12 Key Days of This Holiday Season: How to Prepare Early and Drive Profits

By Jason Fass

ATTRACT EARLY SHOPPERS

Prepare for the longest holiday shopping season yet

This year, people are buying their gifts early. Very early. They’ve spent the past two years watching the pandemic impact the holiday shopping season with supply chain issues, price fluctuations, and retail staff shortages. Now, they’re kicking off their shopping months in advance to get what they need, when they need it, and for the right price. In fact, as early as July, Google searches for “Black Friday deals” grew by over 200% in the U.S. compared to last year.1 This buyer enthusiasm means retailers have the chance to attract savvy shoppers early and distribute revenue opportunities across a longer period of time.


REACH OMNIBUYERS

People now shop intuitively across channels

When it comes to holiday shopping, people know the right gift when they see it. They let their intuition guide them as they seamlessly shop both online and offline, frequently seeking inspiration by comparing products across multiple categories at a time. This consumer behavior was exemplified last year, when 54% of shoppers used five or more channels — like search, video, and social media — to shop over a two-day holiday period.2 As people continue to blend their inspiration, browsing, and shopping times, retailers now have even more touchpoints they can use to attract customers.

Think with Google
Source: Google/Ipsos, U.S., Holiday Shopping Study, online survey, n=7,253, Americans 18+ who conducted holiday shopping activities in past two days, Oct. 2021–Jan. 2022.

CREATE ADVOCATES

Holiday shoppers can become brand loyalists

People who have positive gift-buying experiences tend to become repeat customers, even after the Black Friday frenzy dies down. This means retailers have a huge opportunity to give holiday shoppers a reason to return, which will drive profitability and long-term growth. It’s important, then, that retailers communicate their unique value and offerings to shoppers. For example, brands could showcase their outstanding customer service, help customers support causes they believe in, offer loyalty rewards, or provide a combination of all these benefits and more.

Prepare for these key dates to help drive a successful and profitable holiday season.


ATTRACT EARLY SHOPPERS

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