As much as the holiday season is steeped in tradition, it is also a time to reflect upon the past year and evaluate changes for the year to come. Many retailers are now bracing themselves as consumers spend less over the fall and winter, but Trend Hunter President Shelby Walsh recently revealed four key trends that are driving sales for small businesses this year. In order to entice old and new customers, brands are having to reinvent themselves, products and services in creative ways.
Walsh discusses the influences of memes and Internet culture on holiday shopping, as well as the changing scope of subscription services, experiential retail and brands taking part in unexpected partnerships.
Four fun trends driving Christmas sales this year
Online shopping isn’t going away any time soon, but bricks-and-mortar is here to stay as long as businesses are offering a unique experience. Enostore is a great example of this in Toronto, offering an ultramodern space for consumers who want to try some fine wines in a swanky showroom and tasting bar in Toronto’s west end. It’s a place to taste, hang out, check out the latest wine gadgetry and connect with fellow wine aficionados.
For more insights, read the full article on The Globe and Mail here.
Globe and Mail: President Shelby Walsh on Holiday Trends
Shelby Walsh in The Globe and Mail
Trend Themes
1. Influences of Memes and Internet Culture on Holiday Shopping - Opportunity for brands to create viral marketing campaigns and engage with customers through humorous and relatable content.
2. Changing Scope of Subscription Services - Potential to disrupt traditional retail models by offering personalized and convenient experiences through subscription-based products and services.
3. Experiential Retail and Unexpected Partnerships - Shift towards creating immersive shopping experiences and forming collaborations with unlikely brands to attract new customers and drive sales.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Reinventing physical stores to provide unique and interactive experiences that cannot be replicated online to stay competitive.
2. E-commerce - Exploring innovative ways to incorporate memes and internet culture into online shopping experiences to enhance engagement and conversions.
3. Subscription Services - Disrupting traditional retail by offering curated and personalized products or services through subscription models that cater to changing consumer preferences.