Editor’s note: Catherine Gutierrez is VP of Marketing at MFour Mobile Research, Irvine, Calif. This is an edited version of a piece that originally appeared under the title, “All I want for Christmas is … more consumers.”
I get it.
You don’t want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing you need.
More consumers to help get you back in the black.
The good news is 83% of consumers we polled still have plenty left to check off their Christmas lists. If you’re looking to get them for your very own – and make their wish come true – focus on:
- Family.
- Easy delivery options.
- A great online and in-store experience.
1. Family.
It all starts at home.
People want to celebrate. But 72% say Christmas Day will look different this year. This is your chance. Help them feel close to their families and make Christmas seem as close to normal as it can be.
Stuck on what to do?
Find out what’s working – and what is not. Think about your social media presence. You already know 55% say they’ll learn about sales through social media. So, test your ad creative in a real social feed.
Or dig into the online experience. Use a consumer panel to represent your target market. Survey shoppers to hear about their e-commerce journey. Then, use the data to craft an action plan for online ads and messaging.
After all, 69% will shop for gifts online and in-store this year.
Be ready to support both.
In the meantime, you should also know that 38% spend $100 or more per gift on family members. By learning what they’re buying – and where – you improve your ability to sell more products.
2. Easy delivery options.
We’re still in lockdown.
That means it’s harder to shop in-person for presents in many states. And 24% of consumers say they’ll only shop online this year. That’s three times the number who will only shop in-store. Wow, how times have changed.
Get creative.
Find ways to reward your buyers. Give them an omnichannel experience, starting with a simple way to get gifts to their loved ones online and in-store. Sending gifts is just as hard as deciding what to buy in the first place. Consider special shipping options, gift wrap or even just faster delivery.
Then, advertise what you’re doing to help make the holidays simpler this year.
Here’s why. According to our research at the time of this writing, 66% still need to buy at least half of their Christmas gifts. By making it simple to send gifts to their family and friends – you’re much more likely to see a larger order volume. It’s worth the investment.
Not sure where to start?
Run a real-time survey on your target audience. Speak to in-store shoppers. See how well they’ve been able to find what they’re looking for. Then, see what they’d like in delivery options for things they weren’t able to locate. Compare this data with what an online consumer panel has to say and adjust accordingly.
After all, 72% will have more gifts delivered this year. Yes, most of it is due to COVID-19. But a subset of 40% say it’s just easier to order and ship gifts online. Bolster your efforts and be sure to be a big part of their Christmas shopping experience.
3. A great online and in-store experience.
Speaking of experiences, make yours count.
That’s how you’ll stand out this year. Sure, it’s always important to have an amazing customer experience. Eighty-six percent of consumers will pay more for a great experience, but there’s more to it.
Buyers go big on Christmas.
In fact, 40% of people spend $500+ on Christmas presents each year. This is the time to make a massive impact on revenue. What are they buying? Well the No. 1 gift everyone seems to want is a PlayStation 5.
Not too far from normal
There’s good news – 40% will spend the same amount on gifts this year. That’s huge. It means you can expect items that performed well for you in 2019 to work again this year. Sure, your messaging will likely be different, and an extra sale may help, but you’re not too far off the normal path.
There’s still time. For 52% of people, they still have 90% of their shopping left to do. They didn’t tap out even with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.