Behaviours Impacting Christmas Shoppers 2017

1. Behaviours impacting
CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS

2. A highlight of four emerging behaviours that are impacting
the way we navigate festive shopping and gift-giving.

3. 1 RITUALISED
GIFTING
2 AWKWARD
SWAPS
3 DELIVERY
DEMANDS
4 SEASONAL
RESEARCH

4. Eating and drinking / 1
1 RITUALISED GIFTING
People form rituals around holiday
shopping
Christmas is a time of year that’s steeped
in traditions, often forming the basis of
familial bonds. Studies show that the
performance of habitual rituals can even
make festive food taste better. Retailers
are now highlighting their own holiday
traditions, simultaneously emphasising
the relationships they share with their
customers.
BehaviourChristmas Shopper Behaviour

5. Eating and drinking / 1
1 McDonald’s ‘Carrot
Stick’
Parodying wellness with junk food
In McDonald’s UK ad ‘Carrot Stick’, a little
girl holds on to a carrot stick from the
chain that she can later lay out for Santa’s
reindeer, keeping it with her throughout
a day of shopping for gifts with her dad.
Finishing with the hashtag #ReindeerReady,
the ad encourages viewers to start their
own tradition of stopping at a McDonald’s
on Christmas Eve.
In practiceChristmas Shopper Behaviour

6. Eating and drinking / 1
1 DIRTY DINING
People don’t always want to eat clean2 AWKWARD SWAPS
People have low gift expectations
Everyone’s had that awkward moment
with a distant relative, having to feign
delight when unwrapping a hot water
bottle or novelty mug – no doubt
why 42% of Americans actually want
to receive a gift card. And retailers
are taking note, addressing the
awkwardness head-on.
BehaviourChristmas Shopper Behaviour

7. Eating and drinking / 1
2 eBay
The US ad from eBay, titled ‘Don’t Shop Like
Everybody Else’, shows a range of people
handing over gifts, alongside phrases like ‘I
included a gift receipt’ and ‘It’s the thought
that counts’. It positions the online retailer
as a mecca for shoppers who want to give
truly excellent gifts.
‘Don’t Shop Like Everybody Else’
In practiceChristmas Shopper Behaviour

8. Eating and drinking / 1
1 DIRTY DINING
People don’t always want to eat clean3 DELIVERY DEMANDS
People want deliveries on their terms
Shopping online at Christmas used to be
considered a risky practice, as retailers
struggled to keep up with deliveries at the
busiest time of year. With online spending
now the norm – and still rising on both
sides of the Atlantic – e-commerce firms are
having to work hard to meet people’s rising
holiday expectations.
BehaviourChristmas Shopper Behaviour

9. Eating and drinking / 1
3 Amazon
‘Give 60’
Amazon has long kept high-speed, low-
cost delivery at the heart of its brand,
but for this year’s US Christmas ad ‘Give
60’, it’s pulled out all the stops. The spot
follows an Amazon parcel as it makes its
way to a recipient in a remote corner of the
world, not only exceeding expectations but
facilitating a connection between giver and
receiver.
In practiceChristmas Shopper Behaviour

10. Eating and drinking / 1
4 SEASONAL RESEARCHER
People are working on wishlists long
before Christmas
Traditionally, it was children that would
write lists for Santa in the run-up to
Christmas, but in 2017 – when 88% of
British shoppers research online before
they buy and 84% of Americans compare
prices on Amazon prior to purchase –
people of all ages are making wishlists for
the holidays.
BehaviourChristmas Shopper Behaviour

11. Eating and drinking / 1
1 DIRTY DINING
People don’t always want to eat clean4 Pandora
‘DO Get What You Wish For’
The UK ad from jewellery brand Pandora,
titled ‘DO Get What You Wish For’, sees a
range of women perusing magazines and
trailing through stores in the run-up to
Christmas, dropping a range of hints to
their partners about what they’d like to
receive on the day itself.
In practiceChristmas Shopper Behaviour

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