4 Holiday Shopping Predictions for Retail Marketers

The week of retailers’ dreams (or nightmares) is upon us.  But this year — we all know why —  the holiday shopping season is already in full swing. Retailers have not limited special sales to just Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but have extended them a week, a month,  and for some, even more. 

We all knew this year would be different. According to a recent Salesforce consumer survey, 47% of shoppers are more interested in holiday shopping online than last year. The role of the digital marketer is more crucial than ever. 

Below are some predictions we made about what retail marketers should be focused on this holiday shopping season in our 2020 Marketer’s Guide to Holiday Planning. 

1. Replicate the in-person experience online. 

While shopping online is convenient, personal customer interactions and trying on merchandise are difficult or not possible. Retailers have had to creatively find ways to enhance the customer experience online — such as utilizing chats or Zoom to speak directly to someone, and creating more in depth product descriptions. 
 

2. Focus on "click and collect." 

Brick and mortar stores still will play a vital role in holiday shopping. Buying online, and picking up at the store (BOPIS) eliminates shipping costs, and long wait times for items to come. This will come in handy especially for the last minute holiday shoppers who don’t want to pay a premium for one day shipping costs. 
 

3. Provide creative "gift experiences." 

Now that so many people are shopping online, giving a gift card is not only a great way to let someone choose exactly what they want, but also very convenient when bought and received digitally. Curated, prepackaged gift sets purchased online also make giving someone a thoughtful, unique gift look effortless. 
 

4. Create frictionless commerce. 

Frictionless commerce is the process of creating seamless, convenient buying experiences that integrate naturally into a customer’s everyday activities. This year every chance to make it frictionless will have an impact -- whether its zero-touch payment options, minimal clicks from purchase to checkout, or automated subscription boxes. dictions

For more insights, trends, and a checklist of what retail marketers should be planning for, check out our ebook, A Marketer's Guide to Holiday Planning.