Although no one can tell for certain what the future holds, we can study history, observe the present, and make the best, educated assumptions. In the same way that starting the execution of your holiday shopping marketing strategy early is recommended, so is planning for it.In other words, keeping up with the news and trends on a regular basis will help turn your plan into a successful reality. Here’s what people are
predicting for Black Friday 2018.
Black Friday sales will start earlier and last longer
It has become a trend over the past several years for sales to begin earlier and earlier (sometimes throughout all of November). Lots of sales, especially among large retailers like Amazon and Walmart, start sale periods in the days and weeks before the actual event. The immediacy of the early sale options attract customers and allow them to take further advantage of Black Friday deals. This trend, which is expected to continue for 2018, was already demonstrated by “Black Friday in July” which has become mainstream since its debut three years ago as a response to Amazon Prime Day.
E-commerce growth is a safe bet
Even if it’s not on the same large scale that 2017 was, experts are saying to expect continued revenue growth from the four-day shopping weekend this fall. Not only this, but a lot of this predicted growth is expected to come from Amazon.
Price is less important to consumers than a good experience
It has become apparent that finding the best
experience is more important to consumers than the price of the product. For example, Amazon is currently a top competitor for a great user experience. From reliable two-day shipping to the reassurance that you’re buying from a trusted brand plus 1-click ordering and easy returns, the experience is tried and true. It is the responsibility of the merchant to provide a seamless experience that attracts customers and to make the nature of those experiences transparent to customers.
Mobile, Mobile, Mobile (everyone will keep saying it)
It’s been said for years; mobile optimization is key. Mobile has been top-of-mind for merchants for quote a while as shoppers continuously become tech-savvy and look for seamless experiences channel-wide. 2017 sales reflected this with mobile purchases generating 47.4% of site visits. According to Adobe data, nearly 40% of those visits were smartphones and another 7.6% from tablets. Optimize your email campaigns for mobile viewing and easy click-through.