2022 Retail Marketing Guide: Be ready for the holidays and seasonal shopping moments

Allan Thygesen

Social Module

Share

Chapter 6-0

You are reading part 6 of the 6-part 2022 Retail Marketing Guide. Jump to Chapter 1: Customers turn to Google every day to browse, research, and buy; Chapter 2: Build your brand and acquire new customers; or Chapter 3: Grow your online and in-app sales.


40% of U.S. holiday shoppers say their holiday shopping experience has made them consider shopping much earlier for other milestones this year

In the last few years, we’ve seen the holiday shopping season stretch out and flatten, resulting in longer periods of more consistent shopping with less dramatic peaks in demand. In fact, 40% of U.S. holiday shoppers say their holiday shopping experience has made them consider shopping much earlier for other milestones this year.1 We predict that this trend will continue in 2022.

With shoppers continuing to combine online and in-store shopping, preparing an omnichannel holiday strategy early will be critical to reaching shoppers along their purchase journeys.


Holiday shopping is happening earlier and year-round

Holiday shopping is happening earlier and across several months, and we expect this trend to continue this holiday season. As of June 2021, 31% of U.S. shoppers had already started their holiday shopping2 and 37% of shoppers who shopped last holiday season wished they had started earlier.3

Of holiday shoppers surveyed in 2021

Chapter 6-1

In June 2021, we saw that stock issues were top of mind for holiday shoppers, with over 50% of U.S. shoppers surveyed saying they would start holiday shopping earlier to avoid an item being out of stock.4 Given the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and how it may impact the supply chain this year, it’s possible that we’ll see similar issues next holiday season.

Set yourself up for seasonal success by using sales and promotions as key tools to drive demand at off-peak times. Check your channel measurement strategies, upload your products and holiday deals sooner, and reveal shipping and return offerings to attract holiday shoppers early.

Prepare your holiday strategy earlier this year with Google

Learn how you can adapt your strategy to prepare for important holiday dates.


Omnichannel shopping is the new normal

Holiday shoppers continue to embrace omnichannel shopping, with the line between online and offline shopping becoming increasingly blurred. This past holiday, only 4% of U.S. holiday shoppers did not use digital channels for their shopping.5

Of holiday shoppers surveyed in 2021

Chapter 6-2

Convenience is key for people, and they want to be able to choose how and where they shop. This is especially important for last-minute shoppers, who rely on local and nearby stores. We’ve seen this trend in Google Maps, where searches for “gift shops near me” have grown globally by over 60% year over year.6

Offer online visibility to your in-store inventory and a range of delivery and collection options to make the purchasing experience as seamless as possible.

Connect with omnichannel shoppers


Holiday shoppers are turning to Google for inspiration

Shoppers seek inspiration from Google when they don’t have a specific product in mind. Forty-three percent of U.S. holiday shoppers that used Google said they did so to get gift ideas,7 and 64% said they did so for discovery and inspiration.8 For retailers, visibility is critical to capturing these shoppers.

Shoppers seek inspiration from Google when they don’t have a specific product in mind.

Show up throughout the purchase journey with not only clear information about products, availability, and offers, but also inspiration-based content to pique their interest while browsing.

Meet your customers where they are


Check out our Google Ads best practices to take a deeper dive into the Google solutions that can help you drive better performance this year.

Next Up: 12 key days of this holiday season: How to prepare early and drive profits

Explore the guide

Chapter 1: Customers turn to Google every day to browse, research, and buy

Chapter 2: Build your brand and acquire new customers

Chapter 3: Grow your online and in-app sales

Chapter 4: Drive foot traffic and in-store sales

Chapter 5: Use insights to inform your strategy and boost performance

Chapter 6: Be ready for the holidays and seasonal shopping moments

Allan B&N

Allan Thygesen

Former president, Americas & Global Partners

Google

Return to top of page