The reports are in, and based on this year’s Cyber Week spending, Santa’s sleigh will be overflowing with gifts. Just about every record was broken this year.
According to Adobe Analytics, online Black Friday sales totaled $9.12 billion, and Cyber Monday’s hit $11.3 billion, a year-over-year increase of 2.3% and 5.3%, respectively. Over the five-day shopping extravaganza, consumers dropped a mind-boggling $35.4 billion.
The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual survey revealed 196.7 million shoppers took advantage of deep holiday discounts, with 130.2 million letting their fingers do the online shopping, a 2% increase from 2021.
Here’s the best news from the survey: on average, consumers reported they were only halfway done with holiday shopping, meaning there’s still plenty of time to secure more sales. The coming weeks will be crucial for businesses looking to end Q4 on a revenue high. The secret to achieving that goal lies in knowing which products consumers purchased the most and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
We analyzed millions of transactions across the Skimlinks network to uncover Cyber Week’s biggest shopping trends. Publishers should use these insights to inform their content strategy and ensure articles include sought-after products, while advertisers can use these findings to understand which products and categories they should be focusing on in their campaigns.
As a quick overview, the top trending products fall into the following categories:
- Home goods
- Electronics and technology
- Fashion and accessories
Now, let’s unbox the data to see exactly what customers added to their carts and look at some examples you can use for inspiration.
There’s Snow Place Like Home
Travel is back in a big way, and almost half of US consumers (47%) are planning a trip over the holiday season. So, whether shoppers were snapping up deals to prepare for soon-to-arrive guests or purchasing items to gifts for loved ones, home goods served up serious sales. The products customers couldn’t resist included natural fiber bed linens, high-end vacuums from Dyson, cookware from brands such as Our Place and Le Creuset, and portable fire pits to keep outdoor gatherings warm and toasty.
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The Takeaway: Publishers should take a two-pronged content approach to address home goods audiences. Create articles specifically for those who will be holiday hosts, filled with on-sale products that will make their lives easier. Couple that with guides that include the most raved-about items for home cooks, neat freaks, and those that live to have the coziest home possible.
Since the internet is flooded with holiday campaigns right now, advertisers should infuse campaign headlines, landing pages, and product pages with the details that set their brand and products apart from others, such as superior materials, product longevity, and stellar customer reviews.
Plug In and Power On
Holiday sales offer some of the deepest discounts on big-ticket electronics and high-tech gadgets, and consumers waited patiently for those deals to arrive. Adobe noted that electronics sales rose five-fold during Cyber Week compared to an average day’s sales in October 2022.
Shoppers clicked the Buy Now buttons most on big-screen TVs, tech-infused smart TV frames, sound systems, and anything from Apple, like its watches, phones, and AirPods.
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The Takeaway: Even in the face of inflation, consumers shelled out big bucks for electronics and tech items but to ease the impact on their wallets, many took advantage of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options. Adobe tracked a 68% increase in BNPL transactions from November 21 – 27.
Publishers should look at the brands they work with and identify which ones offer BNPL. Then, produce guides that focus exclusively on pricier items with BNPL options and educate customers on the benefits of such payment programs. Also, use content to compare top products and help customers make smarter choices.
Consumers spend a lot of time researching tech and electronics before purchasing, so advertisers should ensure campaigns clearly explain the benefits and all the bells and whistles that products have. Advertisers should use empathetic messaging that highlights their BNPL schedules or other payment plans designed to lighten the financial load.
Bonus Insight & Opportunity: What goes best with a new TV and sound system? A streaming subscription! Skimlinks data showed that many consumers snagged streaming deals from Sling, Peacock, Hulu, and more.
Dress to Impress
According to NRF, the clothing and accessories category was the most popular for purchases, with 50% of consumers buying fashion finds. Consumers flocked to the Nordstrom and lululemon sites to score coats, totes, and leggings. Other popular steals included Oprah-approved Spanx items, Kate Spade bags, J. Crew tops, and personalized jewelry from Etsy artists.
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The Takeaway: Fashion brands offered some of the deepest discounts of all the verticals, which will continue throughout the holiday season. Publishers should consider developing fashion guides focused on deals from specific retailers and for specific gift recipients (think: babies, teen girls, trendy moms, fashion-forward dads).
Advertisers should pay particular attention to targeting and campaign placement to ensure ads are shown to the most relevant audiences at the right moment. Since trends, especially those related to fashion, live and die on TikTok, consider incorporating reviews and style advice from influencers on the platform and calling out deep discounts and limited-time offers.
Wrap Up Christmas Sales with a Revenue Bow
Trees are trimmed, lights are hung, and the countdown to Christmas is on! For advertisers and publishers, the reason for the season comes down to one thing: the last chance to hit those 2022 revenue goals.
Cyber Week may be over, but the insights gleaned from the biggest shopping time of the year will carry over into the last weeks of the year. Now is the time to go all in on content and campaigns to capture those remaining sales, so make sure to adjust your strategy and give consumers exactly what they want.
Find out how Skimlinks, a Taboola company, can help with your affiliate marketing strategy. Learn more here.