3 Holiday Shopping Trends Brands Should Expect & How to Lean Into Them [Shopper Data]

The holidays are beautiful overmuch here, and my caput is still spinning from really accelerated 2024 went by. And if you‘re a marketer, your caput whitethorn besides beryllium spinning trying to fig retired this year’s vacation shopping trends.

You needn‘t worry; I’ve sewage you covered pinch insights from our astir caller user trends report. Let‘s research consumers’ minds and find what trading and shopping trends you'll request to leverage this season.

Table of Contents

• Holiday Shopping Trends
• Holiday Marketing Trends
• What's Next?

Holiday Shopping Trends

Last Christmas, I was scrolling done Instagram connected my sister‘s sofa (as I’m prone to do) erstwhile I saw a photograph of 2 velvet blouses by a shop I emotion called Midnight Hour.

My sister had conscionable fixed maine money arsenic a gift (best sister ever), truthful I utilized immoderate of nan money to bargain some tops straight done nan business' Instagram.

Our 2024 Consumer Trend Tracking Report shows that my shopping acquisition aligns pinch astir consumers.

More consumers will return to societal media for their shopping.

Social media is nan #1 transmission for merchandise find for Gen Z, my chap Millennials, and Gen X. While it‘s not nan apical transmission for Boomers, our findings bespeak they’re quickly warming up to societal media shopping, too.

In fact, a 3rd of our study respondents opportunity they person discovered a merchandise connected societal media wrong nan past fewer months.

Furthermore, our study shows that 1 successful 4 societal media users person bought a merchandise straight via a societal media app, a 39% summation from past year. So, this vacation season, brands and businesses should expect much consumers to observe and acquisition products via societal media.

So, thin into devices for illustration Instagram Shopping, TikTok Live Shopping, aliases TikTok Shop truthful you tin meet consumers wherever they are astatine (social media) and person them bargain straight from your platform.

Remember erstwhile I said I was scrolling done Instagram connected my sister‘s couch? I wasn’t scrolling via my laptop; I was connected my telephone erstwhile I discovered and purchased nan blouses, which brings maine to different user shopping trend.

Mobile Shopping and purchasing will beryllium connected nan emergence this season.

Regarding online shopping, mobile phones are utilized much than immoderate different device, particularly among Gen Z. Our study shows that 71% of Gen Z usage mobile phones astir often erstwhile shopping online.

Moreover, 63% of consumers successful our survey, crossed generations, usage mobile erstwhile looking up a mobility successful a hunt engine. This plays into really consumers shop because astir will usage their mobile phones erstwhile searching for questions astir products.

For example, I Googled durable wintertime tights connected my smartphone a fewer days agone and was shown a fewer brands to cheque out. After capable research, I bought a brace via my smartphone.

This vacation shopping season, guarantee your website is optimized for mobile shopping and browsing since astir consumers will do their online shopping and merchandise investigation from their mobile devices.

Consumers will activity their favourite influencer's stamp of approval.

I don‘t travel galore influencers, and I can’t callback nan past clip an influencer convinced maine to bargain something, but that marks maine arsenic an outlier arsenic much consumers look to influencers to thief make buying decisions.

Our study shows influencers effect purchasing decisions more, pinch complete a 5th of societal media users (21%) buying a merchandise based connected an influencer proposal successful nan past 3 months.

And if you‘re trying to pull Gen Z, it’s important to cognize that Zoomers clasp influencer recommendations successful higher respect than recommendations from friends and family (9% vs 7%, respectively).

More consumers are besides pursuing virtual influencers. In 2024, 28% of societal media users travel virtual influencers, up from 25% successful 2022.

Consider uncovering influencers who align pinch your marque and imagination and sparking collaboration pinch them truthful you tin amended link pinch your audience.

Holiday Marketing Trends

So, we cognize what shoppers are doing this year. Let's spot what brands are doing.

Brands will supply relatable, authentic vacation content.

So, what do consumers want brands to put successful their metaphorical stockings this year? Relatability!

According to our report, consumers crave relatable content, but only 63% opportunity that nan contented brands station connected societal media seems authentic aliases relatable.

Of nan types of contented brands station connected societal media, 90% of consumers opportunity funny and relatable contented is nan astir memorable (or 52% and 38%, respectively). 63% opportunity it's much important for a trading video to beryllium authentic and relatable than polished and high-quality.

I foretell that brands will reside this spread this twelvemonth by creating funny, relatable contented that caters to consumers' interests.

Businesses will beforehand firm responsibility.

I besides spot much brands releasing trading contented that takes a stance connected important issues aliases demonstrates firm responsibility.

50% of U.S. adults opportunity brands should do much regarding societal advocacy, and I person already seen immoderate brands answering that call.

As portion of its vacation marketing, True Religion collaborated pinch Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion for nan denim company‘s vacation collection.

The institution hosted an arena pinch nan rapper’s Pete & Thomas Foundation, a instauration that supports underserved communities.

The “Where Wishes Come True” arena focused connected providing vacation gifts to those successful need, including LGBT and at-risk youth.

True Religion‘s trading video from nan arena deed each nan points I mentioned above. It’s authentic and relatable, featuring candid footage of Megan Thee Stallion shopping and having nosy pinch fans and gift recipients.

Participants besides shared their genuine excitement astir spending clip pinch nan prima and what she and True Religion mean to them. Megan Thee Stallion's consciousness of joke and charisma besides shine, contributing to immoderate funny moments successful nan video.

And, of course, by centering nan arena connected helping LGBT and at-risk youth, True Religion is taking a guidelines for nan LGBT community.

Some brands whitethorn leverage AI-generated content, but beryllium careful!

We whitethorn besides spot brands dabble successful AI contented this vacation season, but I must pass against hopping connected this inclination excessively quickly. As I said before, relatability and authenticity are captious successful reaching consumers this vacation season.

An overreliance connected AI tin forestall authentic branding from sparkling through, alienating your audience. For example, Coca-Cola released its yearly vacation ad, which was generated utilizing AI. The advertisement received dense backlash from viewers who recovered it “creepy” and impersonal.

Prepare to spot much influencer and contented creator collaborations.

Instead of relying heavy connected AI successful your ads, I propose leveraging influencers and contented creators to build authentic connections pinch your audience. This is different inclination I expect to summation prominence this season.

For example, Fenty Beauty is leveraging influencers for illustration Stephanie Valentine to beforehand products that create vacation looks.

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What's Next?

Now that you‘ve learned astir these cardinal vacation trends commencement getting up of nan Black Friday buzz by preparing and finalizing your vacation campaigns if you haven’t already done so.

In nan meantime, I‘ll apt beryllium backmost connected my sister’s comfy sofa this twelvemonth to do much online shopping. Happy holidays!