Commerce platform Shopify has released new research that suggests demand around this year’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) events will be high, with over half (55%) of UK consumers planning to shop during the weekend.
The data from Shopify’s shopper survey also found that over a third (36%) are planning to spend more this BFCM than in 2020, with consumers planning to spend an average of £363 over the weekend.
“Customers across the UK will be shopping and spending on all channels for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and it’s more important than ever for brands to learn where their customers are looking for deals, learning about their product, and making their purchases so they can continue to personalise experiences,” said Shimona Mehta, Managing Director of EMEA at Shopify.
“With supply chain constraints this holiday, brands adopting an integrated omnichannel approach will be able to manage their inventory and fulfil orders as expected to ensure a strong customer experience, helping to drive loyalty.”
Many consumers are planning to make BFCM in-store purchases at local shops (43%) and independently owned businesses (31%). Close to half (46%) plan to shop in store, an increase since last year.
Despite this uptick, a large majority of consumers planning to participate in BFCM say that Covid-19 will impact their shopping (81%) and as a result, many (54%) plan to just increase their online shopping. Online shoppers want to get better prices online (51%), take advantage of online sales (49%), easily compare prices and products (37%), save time (36%), take advantage of free shipping (35%), and be able to buy the product at any time (34%).
More people than ever will use social channels to make purchases over the weekend as the shift towards social commerce continues to gather pace. About half of younger shoppers (ages 18-34) are planning to purchase from Facebook (55%) or Instagram (49%) and about a third from TikTok (34%) or Pinterest (32%).
UK BFCM shoppers plan to be looking for electronics (40%); clothing, footwear, accessories (40%); health, beauty and personal care products (29%); and toys, games and hobby supplies (28%).
