The days of “shopping days” might be numbered — that is, at least, according to Google. From analyzing Google data and looking at results from an annual survey with Ipsos MediaCT, researchers found an increase in the prevalence of what Google referred to as “shopping moments.” The findings also stated that although the research during the holiday shopping season starts earlier (61 percent will start researching before Thanksgiving Day weekend), purchases might happen later, thanks in part to the convenience of digital shopping.
As many as 54 percent of holiday shoppers stated that they plan to shop on their smartphones in spare moments like walking or commuting, but although marathon shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday might be declining in popularity, one day — Sunday — stood out. On Sundays, mobile shopping searches are 18 percent higher than any other day of the week.
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Shopping on a mobile device includes inspiration, research and purchase, and it’s a trend that is on the rise. According to Google, shopping-related mobile searches alone have grown 120 percent in the past year – but they still haven’t overtaken the number of desktop searches. Although 30 percent of online shopping purchases happen on mobile phones, shoppers spend 7 percent less time in each mobile session, indicating more efficient shopping sessions.
Mobile and digital shopping sessions aren’t simply replacing holiday shopping, but also aiding in the in-store shopping experience. The research found that phones influence local commerce; 82 percent of smartphone users will consult their phones while in a store, and more than half of shoppers plan to use a smartphone before visiting a store. With the accessibility of mobile payment options on smartphones and smartwatches, combined with upgraded cash registers, Google found that 40 percent of people say they are likely to use their smartphones to pay in stores this holiday season.
In addition to the influence of mobile commerce on holiday shopping, Google found that videos were increasingly relevant in the shopping experience. According to Google, which owns YouTube, people were increasingly turning to YouTube for advice, inspiration or product reviews. As many as 32 percent of shoppers said they planned to use online videos more this year for holiday purchases. Popular categories include fashion and apparel videos, un-boxing videos and consumer electronics.
Also in time for the holiday shopping season, Google expanded its “remarketing” advertising products, which helps those advertising on Google to target high-value customers who have recently interacted with an ad or products on a Web site. Shopping remarketing lists let advertisers create, and bid more for, targeted customers in both shopping ads and local inventory ads. This capability had been available on Google search ads, but this extension to other ad formats allows advertisers to target potential customers more — and allows Google to charge them more for the opportunity.