In our previous blog, we touched upon how COVID-19 has affected retail and we looked at some emerging trends moving forward. We would like to continue the topic around shopping especially now with the holiday shopping season around the corner. Retail is adapting to the “new” norm and some changes will continue to stay with us. Let’s take a look at some of them, shall we?
We discussed in our previous blog how online retail has seen tremendous growth. Who has not heard of Cyber Monday, right? Amazon had just their special promo day called Prime Day. We will see more of these special online blowouts since consumer behavior has shifted more toward online retailing. Amazon’s online sales increased 36% during this two-day event called Prime Day. We wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll see an eBay or Etsy Day sometime soon.
Another trend that we think will continue to leave a footprint is the “purpose-driven shopper”. Consumers are more apt now to support their local businesses and shop at places that represent their values. According to Google Data, searches for “support local businesses” have increased tremendously globally. Of course, we expect to see more online research/purchase and curbside pickup during the holiday season. People will most likely try to get out earlier for in-store visits to avoid large crowds. Apparently, it’s called BOPIS+ now (Buy Online Pick Up In Store). There really is an acronym for everything, isn’t there? This means that retailers need to have their PPC strategy in the bag. Smart bidding with store visits is one way to go.
Some retailers like Home Depot have surprisingly announced that Black Friday is no more. Other retailers will likely follow suit. Now what? Well, great deals online can still be found, we can promise you that. Behold The Great Data! Data analysis of eCommerce patterns for example can help retailers to optimize their shopping deals and consumer-centric messages during the holiday season. So stores will find new ways for sure to push the digital shopping experience envelope.
The sad reality of our current economic situation is that consumers will look for the best deals available online. Affordability is the new keyword here. A close customer-retail relationship will always be paramount and we will probably see more product testing stations. Also, we will probably see more virtual experiences to win over shoppers. American Eagle had a virtual prom for example.
Since eCommerce is now a HUGE deal retailers have an amazing potential to tap into driving loyalty. This means it’s vital for retails to rank high on the SERP (Search Engine Result Page). According to Criteo, 83% of online shoppers said they will keep on purchasing from the “new” stores they had discovered online.
Of course, more holiday trends will be more important now than ever like apps, lifestyle (i.e. lifestyle changes due to the pandemic and capitalizing on this), and shorter travels. If you are interested in finding out more about how 4Elements Digital can help you with your Paid Search efforts then contact us. As always, for now, be safe out there and practice commons sense during this challenging year. Times will get better and we all need to play our part to make it so. Cheers!
