It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and with that comes a flurry of activity in the ecommerce space. Order after order, discount codes galore, hitting the checkout button after scrolling rows of different products.
Choices choices choices — with so many options available, both customers and retailers alike are faced with a neverending heap of decisions. And in the age of the internet, with brands and advertisers vying for user attention to get more eyeballs and clicks, we’re interested in what people are clicking, typing into their search bars, choosing to spend their money on, and when.
So, what’s trending this Christmas? Let’s get stuck in.
Good Value for Money a Key Priority
With the Bank of England predicting the longest-ever recession set to hit the UK, and whispers of a global recession on its way, it’s no surprise that good value for money came at the top of UK consumer’s gifting priorities in a recent survey. Three-fifths of respondents named this as a priority, with the quality of the products coming in second place, followed by the range of choice.
Christmas Eve Boxes & Personalised Gifts
Turning to Google Trends, there’s evidence that the demand for personalised gifts and Christmas Eve gifting traditions is on the rise, with ‘Christmas Eve Boxes’, ‘Christmas Eve Bags’ and more featuring as breakout queries since August 2022.
This demand for more a personalised gifting experience echoes recent estimates and forecasts that the global personalised gifting market is set to grow. Having been valued at about 23.5 billion US dollars in 2019, the market is projected to grow to an estimated 34.3 billion by 2026.
With all this in mind, along with the higher prioritisation of value for money amongst consumers this year, it may be worth investing in smaller giftable items to capitalise on the ‘lipstick effect’ — the idea that sales of smaller, more affordable luxuries actually go up during recessions. These are exactly the kinds of items that work well in Christmas Eve bags and boxes, Secret Santa gift exchanges, or as stocking fillers.
Christmas Begins in November
Over half of British adults believe November is an appropriate time for shops to put up Christmas decorations and displays, according to a 2021 survey. So get your window display up if you haven’t already, and get inspired by our fave Christmas shop window ideas.
In the same survey, the most common expected budget for Christmas decorations in the home came to £50, with half of the men surveyed planning to spend even more than this.
Sustainable Gifting
While eco-friendly gifting options are typically more popular with Gen Z and Millennial shoppers, it’s well worth offering greener options in your store. Paper Christmas decorations are proving to be popular options this year, along with the plantable Christmas cards as a thoughtful reusable way of spreading the holiday cheer.
For Christmas planet-friendly party dress options, ensure your customers don’t skimp on style with Sustainable Fashion options and Eco-friendly Beauty picks. For the aforementioned ‘lipstick effect’, offer up Sustainable Stocking Fillers for small luxury treats with an eco-friendly twist.
Candles & Crystals steal the spotlight
Aside from the usual seasonal holiday search terms like Christmas and Halloween — which have ranked 1st and 3rd respectively since August — Candles and Crystals continue to lead the way in the CREOATE search bar.
Falling under one of our most popular categories, homeware & decor is serious business for year-round sales, particularly during the holiday season. This comes down to higher demand for both seasonal home decor, as well as homeware for gifting. Candles are a consistently reliable gifting option, with demand through the roof when considering seasonal scents. Consider also the self-care and spiritual associations of crystals and candles, with the Global Wellness Institute stating that the global wellness economy was valued at $4.9 trillion in 2019, and is projected to reach nearly $7.0 trillion in 2025.
With such a huge market value, it’s no surprise to see these popular products with a shared spiritual association dominating the CREOATE search bar.
So, What’s the Consensus This Christmas?
Sales over Christmas 2021 in the UK reached a peak of £84.17 billion. With that number predicted to fall this season by an estimated 6.3%, it’s so important for independent businesses need to stay up to speed with the latest trends and consumer habits to keep the momentum going. For tips on retailing during a recession and more, be sure to explore our blog, or find us on Instagram for more B2B and wholesale content.
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