manager_1 According to Tug, a digital performance marketing agency, 67 percent of UK shoppers will pay more attention to sustainability and environmental initiatives of retailers during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas shopping.
This research is ahead of the retail “Golden Quarter” and shows that sustainability has an impact on purchasing decisions. According to 78 percent of UK shoppers, whether brands communicate their sustainability efforts clearly will have an “somewhat” impact on where they shop over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is followed by nearly two-thirds (63%) over the Christmas period.
More than a third of consumers (37%) said they use an online search engine to find sustainable practices for retail brands. This figure rose to 42 percent among Boomers (67+).
More than 25% of Gen Z’s use TikTok (28%), to find sustainable brands, while 26% of Millennials use Instagram. Two-in-five (21%) consumers still trust recommendations from family and friends to find sustainable brands.
Tug shares Christmas spending findings from new ‘Golden Quarter’ research
The report also examined how much and when consumers will spend during the “Golden Quarter”. Only 47 percent of Brits said they don’t plan to spend on Black Friday and only 14% of shoppers expect to spend more than in 2020.
The research revealed that 47% of UK shoppers intend to shop online most of the Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday weekend. This is followed by 41% during the festive season.
45 percent of Brits stated that they would use an online search engine to find the best online deals. 90 percent added that they are open to purchasing directly from brands websites. This will be driven by lower prices (54%), faster delivery (36%), and free returns (35%).
For lower prices, older generations are more likely to shop directly with a brand, including 61 per cent of Gen X and 60 per cent of Boomers, compared with just 40 percent for Gen Z. Due to sustainability practices, 19 percent of Millennials will likely shop directly from a brand’s website.
Faye Daffarn is UK managing director of Tug. “Currently, climate anxiety” is the number one concern for UK customers. This is reflected in shoppers’ shopping habits during the Golden Quarter. Brands are now expected to make an impact on where 78 per cent of UK consumers shop. It is vital that retailers effectively communicate their environmental messages during this crucial commercial period.
Retailers can maximize sales during the key commercial period by using a multi-channel integrated approach. This will allow them to reach consumers at multiple touchpoints, not just when they are shopping in-market, but also when browsing mode is active.
Tug suggests that retailers and brands optimise their search strategies using a smart combination of SEO and PPC. This will drive “drive visibility to sustainable practices with Boomers”, while also using paid social strategy on TikTok or Instagram to target Millennials, and Gen Z.
