Prepare for seasonal purchasing opportunities.
Shoppers are getting ready for the holidays earlier than usual.
The retail landscape across the globe is highly dynamic, with numerous seasonal purchasing opportunities throughout the year ranging from cultural events to giant shopping festivals and the end-of-year holiday season. Shoppers are becoming more prepared for these seasonal purchasing opportunities, and they are starting the shopping process earlier. Three to five weeks before both cultural and sales-based retail festivals, search interest increases.
Out of the holiday shoppers surveyed in 2021, 57% say that they will shop earlier for the holidays to avoid an item being out of stock.
Stock difficulties were top of mind for holiday consumers this year, with over 57 percent of respondents polled said they would start holiday shopping sooner to avoid an item being out of stock. Given the unpredictability of COVID-19 and how it may affect the supply chain this year, we may see similar concerns next holiday season.
Set yourself up for seasonal success by leveraging specials and promotions to increase demand during off-peak hours. To attract Christmas customers early, review your channel measuring techniques, publish your products and seasonal discounts sooner, and provide shipping and return offerings.
Google can help you prepare for busy seasonal shopping times earlier this year.
Keep up with consumer demand by using Google Ads' Insights page and best sellers report.
Add information about promotions, offers, free and fast delivery options, and return and refund options straight to your product listings to give shoppers a reason to shop with you.
Create a Business Profile and conduct a Local campaign to connect with local shoppers.
Omnichannel shopping is the new normal
Shoppers are increasingly embracing omnichannel buying, with the distinction between online and offline purchases becoming increasingly blurred. Even though in-person shopping has gained in popularity, customers who have become accustomed to the digital environment are opting to stay online. The Australian state of New South Wales had the highest percentage of eCommerce purchases in the country in the fiscal year 2021, at 31.6%. Victoria was the next largest state in terms of online transactions and the second largest in terms of population.
People value convenience and want to be able to purchase how and where they choose. This is especially true for last-minute buyers who rely on close and local establishments. This tendency can be seen in Google Maps, where searches for "gift shops near me" have increased by more than 60% year over year.
To make the shopping experience as easy as possible, provide online exposure to your in-store inventory as well as a variety of delivery and collection choices.
Connect with omnichannel customers
Reach the ideal customers across the web with a Performance Max campaign and through your app with deep linking.
List your products for free on Google Shopping and target nearby shoppers by advertising available inventory with local inventory ads.
Shoppers are using Google to research and compare products.
Shoppers who are overwhelmed with options and hesitant about purchasing selections turn to Google for assistance at all stages of their purchasing journeys. In a survey of the South Coast, New South Wales customers, 75% stated they used Google to search for, investigate, and evaluate brand products.
Retailers must be visible in order to attract these customers. Visibility throughout the buying path with not only clear information about products, availability, and deals but also inspiration-based material to stimulate their interest while exploring.
Go where your customers are.
Promote your products to the right customers at the right time across Google's many platforms, such as Search, YouTube, Gmail, and the Shopping tab. Through automated bidding and placements, Smart Shopping campaigns enable access to this inventory. Smart Shopping campaigns will be upgraded to Performance Max campaigns beginning in mid-2022.
With Discovery campaigns, you can inspire and engage customers while they browse Google's tailored feeds on YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
With Video action campaigns, you can use the power of video to motivate your customers to take action, and you can also add a browsable product feed to show your best sellers immediately alongside your video ad.
Use Google Ads to generate traffic to your official brand stores or product pages on marketplace platforms by leveraging Retail Partnerships.