Black Friday and Cyber Monday: New Insights on the Most Coveted Holiday Shoppers

For many retailers, this holiday season represents a make-or-break moment in what’s been (another) anything-but-normal year. Right now, retailers are planning their promotions and campaigns in hopes of driving big sales around key dates such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The savviest data-driven retailers will look to segment their efforts this holiday season in order to maximize impact and efficiency. And within those segmentation strategies, there’s an important shopper profile that should rise to the top of the marketing priority list: on-the-go millennial moms — and their substantial expected holiday spending.

So, what’s it take to connect on a meaningful level with this shopper? Of course, she’s a 25- to 34-year-old female with kids, but that’s not enough to break through the significant marketing clutter going into the holiday buying season. Let’s take a look at the values and motivations, based on insights from the Resonate Ignite Platform, that can help you target and engage this valuable segment and drive revenue this holiday season.

They Need to Feel Safe Shopping With You

To bring consumers into your store, you need to tap into the preferences that will keep them shopping in-store — or provide them an option to easily shop from the safety of their own home, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. According to Resonate’s proprietary insights, in light of the pandemic and Delta variant surge, on-the-go millennial moms feel safest shopping when masks are required. For that reason, retailers might want to consider a soft mask policy, along the lines of "Please wear a mask regardless of vaccination status," to encourage shoppers to feel comfortable lingering longer and spending more in your store.

Additionally, half of on-the-go millennial moms say they want to use curbside pickup, and they’re 28 percent more likely to buy online and pick up in-store. Make your curbside pickup experience seamless to encourage them to shop with you, and consider extended pickup hours this holiday season to avoid long waits and crowds.

They Care About Supporting Their Communities

Consumers often look to charitable giving this time of year to help those who are less fortunate. For retailers, this is an opportunity to connect with consumers and form deeper relationships and loyalty, while also doing good in the world and aligning your brand with a cause that's authentic to your mission. The on-the-go millennial mom holiday shopper is 14 percent more likely to shop with companies that support the community, and 24 percent more likely to prefer companies that donate to charities. They’re also 45 percent more likely to participate in a brand’s societal program, and 30 percent more likely to pay more based on an important issue.

Based on these insights, we know that taking a stand with a charitable cause elevates your brand in this customer’s eyes. Consider whether you can donate a percentage of proceeds back to charity this holiday season or partner with a charity to create a special product that directly supports a cause.

They Have High Expectations for Customer Experience

Customer experience is always critical, but even more so during the busy holiday season when shoppers are running from store-to-store, checking off gift lists, and navigating the stress of the season while maintaining a merry grin.

According to Resonate insights, on-the-go millennial moms value achievement and influence, and that means they want their voice heard by the brands they buy from. They’re 22 percent more likely than the average consumer to contact a company to share their thoughts, and 21 percent more likely to share their opinion of a product or company. Put this insight into action by bypassing the typical automated survey and, instead, reach out with a post-purchase email that looks as if it came directly from a member of your corporate team. Give them the opportunity to provide feedback.

When it comes to retailer selection, the on-the-go millennial mom holiday shopper is also:

• 22 percent more likely to prioritize easy returns (so make sure that post-holiday return window is long);
• 15 percent more likely to prioritize loyalty programs (meaning you should give them opportunities to rack up points on their gift purchases);
• 13 percent more likely to prioritize responsive staff (meaning even your chatbot needs to be top notch);
• 28 percent more likely to want to be the first to know about and buy new products (so use this insight to inform your messaging); and
• 42 percent more likely than the average consumer to download a mobile app (so make sure you’re featuring new products in your app, making curbside pickup an easy option when mobile ordering, and promoting your charitable partnership throughout the buying process).

A successful and revenue-generating holiday retail season relies on connecting with your target consumer and creating a relationship that’s deeper than the one they have with your competitors. That’s possible with fresh, deep, granular data on the shopper segments that matter most to your brand. With the right insights, you can ensure your marketing is always on the consumer's nice list.

Heather Bien is senior content marketing manager at Resonate, the leading provider of AI-driven consumer data and analytics.