Pinterest’s Top Insights For Businesses For The Gift-Giving Season

Holiday shopping started earlier than usual on Pinterest as Pinners began to turn to the platform to discover inspiring gift ideas to buy since April, while they usually kick off their holiday planning in June.

And, there’s been a major increase in digital shopping as consumers globally are avoiding brick and mortar shops and factoring in shipping delays for their orders.

In fact, the percent of Pinners engaging with shopping surfaces on Pinterest has grown over 85 per cent in the past six months (Pinterest Internal Data, Global, September 2020).

This year, people want to return to normalcy and enjoy the festive season, in fact 63 per cent of Pinners plan to celebrate the bigger holiday moments in 2020. They want to maintain a traditional holiday, especially when it comes to keeping alive their gifts-giving routines, for themselves or their loved ones, and searches for “Christmas wishlist” have increased by 83 per cent since the Spring.

Pinterest insights have always been a strategic way for brands to tap into the top themes and ideas that Pinterest users are searching for during key seasonal moments.

To help businesses stand out online and develop impactful holiday messaging, Pinterest has identified five key themes with actionable insights for the gifts-giving season.

For the home

Gifts for the home are on the rise this year as people globally have spent an increased time indoors and often had to mix leisure and work in the same space. Pinners are looking  for ideas to make the most of this time at home.

• Housewarming gift baskets (2.5x): as some people moved due to the pandemic, Pinners are looking for gifts to celebrate their closed ones’ new space. Home decor and DIY brands have the opportunity to showcase useful and budget-friendly everyday products such as frames, vases or kitchen utensils. Thanks to the Catalog tool, businesses can easily upload on Pinterest their product feed and create product Pins mentioning price and availability, two key insights to inform a purchase decision.
• Gifts for plant lovers 2x: after spending  so much time at home, people on Pinterest know how important it is to have a green space and are looking to share their green thumb with others. Businesses can create Pins offering tips on how to take care of plants or promote home decor accessories such as plant potters, allowing Pinners to purchase these products on their website.
• Movie night box gifts 3x: going to the movies has become harder this year so Pinners are recreating movie nights at home. Even if it’s a different experience than in movie theaters, home decor brands can create Pins showcasing all the necessary equipment to have a cosy movie night at home with blankets, sofa and floor cushions, glasses and light tableware for an indoor picnic. Food & beverage brands can use Recipe Pins to promote their products in classic movie recipes like the cacio and pepe from Eat Pray Love or just traditional popcorn. For fashion brands, why not create a Collection Pin with comfortable loungewear options for the entire family.

Self-care

How to take care of oneself has never been as important as this year and Pinners are looking for ideas and products  to pamper themselves.

• Self care package gift ideas +70 per cent : CPG brands can reach customers who have strong and clear intent: take care of themselves. They can create image Pins or how-to video Pins that are referring to self-care and well-being to showcase products such as face masks,  bath salts, essential oils diffusers or even simply dark chocolate.
• Best skincare products +30 per cent : More time at home means also more pampering time, and beauty brands can play a key role to help Pinners choose the right skincare products for them. By creating Pins with precise information on their products’ attributes and on how to use them, beauty brands will be able to better guide consumers.

Luxury

As people are traveling and going out less, they are looking to splurge on higher-end gifts with searches for “luxury gifts” multiplied by 3.

• Diamond jewelry necklace 5x: Pinners are searching for luxury items that will last, and luxury brands have the opportunity on Pinterest to promote their products in a positive and safe environment. In fact, Pinterest has always been a more positive place, and our recent research shows that ad campaigns that surface in a more positive online environment drive impact at every stage of the purchase funnel. In fact, 6 in 10 adults agree that they are more likely to remember brands they encounter online when they feel positive, but they also trust, feel positive about and ultimately purchase from brands that they see in positive environments (Source: usertesting.com, July 2020)

Kids 

Kids activities have been recentered at home this year and parents are searching for ideas to keep them busy and stimulated simultaneously.

• • Indoor gym for kids 2.5x: Brands can use the new Video for Collection ad format to publish useful videos on how to set up an indoor gym for kids and present their different products. This new format includes in a single ad multiple products with a video as a hero creative, and it allows Pinterest users to discover products that can be purchased easily.
  • Natural toys 7x & learning toys +96 per cent : Retailers should highlight these two main types of toys this year and promote them by creating Pins with overlay text and clear titles that allow Pinners to immediately spot them in their home feed or among search results.

Cooking

Over the last few months, the kitchen suddenly held a central role in many homes, and people on Pinterest are searching for gifts ideas that will please both debutant and expert cooks.

• Personalized cutting board +88 per cent  & personalized apron +83 per cent : it’s all about personalization when it comes to kitchen accessories, and if possible, businesses should consider adding this service to their holiday orders.
• Kitchen gift baskets 2x: as pinners are looking for thoughtful arrangements of kitchen tools and home goods, home decor and food & drinks brands should offer already made selection of their products.

Ahead of the gift giving season, Pinterest has announced new shopping tools for merchants (link to local newsroom) to help businesses to promote more easily their products and create an inspiring and seamless shopping experience for Pinners.

To make it even easier for customers to shop on Pinterest for the holiday, Pinterest has created the Pinterest Shop: holiday collection, a shoppable inspiration guide of this year’s most-searched holiday gift ideas on Pinterest.