Consumer behaviour during peak shopping periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday is changing over time. As the peak retail season approaches, brands are preparing to capitalise on one of the most critical times of the year.
This year, Croud commissioned bespoke research that dives deep into consumer behaviour, spending trends, and the latest market shifts. Our findings reveal key insights that can guide your strategy - from understanding what motivates purchases during this time, to pinpointing the most effective way to engage your audience.
Read on to explore the nine key points we’ve uncovered to help you maximise sales opportunities during the peak period.
1. In-store still matters in the US but online is catching up
In fashion, home decor, and beauty, our survey found that three-quarters of British shoppers would consider purchasing in-store. For electrical items, it’s three in every five people.
Moreover, 57% of Brits would visit a shop to buy a television, mobile phone, or another device, but electricals is the only major product group where consumers would prefer to purchase from a retailer’s site or a mobile app.
US consumers are more in-store-oriented, especially the 45-54-year-old cohort. For example, 79% would prefer to buy electronics in a retail setting. The percentages in fashion, home decor, and beauty retail are also higher than in the UK.
The takeaway:
While the impact of online sales continues to grow in both countries (driven by Gen Z in America), the commercial justification for investing in physical retail outlets remains strong, especially in the US.
Omni-channel shopping is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity, as consumers now expect a seamless, integrated experience across all touchpoints, whether online, in-store, or on mobile. A unified journey ensures that brands not only meet customer expectations but also drive higher engagement and loyalty by offering convenience and consistency at every stage of the purchase process.
2. US consumers spend more than their British counterparts
In both markets, 27% of UK and 21% of US respondents spend between $/£100 and $/£199 during the peak period. Across all age groups in the UK, most will spend less than £299, with less than 10% spending more than £400. US consumers spend more but there’s not much in it.
One notable group in the US is the 15% of 23-44-year-olds who spend between $500 and $799. In fact, Americans across our survey were three times more likely than Brits to spend in this range (£500 to £799).
The takeaway:
While British retailers are more likely to find success by focusing on price and value, there is an opportunity for US retailers to target the higher spending brackets with premium products and bundles.
3. BNPL is more popular in the UK but debit cards still prevail
Debit cards are the payment method of choice for UK consumers, with 79% of Brits using them during the peak period. 45% of shoppers use credit cards, and 37% use digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay. 26% will use Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) programmes such as Klarna to pay for their goods.
In the US, debit cards are still popular at 76%, but credit card usage is higher than in the UK at 59%. Digital wallets are used by 45% of consumers, so mobile payments are growing at a pace in that market. BNPL schemes are less popular with 20% of consumers taking them up.
The takeaway:
Retailers may enjoy more success by promoting BNPL as this method of payment is growing quickly on both sides of the Atlantic. This is especially so in the UK where, as we can see by the figures in the previous section, British disposable spending appears to be squeezed at the moment, due to the cost-of-living crisis.
4. The most active British shoppers are much younger and slightly more brand-curious
The most active demographic in the UK is the 23-34 age group, with up to 90% expecting to make a purchase over peak period, whereas in America, the 35-44 age group is the most active, with 87% of people planning to make a purchase.
Another area of differentiation between shoppers in the two countries was their attitude towards brands.
Brand familiarity is a factor in both countries. 55% of Americans are more inclined to purchase a familiar brand compared to 49% in the UK. While the UK’s 23-44 age group favours familiar brands, the US 35-44 age group shows greater interest in new brands.
The takeaway:
This demonstrates that there’s an opportunity to convert neutral consumers into brand new purchasers in both markets. In America, 12% of consumers who have never bought in previous peak periods before, would be very unlikely to purchase new brands. There will be challenges reaching this cohort, but potential too in finding these reluctant shoppers.
For more brand-curious customers, retailers can capitalise on this by introducing new, and discounting less well-known brands that match their preferences. This may prove particularly effective during peak shopping periods when attention is at its highest.
5. Factors that motivate consumption…
The five key drivers towards a positive purchasing decision in the UK are:
- Individual product discount
- Free shipping
- Price matching with other
- Discounted product
- Early access to deals
As you can see from the chart below, the same is true for America:
In America, store-specific promotions are considerably more important in customer decision-making than in Britain. In both countries, social media promotions scored low, where 43% of UK consumers and 40% of US consumers don’t find them influential.
