Is it Too Late to Start Holiday Marketing?

Starting your holiday marketing sooner rather than later is always a great idea, but if you’ve been procrastinating (we’ve all been there!), don’t worry — it’s not too late!

A 2019 survey found that 4 out of every 10 shoppers were planning to start their holiday shopping before November. A more recent study by LOCALiQ found that 56% of consumers stated they planned to complete their holiday shopping before December. What does this mean for retailers who are a little behind on their holiday marketing? If your business is just getting your holiday campaigns launched, you may have missed out on a portion of shoppers who are looking to wrap up their gift list for the year. However, there is still an audience out there who may not have started their holiday shopping yet! Research shows that Gen Z consumers (those born between 2001 and now) begin their holiday shopping the latest of any other age group, a third of which don’t start until after Black Friday. Even if this isn’t your audience, there is still a good chance that many potential customers still have plenty of shopping to do. 

With 2020 being a different year on many fronts, we do expect some changes in shopping trends this season, including the likelihood of shoppers spreading their spending over a longer time frame in order to reduce the impact on their wallet. We also expect to see an increase in online shopping even more so than in the past few years. While typically a giant in-store event, we’re already seeing Black Friday shift more toward a month-long online sale, allowing shoppers to avoid the crowds and lines. This signifies the importance of having your campaigns up and running before Turkey Day to make sure those researching before buying can find your business and know where they want to spend this year.

Every generation has at least one procrastinator who will wait to do their holiday shopping until Christmas Eve, so keep them in mind if you’re launching a last-minute campaign. When you’re thinking about starting your holiday marketing next year, don’t forget that many begin their shopping before Black Friday, so start early!
If you’re looking for some last minute advice on bringing in customers this holiday season, let’s talk.