We saw significant changes with Black Friday this year:
- Holiday sales began in October.
- Black Friday is now a week, not just a day.
- Stores vow to remain closed on Thanksgiving.
- Texts are the new Black Friday email.
Consumers often have mixed reactions to such trends. It might seem like there’s a hidden puppet master directing changes. Yet the truth is, it’s the consumer population that informs trends.
How do businesses know what the consumer wants?
In short, data.
Last year, our consumer behavior was minutely tracked, and the resulting data indicated the next big Black Friday trends. That data was carefully studied, and this year’s Black Friday strategies were based on the results. Here are four trends that directly resulted from the data:
1. Online over Brick-and-mortar.
The pandemic accelerated the move to online shopping, and we’re not returning. In response, retailers continue to take their brick-and-mortar business online. We saw this trend in action, with stores vowing to remain closed on Thanksgiving Day. It’s not altruism; it’s the bottom line. Here’s the data:
- In 2021, Shopify alone online saw a 76% increase in sales. Collectively, Shopify store owners made $5.1 billion. (Source)
- 9 million shoppers visited brick-and-mortar stores, while 127.8 million shopped online. (Source)
2. Extended Sales.
More than half of holiday shoppers now start shopping well before Black Friday. The supply chains have consumers wary. In response, businesses began their marketing efforts in advance. Here’s the data:
- In 2021, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 29, consumers spent $109.8 billion online, up 11.9% compared to 2020. (Source)
- Overall, month-on-month retail sales fell 2.5% in December after rising 1.8% in October and 0.2% in November. (Source)
3. Targeted Emails
Black Friday emails are abundant…and effective. Recipients are 138% more likely to shop for the highlighted item than those who didn’t receive the email. (Source) This year, holiday strategies include two highly-effective, targeted emails, browse abandonment and cart abandonment emails. Here’s the data:
- Browse abandonment email conversion rate increased by 93% in 2020. Bringing people back to their browsing items was an extremely effective tactic. (Source)
- Cart abandonment email conversion rate increased by 25%. With more shoppers visiting sites and adding items to carts than usual, these emails proved effective at returning shoppers. (Source)
4. SMS Campaigns
Currently, SMS campaigns are a slam dunk. The high success rate reflects consumer surprise and curiosity (therefore, not long-lasting). But for now, SMS is a hot ticket. Here’s the data:
- The average open rate for Black Friday marketing text messages is an astonishing 99%. (Source)
- In 2021, Black Friday SMS campaigns created seven times the order rates compared to other means. (Source)
Black Friday 2022 is a learning experience.
If you would like to learn how to be on the leading edge of next year’s trends, we recommend the following programs:
You’ll earn a course certificate and digital badge. Payment plans are available. Learn to interpret data and advance your career.
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