Google reveals 2019 festive search trends

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and to help retailers make the most of this time of year, Google has released a comprehensive online behaviour trends report for the holiday season with tips for better reaching consumers.Here are a few highlights from its data to help you prepare your e-commerce website for the busy Christmas shopping period…

Price matters… It should come as no surprise to learn that Christmas shoppers are extremely price conscious. Google data shows that search volume for the ‘best deals’ has grown 90% while shoppers say that price is the number one deciding factor. They will search for the retailer with the lowest price of product after deciding what it is they want to buy. As does other perks When finalising your seasonal sales strategy, it’s important that you don’t focus on price above all else. While that was the number one decision maker or breaker, shoppers also look at other ways to get value for money or perks for their custom. Google says offers such as free delivery are also important. Discounts such as sales offers, seasonal promotions and the speed of delivery also matter. These things don’t sway shoppers Some things don’t sway shoppers to buy from you at Christmas. Google’s data says things like being located in the same country as the retailer, product warranties, loyalty programmes and reviews from family members are the least important factors for shoppers. If you are better than the competition, shout about it Performing competitor research takes on new significance during the holiday shopping season. Knowing what prices they are selling at, what shipping options they offer and what their festive offers and promotions are can help you to pinpoint where you can offer more. If you can beat a competitor says Google, tell people. Know your buyer behaviour Google has identified characteristics of shoppers from around the world in its behavioural trends report. Study this data so you can tailor your sales and digital marketing strategies. US and UK shoppers exhibit similar patterns for example, with both placing a high value on low cost and fast, free delivery.Ensure your product descriptions are suitably detailed, as both of these sets of shoppers also like to see specs such as battery life.Google also says you should aim to offer an expected delivery date and be generous with discount codes, vouchers and offers.