• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, October 12, 2015

According to the new RetailMeNot Annual Holiday Insights Guide to help retailers better understand consumer shopping trends and behaviors during the holiday shopping season….  Michael Jones, senior vice president,RetailMeNot, says “… there is a growing perception among consumers… that discounts and deals on Black Friday aren’t always worth the wait… shoppers are looking for promotional opportunities earlier in the holiday buying cycle.

Based on the data and consumer research findings, category affinity tends to change throughout the season. The report centers around key insights:

• Consumers are browsing and buying well before Black Friday
• Consumers don’t shop for everything on their list at once
• Mobile browsing is gaining increased influence over purchases made across channels. 
• Shoppers browse their aisles with mobile devices in hand.
• Shoppers tend to visit certain retail categories more often on their mobile devices
• Apparel, Home & Garden and Multi-category are the top three categories where shoppers request more in-store promotional content

According to the report, a steady number of early- bird shoppers were active in the days before Thanksgiving 2014. Holiday spending kicked off on November 1st, with consumer interest in holiday deals trending up more than 20% compared to the October search average. A consumer survey by RetailMeNot and Kelton Research in September 2015 shows that 54% of shoppers expect retailer holiday promotions to begin in October or earlier, and 85% expect deals before Black Friday.

48% of shoppers said they completed the majority of their shopping on or before Cyber Monday, indicating that the days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday are just as important for retailers as the holidays themselves.

Other than Thanksgiving weekend, the report says that, in 2014, the amount of deals offered by retailers fluctuated wildly throughout November. The volume of offers dipped to a low point on November 1st, which is a day that many consumers are poised to begin their search. The research shows an 82% spike in the utilization of mobile devices for deal seeking, allowing consumers to research for holiday gifts whenever most convenient, says the report.

A snapshot of the top days for both desktop and mobile shoppers across platforms indicates that retailers must be prepared for the holiday season to continue well after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Shopper interest in deals increases 20% on November 1st. Black Friday searches on RetailMeNot lift a week prior and peak on Thanksgiving

Holiday travel seekers looking to plan winter getaways in advance of the season are finding an average discount of 33% off during the month of October. For travel brands that want to ensure their deal is the one chosen, providing even a small amount of extra value, like a free breakfast with a two-night stay, may help them stand out from the crowd, suggests the report.

Electronics and computers hit their peak from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday and then into the first week of December, last year, with an average discount ranging from 38 to 40% off. Additional perks like free shipping, a gift with purchase, or allowing shoppers to order online during Cyber Monday sales and pick up in stores give retailers an edge, says the report.

According to the report, 9 out of 10 purchases are still made in-store. While it is equally important for all retailers to invest in bridging the gap between mobile and in-store, consumers are more likely to browse on a mobile device in certain categories, such as apparel, shoes and kids & toys. These categories may benefit from strong in-store offer content as shoppers browse their aisles with mobile devices in hand.

Top Five RetailMeNot Categories Searched On Smartphones (By Volume October through December 2014)

• 1 Multi-Category
• 2 Apparel
• 3 Health & Beauty
• 4 Shoes
• 5 Kids & Toys

Top Three Categories Where Shoppers Want More In-Store Deals

• 1 Multi-Category
• 2 Apparel
• 3 Home & Garden

Concluding, the report notes that consumers are well-versed in finding the best deals during the season, especially with powerful research devices in hand. Earlybird shopping is already beginning and core holiday consumers aren’t far behind. Key points for Retailers to keep in mind, says the report, are:

• Consumers are browsing well before Black Friday
• Brands should be there to meet them in these moments to catch more share of a consumer’s wallet before Thanksgiving
• Investing in a variety of promotional content before November and into late December will ensure that retailers are top of mind when consumers are making purchasing decisions
• Mobile browsing is gaining increased influence over purchases made across channels, but shoppers are still hesitant to buy on smartphones
• Offering more in-store deals on apps and mobile websites will help push shoppers from browse to buy in the moments that matter

For more information from RetailMeNot, please visit here.