Thanksgiving is right around the corner. So, whether you’re starting to thaw the 16 lb bird or stretching your hamstrings for your local turkey trot — we suggest a warm up.
But what are the key staples that make your yearly thanksgiving list? Sure, all the forms of potato (sweet, mashed, scalloped, cheesy, hashbrown, we could go on) and crossing the 5k finish line (hello, endorphins) are up at the top — but we’re talking about the unsung heroes that pave the way. Think about your grandmother making pie crust the afternoon before the big day, your running buddy that kept you disciplined to that couch-to-5k app, or your local mom and pop stocking instant mashed potatoes when yours just didn’t cut it.
When it comes to your brand’s holiday at retail, we’d say that Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are the unsung heroes of Black Friday weekend. Sure, Black Friday came first and started the holiday-at-retail-kickoff trend, but Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday have been holding the major share of revenue for years now.
Either way, shoppers are gearing up with their hard-earned cash to holiday shop, stock up on items that are on major discount, and purchase those door-busting deals that they wait for all year. Whether you’re the major proteins of the retail space or getting started as the smaller sides, you understand the importance of BF, SBS, and CM. As you plan for them, don’t forget about using Plum as a way to harness those shoppers and build your brand.
Black Friday is November 25th, 2022, with Small Business Saturday following the next day and Cyber Monday rounding out the trio on the 28th. While that date is fast approaching, the time is 100% now to key in on aspects of your business that you need to bolster. Field Agent — a retail solutions provider on Plum — compiled some valuable information via a survey regarding shopper’s plans on just what is important to them this holiday retail season. This survey included 1,250 adults and was concluded on October 28th, 2022.
You may be surprised to find out that Cyber Monday won out over Black Friday in the survey, with 79% of shoppers stating that they would be purchasing an item over the 66% of shoppers who would be buying something during Black Friday. But, 42% of the 1,250 US shoppers plan to participate in Small Business Saturday in 2022 as well.
When asked as to why shoppers were decidedly more interested in Cyber Monday, many stated that they preferred staying home to shop online over going out into the frenzy that is known to be Black Friday.
Here are some of their thoughts:
With helpful programs like Ratings & Reviews and Digital Demo, you can be sure to find the perf solution to your business needs — whether on Cyber Monday or Black Friday. And with the ease and ability to select, purchase, and launch a program on your own, you can have those results available to you in the time it takes for you to sneak that last bit of pumpkin pie out of the fridge when you think no one else is looking. Wink, wink.
So although Black Friday is the event that started it all, we would say that prepping for Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday should be right up your alley. By upping your Ratings & Reviews and driving digital content now, you'll be just in time for these knock-out-blow-out-door-busting-site-crashing days.
With online sales taking the metaphorical holiday cake (as proven by the survey), Ratings and Reviews is a great place to start.
Reviews are an essential aspect of online sales, and many shoppers—especially the thousands looking to find the best deal on the holy-trinity-of-retail-weekend—make purchases based off of them. Because of this, a healthy smattering of recent reviews and insights is hands down essential, especially when thinking about Cyber Monday. With Ratings & Reviews found on our Marketplace, you can drive trial of your product or brand, while also obtaining invaluable insights surrounding what shoppers truly think. These reviews can appear on the retailer website of your choice, so you can continue to drive traffic where you’re seeing the most growth. Whether you’re a small brand looking to boost your recognition or you’re simply interested in updated reviews for your product, Plum’s Ratings and Reviews program can bring an honest, fresh voice to your company and products.
Ratings and Reviews will also assist the buyer in the all-too familiar compare and contrast between different products. If a product looks wonderful but doesn’t have many reviews, many shoppers may choose to purchase a higher-priced item or its competitor that has many reviews detailing aspects of the product they might be wondering about. By ensuring that your product or business’ reviews are current, you can help to eliminate questions and drive sales.
Let’s not forget Small Business Saturday, which is quickly becoming an important part of this hard-hitting trio. While its counterparts may seem more important, it’s definitely a day many local companies and businesses choose to highlight. On Small Business Saturday in 2021, over 23 billion dollars were brought in. Focusing on this day as a small business is essential as many in the community choose to specifically support small businesses and companies, either through visiting a brick and mortar store or online shopping.
Circling back to the Field Agent survey, here are some other thoughts users had regarding Small Business Saturday:
You may be wondering if launching a Ratings and Reviews is worth it, especially for a small business. Not only will your business be boosted by encouraging thoughts and helpful suggestions, but then you will enjoy the added benefit of utilizing those reviews to drive sales and awareness surrounding your brand. Because shoppers care so much about reviews and what others have to say, this is an incredible opportunity to utilize shopper data and grow your business. Plus, they last forever. It’s not a one-time awareness push.
User-generated content is a concept that brands will drive when they're in need of a social push, and if there's one time that may be more important than ever, it's the Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday trio.
Bring word of mouth to your brand is through launching a Digital Demo. Not only is your product purchased, which drives sales, but user-generated content is created and shoppers will have the opportunity to post about your product on social media. This information is crucial as many valuable data points are gathered during a Digital Demo. Everything from the ease of which your product is found on the shelf to an insightful review documenting the user experience, these elements can be incredibly valuable in improving your product or business, all while driving sales.
By utilizing Digital Demo, you can generate honest reviews and thoughts on social media, which will bring awareness to your brand. Digital Demo also creates a word of mouth interest surrounding your product or business. These results will prove invaluable during Small Business Saturday and beyond.
We’re here to help in any way that we can. So, before you enter your Thanksgiving food coma, create some retail magic with one or a few of our helpful Plum solutions. Not only will you gain powerful insights and user-generated content, but you’ll also maximize your time this holiday season. Let us create something just for you. Let’s talk!