Technology trends this festive season

Tech products are quickly becoming the go-to gift of choice for holiday shoppers. More and more consumers can expect to find the latest technology trends – gaming consoles, televisions, iGadgets and tablets – under the tree and in their stockings this festive season.

Adobe recently released its 2016 online shopping data report for Cyber Monday and the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. According to the research, “Cyber Monday is on track to hit a new record with $3.39 billion spent online, a 10.2 percent increase year-over-year (YoY). This will mark the largest online sales day in history, surpassing Black Friday ($3.34 billion) by a narrow margin.”

The five best-selling technology products were the Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, Samsung 4K TVs, Apple iPads and Amazon Fire. The report was based on 23 billion visits to retail websites and 80% of all online transactions from the top 100 US retailers.

According to the 2016 Deloitte Holiday Survey, 36% of surveyed consumers planned to buy electronics this festive season. The survey found that spending would likely remain the same as in previous years, with three out of four consumers planning to spend the same amount of money.

“The number of consumers planning to spend more dipped slightly, from 19 percent to 17 percent, but remains way ahead of 2008 levels (9 percent) when many were experiencing tough times. Of those planning to spend more, most (42 percent) cited improved household finances as the primary reason, second to the need to update personal items, such as clothing, for themselves and their family (30 percent).”

How will people buy?

Data shows that women tend to do the majority of festive season shopping. In addition, women are more likely to tick items off their shopping lists early while men tend to wait until the last minute. According to the Deloitte survey, more consumers plan to shop online for gifts this festive season than ever before and shoppers plan to spend just as much online as they do in stores. Retailers can expect record-breaking online sales this festive season, with half of all consumers expected to buy at least one gift online. It was also found that consumers plan to research all of their bigger purchases online, including the latest technology trends before they buy.

What can marketers do to entice buyers?

While it might be too late to entice female shoppers to buy, many men will still need to get their holiday shopping done. According to the Deloitte survey, “Enticing promotions and sales are not the only strategies retailers can use to boost sales this holiday season. They can also sway purchase decisions through well-thought-out retail policies such as flexible payment options, free shipping, hybrid shipping options, and hassle-free returns.”

Free shipping continues to be the number one retail policy which sways consumers when making purchases. In addition, consumers expect to receive their goods within two days.

Lastly, customer experience is of paramount importance with shoppers expecting to find knowledgeable sales staff both in store and online. Exceptional customer service must always be top of mind for retailers within the next few weeks. And that’s why well-run call centers are so important.

To increase your call center’s efficiency this festive season, consider learning more about Clickatell Touch. It uses bot driven messaging to answer all of your consumer’s questions, increasing consumer happiness and leading to better exchanges with your business.