5 Important Consumer Insights About the Holiday Gifting & Buying Season

Do you wish to know what consumers want to buy this holiday season? Or how about when they want to buy, whether it’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday or just when they see something they like? You’re in the right place! Recently, CSO conducted a consumer survey that revealed key insights to help t-shirt shop owners plan their sales, stock and offers for the upcoming holiday gifting season.

Be in the know this holiday season with these five powerful insights from our survey and actionable takeaways to make this your most profitable winter gifting season yet.

The majority of people say they’ll be wearing a hoodie the most this winter season (39%), followed by a heavy jacket (27%) and a long-sleeve t-shirt (18%). Similarly, people plan to buy long-sleeve t-shirts (30%), hoodies (24%) and t-shirts (21%) in high quantities over the next few months.

Your Takeaway: If you’re figuring out what products to sell (or give) for the holiday gifting season, you’ve just gotten some insider information. Hoodies, jackets and long-sleeve t-shirts – and you can score all of these items in bulk at low wholesale prices at CSO.

A whopping 57% of survey respondents want apparel that keeps them warm this season. After that, they want apparel that’s stylish (19%) and comfortably within their budget (18%). 

Your Takeaway: Buyers’ desire for warmth perfectly aligns with the top apparel items people want to buy this season. It’s always a smart idea to stock hoodies, jackets and long-sleeve t-shirts from reputable brands that are soft, stylish, fit well and will last through many washes and wears. You can find those t-shirts from brands like American Apparel, Bella + Canvas, Champion, Dickies, Next Level and more at CSO!

We don’t advocate pricing your hoodies and other apparel items so low that you sell tons, but don’t make a profit. It is, however, wise to take a look at competitor prices so that you can select styles that fit into most budgets, but still allow you to make a healthy margin. Next, look at what designs your target market has bought from you the most frequently so you can plan the artwork or message art you want to offer. 

The majority of shoppers plan to take advantage of nationwide sales during the holidays: clearance sales after the holidays (61%), Cyber Monday (56%) and Black Friday (55%) deals. Drilling down, shoppers do a huge portion (76%, in fact!) of their holiday shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Your Takeaway: Give your customers special Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and offers – and even release some limited-edition or smaller runs of certain designs on hoodies, jackets or t-shirts. Let your customers know when the deals or limited-edition runs are dropping to get them excited about being among the first in the cyber-line.

Pro tip: If you’re not on Instagram or Facebook, create those business accounts today. Post holiday gifting ideas featuring your products to capture their attention now. Your buyers have a lot of choices of brands and gifts to choose from, so be first in line with your suggestions. 

Nearly 53% of all respondents say they shop “mostly online and some in-store” for the holiday season. Another 19% do all their shopping online for the holidays. Only a fourth (24%) shop “mostly in-store and some online” for the gifting season. The most popular ways that people browse and buy holiday gifts are Apple phones/tablets (53%) and Android phones/tablets (40%).  social media (51%) and friends and family (52%).

Your Takeaway: That’s why it’s key to make sure that your ecommerce website loads quickly and is friendly for mobile shoppers to make holiday purchases on the go. Review the product listings on your own site, along with those on any other online platforms like Amazon or Etsy where you sell. 

Refresh your listings  with high-quality product photos of your hoodies, jackets or t-shirts alone and on models. Update your product copy to get people excited about your decorated apparel: the super-soft fabric, the many color options, the inspiration behind the artwork and the imprinting method. Include headlines and product copy that reminds them that custom hoodies are amazing gifts for holidays and other special occasions.

Nearly a third (33%) of buyers wait for a sale to complete their holiday shopping. Nearly another two-thirds (58%) “sometimes wait for a sale, and other times buy holiday gifts that aren’t on sale.” Only 9% say they “never” wait for a sale: “I buy it when I see it or need it.” 

Your Takeaway: That means you need to strike a balance between sales your buyers can’t say no to – along with regular-priced decorated items unique enough to inspire them to buy right then and there. If you’ve been in business for some amount of time, start by looking at your sales numbers to see what sales, offers or products have resonated most with your target customers.