Spring is here and Easter is just around the corner. While this holiday is the most important and one of the longest celebrated Christian feast days, it is also a globally recognized holiday marked with Easter egg hunts and those delicious hollow chocolate bunnies. Of course, in the days of COVID-19, Easter 2020 will look quite different than what we are used to.
The Vatican has called off all public events, determining that all religious services be streamed live, and the White House has also canceled its yearly Easter Egg Roll – a public favorite. Despite these sobering changes, Easter will still be celebrated by most people. In fact, the holiday may be even more popular in 2020 than in previous years as people seek uplifting and fun distractions on lockdown.
Of course, all activities will take place digitally or at home, giving a massive boost to spring eCommerce sales. This is the beginning of a new era for online shopping – with more people around the world confined to their homes, eCommerce is not only going to be a booming business for the near future, it is also a lifeline to supplies, connection and distraction.
In 2020, eCommerce was expected to capture 12% of total retail sales, however, this is likely to be far higher. Preparing your Easter eCommerce site for the upcoming holiday as well as anticipating changes in online consumer behavior can help secure your revenue and propel growth through these difficult days.
While it may not seem like a huge retail holiday, Easter is actually a highpoint in the shopping calendar as people rush to buy pastel-tinted products. Close to 80% of American consumers celebrate Easter, spending an average of $150 on Easter-themed or related items for total spending of over $18 billion. In the UK, Easter is also a widely celebrated day with 70% of British adults planning on celebrating the day – spending over £1.1 billion yearly.
Millennials are driving the Easter buying trend, with people under 35 celebrating Easter at a higher rate than other demographics. Furthermore, these digital natives rely on digital shopping for their purchases. Younger consumers are relying on mobile for Easter purchases. Since 2015 when 63% of millennial and Gen Z consumers used mobile shopping apps for Easter, in 2019 that rate jumped more than 10% to 74% of young adults relying on their phones to shop.
It’s important to remember that Easter is also an important religious holiday for millions of Christians globally. In the US, 75% of citizens identify as Christian, according to Gallup, and the vast majority of these will celebrate Easter by attending church, visiting with family and friends, and sharing a holiday meal. Many Easter celebrants around the world also enjoy attending events, including parades and Easter egg hunts.
These trends, however, do not take COVID-19 into account. As many of the usual activities that people engage in for Easter will be moved online this year, it’s vital for eCommerce sellers to position their stores for maximum engagement.
Easter eCommerce has been steadily increasing with an anticipated 19% growth from 2018 to 2022. The spike in demand around retail holidays like Easter is a great opportunity for many online sellers, however keeping up with expectations and higher sales rates means you need to get organized early in order to capitalize.
Especially in 2020, be prepared to move larger amounts of goods more quickly. More people will be shopping online this year, so make sure you stock up on relevant inventory and ensure that your supply chain is moving smoothly. Getting items shipped a little earlier this year is also a good idea – potential delays could mean that clients don’t get their Easter shopping delivered on time.
Prepare Easter-themed product bundles with a mix of bestseller items tailored to different customers, such as grandparents, pets, spouses, best friends, or kids. Offering an “Easter Basket Bundle” that delivers savings compared to purchasing each product separately is a great way to increase average cart price and encourage Easter-centered buying.
Easter egg hunts are very popular, but this year COVID-19 is making this fun activity move online. Use this opportunity to give people a fun game to play while encouraging them to search through more product pages on your site. Let your customers hunt for hidden ‘eggs’ across your eStore, each egg can link to a promotional deal. Prizes or rewards for finding eggs can include:
Promote your game on social media with a shareable link to drive more traffic to your site.
This year especially, build up your brand by giving back. By dedicating a percentage of your Easter sale to a worthy cause – for example a housing or food relief project – you won’t only look good, you will also do good. In one survey, 70% of Americans responded that they would choose a store that supports charities with a portion of their profits over one that does not.
Easter is a great holiday for building an attractive theme for your eCommerce site. Happy colors, multi-hued eggs, and sweet chicks and bunnies are all good options for livening up your home page and drawing more attention from online shoppers. Incorporating promotions with graphics will cultivate clicks and lead to more sales this Easter.
Easter holiday shopping is a big opportunity for eCommerce sellers to boost sales and increase profits. Prepare your store by making sure your supply chain is running smoothly, push promos and games to bring more traffic, and think about earmarking some portion of your Easter sales for donation to a good cause. Following the tips and keeping an eye on consumer trends could be the boost your online business needs this spring. Payoneer is a global payment platform that helps eCommerce sellers get paid, anywhere, anytime, and in many currencies, so that you can focus on growth.