The takeaway:
Whilst social media promotion and influencer recommendations may be the least important factors in purchase decision-making, social media still plays a role in raising brand awareness and moving brands higher up in the consideration funnel before purchase intent. Moreover, when content is personalised - it can influence US and UK respondents’ purchase behaviour - 62% in the US and 69% in the UK, highlighting the importance of personalised and targeted digital marketing.
When you have decided on your line-up for the peak period, consider segmenting the customer data you have in your CRM to drive additional revenue.
…and demotivate shoppers
Not everyone is enthusiastic about the peak period, as our survey demonstrated:
Our survey showed that while 80% of consumers have made purchases during peak in the past, fewer than 70% plan to do so this year. The lack of desire to impulse purchase and an absence of appealing deals drive a significant proportion of consumers not to partake. Some consumers worry about overspending.
23% of Brits and 40% of Americans find shopping in crowded stores and slow online platforms too much, putting them off participating altogether.
The takeaway:
While they may be harder crowds to win over, retailers could improve their online experience and potentially extend the sales period to reduce peak congestion. This may give them a better chance of capturing these consumers.
6. The type of product that will drive sales at 2024 peak
Electronics are the top purchase driver during peak in both markets, 73% of UK consumers and 82% of US consumers will buy in this category. Fashion items are second, with 55% in the UK and 59% in the US. Retailers in these categories should be prepared for the surge and make sure they have enough stock and good promotions.
Home goods and beauty products are not as high priorities this year, but there are still big opportunities. Retailers in these categories should consider targeted promotions to capture consumer attention and maybe shift their purchasing priorities.
New to peak consumers have different priorities however. In the UK, they choose fashion (59%) over electronics (55%). In the US, beauty products take precedence over fashion for new shoppers, with 52% of them buying in this category. Retailers should focus their marketing on these categories to attract new customers.
7. Shoppers are researching and comparing more
Most consumers begin their research within two weeks of the peak period - 80% of Brits and 74% of Americans. One-fifth of Brits and just over one-quarter of Americans are fact-finding more than two weeks away.
Retailers should consider starting their peak period early to:
- Catch the attention of proactive shoppers
- Maintain momentum throughout the sale period to convert last-minute decision-makers
This is where consumers conduct their research in the pre-peak period:
Retailers’ websites are the top source of deal information for consumers in both markets – 64% in the UK and 62% in the US. Brand ads, social media ads and email are also important channels. Interestingly, word of mouth is more influential in the US. (41%) than in the UK (31%).
To capitalise on these trends, retailers could consider making sure:
- Their websites are optimised and up-to-date
- They use multiple social media channels for greater visibility
- They send out more personalised promotional emails to subscribers
Price comparison tools and artificial intelligence also factor heavily in consumer decision-making.
More than half of the UK’s most active peak demographic, 23-34-year-olds, reported that they intended to compare prices before they went ahead with a purchase. The same was true for 23-44-year-olds in America.
Additionally, more US. consumers plan to use AI to help find better deals (55% vs. 48% in the UK), indicating an emerging trend in utilising AI for shopping.
Strategies retailers could employ to take advantage of these trends are:
- Track competitors’ prices in real-time with tools like Prisync so you can quickly change your prices, promotions and marketing campaigns.
- Integrate with price comparison platforms like Google Shopping so that customers can check your prices on those platforms.
- Invest in a dynamic pricing tool like Omnia Retail to automate adjusting your prices to track trends, manage stock levels and stay ahead of competitors.
8. When you launch your sales is more important than you might think
The timing of your peak period matters, as the graph below demonstrates:
Retailers that time their peak period for when consumers get paid stand to gain an advantage.
In the UK, 55% will spend more if their payday is during the sale period, with this rising to 58% for the 23-44 age group. In the US, 55% will spend more, increasing to 60% for the same age group.
The takeaway:
Earlier in this article, we saw when consumers began to research their peak period purchases. During this time, paid media ads and CRM-driven marketing campaigns work particularly well, as does word-of-mouth marketing.
If you target older consumers, the 45-54 cohort are less influenced by the timing of sales relative to their paydays. For this segment, consider marketing based on quality and the value proposition instead of time-sensitive promotions.
Get ready for peak period with Croud
Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer a window for retailers to increase sales volume, sell off underperforming stock, and attract new clientele. But peak season success doesn't just happen - it's a result of strategic planning, sharp execution, and adaptability in the face of market shifts. Whether you're scaling up your ad spend, launching new products, or aiming to convert traffic into paying customers, now is the time to refine your approach and get your brand ready for a record-breaking season.
To maximise your company’s chance of making the most of the Peak period, contact us today.
