Google Uncovers Black Friday Shopping Trends [Study]
Black Friday is less than a week away and shoppers are now more prepared than ever, as evidenced by a Google study released today.
Black Friday is less than a week away and shoppers are now more prepared than ever, as evidenced by a Google study released today.
Black Friday is less than a week away and shoppers are now more prepared than ever, as evidenced by a Google study released today that highlights the Black Friday online shopping trends for 2014.
For the study, Google pulled data from search trends and Google Consumer Surveys as well as top trending purchases from Google Express.
Google predicts that the 2014 holiday season will be the most mobile-driven shopping season we have seen to date. In fact, shopping-related searches on Google from a smartphone have increased three and a half times from 2013.
Even though we’re just kicking off the holiday season, Google is currently sending more mobile traffic to online retailers per week from Google Shopping than they were doing during the peak of the holiday season last year.
Think about it: We take our smartphones with us everywhere and use them to find products before going to the store, as well as when we’re on site. The release of Target’s newly upgraded application is a prime example of providing value prior to and during the shopping experience.
According to Google, approximately 50 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds use their smartphones to shop or browse online while standing in line at another store to make a purchase. To meet that need, Google has added new mobile features to Google Shopping, which include more detailed product information and 360-degree imagery.
Google also has a pulse on what the top trending gifts are for the holiday season, questions individuals are asking about Black Friday, and what areas of the country are searching the most. Below is a sampling of some of the findings from Google Trends.
Some of the most important data for retailers is insight into what people are searching for. Currently, the top questions being asked are:
According to Google, 27 percent of Black Friday shoppers have already begun searching for deals online. The cities that are showing the highest volume of search thus far include:
Google Express is a service that offers overnight or same-day delivery in many areas. Google has provided an overview of the top trending purchases in preparation for Thanksgiving in some of America’s biggest cities.
Not only do we now understand how Black Friday shoppers are making purchasing decisions, we also have insight into what the top trends are for the 2014 holiday season. Is there something that stood out and surprised you on this list?