
Starting as early as May, consumers enter the deliberate mindset. During this mindset stage, buyers carefully research and plan their holiday purchases.
Deal-Seeking Mindset
As the season progresses, consumers shift into the deal-seeking mindset. This mindset is especially apparent during Cyber Week.
Determined Mindset
By December, consumers shift mindsets and are determined to make their purchases.
Devoted Mindset
Following the holidays, devoted customers continue shopping with preferred brands and prioritize brand loyalty.
For this year’s shorter season, focusing on those early-shopping mindsets — deliberate and deal-seeking — is crucial. Brands that build confidence with consumers early and encourage purchases before the holiday rush will stay top of mind throughout the season.
Appealing to Gen Z Customers
Are Gen Z shoppers your clients? They’re a force to be reckoned with, especially online. 55% of Gen Z have made purchases while browsing social media, and social platforms are becoming key for product discovery. This generation is heavily influenced by creators, with 73% of Gen Z buying based on creator recommendations.
73% of Gen Z customers make buying decisions based on social media creator recommendations.
That’s a huge opportunity for brands to leverage social media and creator partnerships. Gen Z’s shopping journey often starts with online searches or browsing in stores, but social media is right there in the mix. And as we’ve seen, tools like virtual try-ons could make a big difference, with nearly half of Gen Z saying they’d buy more clothes if they had access to great virtual try-on tools.
Tools and features like virtual try-on options make a big difference appealing to Gen Z.
While 70% of shoppers plan to start their holiday shopping by September, Gen Z tends to start later, with 50% planning to begin in early November or later. So, while early engagement is key, you also need to be ready to capture those late-season shoppers, especially among the younger crowd.
Here’s the bottom line: this year’s holiday shopping season is shorter and it’s an election year in the US making noisy channels even noisier. Understanding consumer mindsets and leveraging the right channels, especially for Gen Z, can make all the difference. Start early, stay consistent, and keep adapting as the season progresses.
Do you prefer to listen in? Here’s our podcast:
Links in this episode: A shorter holiday shopping season brings higher stakes. Make every connection count
55% of Gen Z have made an online purchase while browsing social media
Influencers Shape Gen Z Holiday Shopping Decisions [REPORT]
