Outbrain Holiday Shopping Study Finds 18- to 35-Year-Olds Most Likely to Increase Spending Levels This Year

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a recent survey conducted by Outbrain, a leading recommendation platform for the open web, consumers between the ages of 18-35 are more likely to increase their budgets this holiday season compared to other age groups. The survey goes on to find that those over 56 are more likely to keep the same spending habits.

Results from the company’s Consumer Insights for the 2021 Holiday Shopping Season survey, which surveyed more than 8,000 consumers worldwide, across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Israel, found that speed of delivery has now topped the list of consumer expectations. Globally, 52% of consumers ranked speed of delivery as influencing their purchase decisions, followed by 38% of respondents valuing free/discounted shipping. When making purchasing decisions, shoppers globally are driven by certain brand values, with 54% valuing brand accessibility/availability, followed by sustainability (47%) and brands that support local businesses (43%).

Marketers looking to capture the attention of shoppers this holiday season should identify key digital tactics that can turn browsers into buyers. Globally, 61% of consumers identified watching a video about a product as important to their decision making process. Besides video, 45% of consumers globally identify swipeable ads as the most engaging type of ad when browsing online.

"These findings are ultimately a growth playbook for retailers and other DTC brands as we head into the busiest time of the year," says Ayal Steiner VP, Global Ad Revenue at Outbrain. "The results help us and our partners hone in on high-value customer segments, understand the ad experiences that have the best impact such as video and carousel, and refine messaging to target consumer needs such as speed of delivery.”

In the last year, 71% of consumers globally also purchased a product outside of their home market, a trend that Outbrain expects to continue into the holiday season. Furthermore, 57% of global consumers only start planning their Black Friday purchases a few days or up to two weeks ahead.

“There is a real opportunity to break geographical boundaries and target customers around the world. Brands need to take advantage of efficient pricing in September and October to cultivate their global audience and drive brand consideration in advance of key holiday shopping periods,” adds Steiner.

Specific to the U.S. market:

• 36% of consumers plan to shop only online this holiday season, while 55% plan to conduct shopping both online and in-store.
• 66% of consumers prefer having information about a brand before they make a purchase for Black Friday. Product quality (48%) and affordability (58%) are other important factors that shoppers consider when trying new brands.
• 52% of consumers only start planning their Black Friday purchases up to two weeks beforehand.
  

Brands can learn more in the report “Consumer Insights for the 2021 Holiday Shopping Season.”

About Outbrain
Outbrain (Nasdaq: OB) is a leading recommendation platform for the open web. Our technology enables 10 billion daily recommendations to consumers across more than 7,000 online properties and connects advertisers to these audiences to grow their business. Founded in 2006, Outbrain is headquartered in New York with offices in 18 cities worldwide.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Matt LoDolce
mlodolce@outbrain.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4da0ade-ccb1-4052-8a4f-edd6f467bbf4