Twitter’s New Insights on Holiday Shopping Trends

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is all about joy and togetherness, but it is also one of the peak times for online sales. From large brands to small ones, everyone competes for the same goal, reaching their target audience and encouraging them to take action.

People on Twitter are already getting ready for the most magical time of the year and spreading holiday cheer in the tweets. They will start shopping earlier this year and keep discussing brands, gift ideas, and celebration options. So what are their holiday conversions about?

Twitter has partnered with AdAge Studio 30 to learn more about users’ shopping habits, moods, expectations, and overall vibe on the eve of the upcoming holidays. Marketers should be wise to keep in mind consumers’ interests and shopping habits to grab the opportunities and connect with holiday shoppers more effectively. 

Before jumping into the holiday shopping trends for 2021, let’s bring up some stats from 2020 to feel the difference.

Twitter Holiday Shopping in 2020 by the Numbers

Unwrapping the talks on Twitter at the end of 2020, we could see the following numbers.

• Compared with 2019, there was a +59% growth in impressions for holiday-related tweets.
• 72% of people on Twitter said the perfect gift brings joy.

• People began to appreciate the simple things and trending products in holiday gift tweets were: fryer (+169%), vinyl (+161%), garden (+94%), jammies (+62%), laptop (+50%).
• Shoppers took their business online in 2020. +62% of people on Twitter planned to shop online for Black Friday.

• The last-minute shopping tweets went down 37% in 2020 in comparison with 2019.

Holiday Shopping Trends in 2021

While in 2020, people were more concerned about health, safety, and ability to have get-togethers, 2021 concerns are primarily about supply chains, empty shelves, and delivery timeframes. So let’s see what tendencies Twitter’s conversation report 2021 shows.

Early shopping.

Brands cannot afford to wait for last-minute sales at the end of December to boost the profit. 37% of people confirmed they would start earlier this year.

More than half plan to finish their holiday shopping preparation in November. Due to the early start of holiday shopping, competition among retailers is also growing. To meet the demand, they have to launch holiday campaigns much earlier and do everything to make their brand the first to come to the buyer’s mind.

2020 was the most significant New Year’s online shopping season in history, and this was just the beginning of considerable changes in retail. Logistics was hit, and the pandemic has led to delays in delivery and shortages of goods. However, the pandemic continues to correct the habitual life and behavior of buyers.

The upcoming shopping season is full of uncertainty: delivery delays, shortage of goods, new restrictions are possible. Therefore, it is critically essential to make shopping simple, understandable, and convenient. In addition, marketers should adapt advertising campaigns to customers’ needs and look for more effective communication channels at each purchase stage.

Changes in trending topics and categories occurred. 

During the pandemic in 2020, health came to the fore. People began to spend more time taking care of themselves and their mental well-being. Consequently, they began to make more purchases for health. Financial security, food and medicine safety, and personal security were also crucial for people.

This year, nearly 1.4x as many people on Twitter say they are eager to spend more on holiday gifts this year, and big-ticket categories are finally back. People got tired of sitting at home, and now they are ready for new emotions and experiences. Check out the numbers below.

Trending categories within holiday shopping show that fashion-related purchases are high on the agenda today. But, is it true that home wardrobe is on the way out?

Designer fashion +119% 

Appliances +64%

Athletic apparel +51% 

Beauty +35%

Pets +29%

Personal finance +25%

Stick to cheerful holiday messaging and brand mentions.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when people were isolated from each other when a simple meeting with friends in a cafe turned out to be impossible when the economic prospects for the whole world looked increasingly gloomy, it was hard to put sad thoughts aside. Companies worldwide canceled significant events, festivals, and promotions and tried to help people who feared for their lives. People needed sympathetic, heartfelt messaging from brands. 

Today Twitter research shows that people are ready to get back to the humor with spoofs, memes, and laughs through encouraging and caring messaging are still essential.

42% of people confirmed they want brands to use a cheerful voice in their messaging; 32% want brands to be encouraging. 

Specific attention should be paid to the brand mentions in holiday-related tweets. For example, top tweeted brand hashtags included product launches (such as #PS5), shopping-related philanthropic donations (#FillTheCart), and semi-virtual experiences (#MacysParade).

Brands’ holiday messaging should prioritize the consumer’s mood: we are all still living in a pandemic environment but seeking joy and support during the holiday season.

Creator marketing. 

Holiday-related tweets from digital creators have become more and more popular. People still get inspiration from the influencers they follow. Engagement with digital creators is especially noticeable during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas events. Twitter users adore watching creators’ videos, so brands should consider increasing that to drive engagement.

Conclusion

There are a few things that marketers should be aware of when getting ready for the holiday shopping season. Let’s summarize:

• Every year holiday shopping begins earlier and earlier. Become an early bird to increase your revenue. Still, please keep in mind holiday fatigue and try to prevent it. 
• The dominant post-pandemic shopping platform is digital.
• Shoppers in 2021 strive for jokes and fun. Communicate positive messaging about the holidays.
• Partner with digital creators in holiday-related marketing campaigns to meet new opportunities to reach your target audience.

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