Christmas Shopping Behaviour Insights Revealed By Google

With all that has happened this year, when it comes to Christmas shopping, consumers are behaving very differently, and so it’s important for retailers to understand this shift in behaviour in order to prepare and be ready for the Christmas season.

Google has recently shared some insights into how the behaviour of Christmas shoppers has changed in 2020. With Christmas being such a critical time of year for many businesses, let’s take a look at what Google’s data is telling us.

• They’re starting early –  As of the end of August, 27% of shoppers said they have already started their holiday shopping. Likely due to the pandemic, shoppers are spreading out the cost of Christmas and avoiding the last minute crowds by starting their shopping earlier than ever. If you’re waiting for the last minute December shoppers before you start pushing Christmas campaigns, you might need to rethink this!
• They’re looking for a deal – 46% of shoppers expect retailers to offer discounts, and searches for “best affordable” have grown globally by over 60% year on year. 
• They’re shopping small – 2020 has been the year to support small businesses, with searches for “support local businesses” growing by over 20,000% since last year, and 70% of shoppers said they were open to buying from new retailers
• They’re going online – 69% of shoppers plan to do their Christmas shop online, and ‘digital newcomers’ are driving this growth. More people are buying online for the first time, with more than 50% of surveyed shoppers stating that they have tried a new shopping service for the first time
• They’re shopping safe – Unsurprisingly, with the Coronavirus pandemic, people are looking for ways to shop safely this Christmas. This is reflected in 53% of shoppers planning to choose to shop at stores that offer contactless shopping, and 47% of shoppers said they’ll use click and collect options.

What’s clear from this data is that customers are thinking, and acting with an online-first mindset. Less of us will be hitting the shops and braving the queues on the high street this year, so ensure your brand is prepared for this shift by providing the online experience shoppers are now expecting. 

We’ve always believed multi channel digital marketing and providing a seamless online user experience is important, but the data shows that this is the case this year more than ever before. So if you’re in need of a digital agency to help make your brand stand out this Christmas, get in touch with us, we’d love to hear from you.