Trend #1: The more mobile, the merrier. 

Most peak season transactions will happen on mobile with purchasing via a mobile app as an emerging favored shopping method. We suggest making sure you are creating your campaigns with a mobile-first lens and have a strategy that includes a variety of marketing and sales channels optimized for mobile, like SMS and mobile apps.

Trend #2: Your shoppers are ready to spend $$$ this holiday season—despite inflation.

75% of respondents this year expect their budget to be the same or higher than in 2021. People are waiting for deals to shop, so if you were anticipating a less-impressive shopper turnout, we suggest you change course by teasing your sales in advance, investing in a generous marketing budget, and spending wisely with owned-marketing activations.

Trend #3: Your shoppers are making a game plan.

About three-quarters of respondents said they plan their spending ahead of when sales actually happen. Help your shoppers plan with wishlist features, discount hints, and exclusive access to "shop first" sales. This is also a great time to get curious planners to convert for the first time, so don't forget to leverage BFCM in your acquisition strategies.

Trend #4: Your shoppers are stressed TF out about BFCM.

The good news? They are also excited. Make sure you are putting their minds at ease during this emotionally-conflicting time by making shopping more accessible and approachable. Invest in reducing site page-load speed or spring for entirely load-free shopping by adding a mobile app to your sales channel options. Don't forget to offer your top shoppers the chance to shop sales first—they deserve it.

Trend #5: Your shoppers admit they're a liiiittle impulsive.

9 in 10 shoppers confessed to making impulse purchases during BFCM. We don't blame them—they are already in the spending mindset, and there's tons of urgency to take advantage of once-a-year sales. Giving shoppers options like one-click checkout or now-or-later payment plans will help them take advantage of fleeting products and low prices.

Trend #6: Your shoppers' love language is gift-giving.

On average, almost two-thirds of respondents plan to make BFCM purchases as gifts for others, with only 35% of purchases for themselves. That means a significant portion of peak season shopping is shopping for others. We suggest leaning into gifting messaging, offering gift guides, and giving your customers the option to add free gift wrapping at checkout. 

Trend #7: Your shoppers are pretty ambivalent toward ads these days.

People have given in to the fact the BFCM is chock-full of ads. Many find ads during BFCM helpful when figuring out where they want to shop, and others are turned off when they feel over-inundated with messages. Strike the right balance when marketing to your audience by staggering message deployment, being clear when sales begin and end, and being strategic on what time of day you send them.

Trend #8: Your shoppers are mad impatient. 

9 in 10 respondents indicate a likelihood to leave an online store if the mobile web experience is slow or poorly designed. This leads to session and cart abandonments and significant revenue losses for your brand. Offer load-free shopping options like mobile apps to help keep shopping breezy and increase session length and order value as a result.

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Curious to read the entire report in all of her glory? Click here. Interested in discovering more about how a mobile app changes your BFCM game and beyond? Book a walkthrough with a mobile expert, and we can get you launched ahead of the holiday.