• by Maria Bailey , Columnist, June 29, 2023

It’s never too early to prepare for the holiday season, especially with so many changes occurring in supply chains, the economy, and technology. This month we surveyed 490 moms from across the US on their intended shopping behaviors. A few of their answers might surprise even the most seasoned marketing professional.

With 74% of moms surveyed concerned about the economy, 15% say they have already started shopping for the holidays. They are picking up items that they see on sale now and holding them until December. In fact, 85% of moms say they will be searching for deals this holiday season. This is a great year to bundle products, offer buy-one-get-one deals or exclusive styles. 

Thirty-one percent of moms will begin their holiday shopping in August, followed by 35% starting in September. Only 5% will wait until December to begin spending for the holiday season.

Ninety-four percent of Moms intend to shop from a mobile device, making it necessary for brands to have easy-to-use applications and mobile ecommerce. Two-thirds of all holiday shopping is predicted to be done online this season, according to the moms surveyed.

Reviews are the most overlooked marketing tactic for most brands. Moms use reviews in their decision-making process, with 71% admitting that they will read reviews prior to purchasing a product. While marketers should never pay for positive reviews, many forget to ask their best customers to leave a review. It only takes one poor review to make your ratings plummet, so it’s important to always have one tactic for encouraging happy customers to share their experiences.

Another overlooked marketing tactic is gift guides. Brands clamor to influencers to post about their products during holiday season, but they often orget to ask the same influencers to be included in their Gift Guides. Forty-six percent of Moms say they consult gift guides for ideas before shopping. Influencers often publish their Gift Guides in September and October and are always eagerly looking for products to showcase. Best of all, they promote their Gift Guides on their social, on Pinterest and they are often picked up by content aggregators online, giving you expanded reach for your products.

Finally, 40% of moms intend to purchase experiences over products. For marketer,  this means that some product benefits might have to be tweaked in order to capture moms’ dollars. For instance, a board game company might want to change their message from “hours of fun for the family” to “create a family game night that brings the whole family together.” The latter hits Mom’s desire to have her entire family together. 

Now is a great time to rethink your approach to holiday marketing.. A creative marketing plan for 2023 that starts in August rather than November will get you to your goals in December.