New research from Snap has outlined how brands can tap into the Celebration Cycle and the impact AR has on the holiday shopping consumer journey.
Snap has revealed new insights looking at the ways young Aussies plan and celebrate holidays, and the unique opportunities in the path to purchase for brands to engage with shoppers.
In a study of more than 1,500 Australian social media users aged 13-35, including over 650 Snapchatters, the research reveals three distinct shopping moments during the holidays (shopping to prepare, shopping to celebrate, and shopping for gifts). This ‘Celebration Cycle’ also demonstrates the strength of Snapchat as a platform for inspiration. Among those who use Snapchat for research, 73 per cent get or share gift ideas from Snapchat.
In Australia, 65 per cent of all shoppers cite gift giving as important, but finding the perfect gift is key, with 64 per cent of shoppers saying that finding the right gift helps demonstrate love for their friends and family. When looking at Snapchatters, this increases to 71 per cent who agree that giving gifts is important to them.
Snapchat is used for gifting research and also serves as a driver of inspiration before purchase. Among those who use Snapchat for research when shopping, Snapchat kickstarts the purchase process, with over half (56 per cent) of Snapchatters starting their Christmas present shopping, and nearly one in three (30 per cent) thinking about Boxing Day sales, at least one month out.
For brands looking to engage with this cohort of planners, the research has revealed the top content Snapchatters are seeking from brands, to inspire their gifting journey. Topping the list is product reviews (49 per cent), followed by product tips and guides (32 per cent) and product comparisons (31 per cent).
When researching gifts, Augmented Reality (AR) helps shoppers make decisions about what to add to their gifting list. The research shows that 63 per cent of Aussie shoppers think AR is a fun way to learn about or explore a product, and more than half (52 per cent) of shoppers are more likely to purchase a product if they can interact with it in AR. Snapchat gives brands an opportunity to capture audiences during their gifting journey in a fun and engaging way, with 56 per cent of shoppers saying that AR experiences are a great way to get gifting ideas.
Brands are 40 per cent more likely to be considered if they have a branded AR experience, and the research shows that AR users plan to spend nearly 60 per cent more than non-AR users during the 2022 holiday season, especially in retail and beauty.
Overall participation in celebratory gifting is high in Australia. The research shows that while Christmas and Boxing Day top the list for end of year shopping, up and coming holidays are gaining in popularity, and providing more moments for brands to engage.
Top five moments for end of year shopping:
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80 per cent of Australian shoppers shop for Christmas
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55 per cent of Australian shoppers shop for Boxing Day
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51 per cent of Australian shoppers shop for Black Friday / Cyber Monday
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34 per cent of Australian shoppers shop for New Year’s Eve
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30 per cent of Australian shoppers shop for New Year’s Day
Interestingly, when compared to Australian shoppers, Snapchatters over-index on end of year shopping on four out of five key holidays, including Christmas (85 per cent), Boxing Day (61 per cent), Black Friday / Cyber Monday (53 per cent), and New Year’s Eve (38 per cent).
Matthew Coote, Head of Enterprise ANZ, Snap, said: “As Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other occasions continue to gain popularity in Australia, the holiday season can be an increasingly hard time for brands to cut through.
“Driving engagement with your audience is a key factor in consumer purchase, and we know that Augmented Reality (AR) is proven to increase both engagement and thus results for brands. Augmented Reality immerses our community by creating unique product or brand experiences, providing shoppers with personalised moments every time they interact, building brand affinity through the shopping experience.”
