While it’s safe to say 2020 has been an unpredictable year, we are certain that demand in eCommerce will continue to shift upwards for the remainder of the year. Consumers will heavily rely on online stores for the majority of their holiday shopping, with 88% planning to continue purchasing gifts online and sending them to recipients (Criteo).
With this information in mind, our team at Gooten went ahead and surveyed over a thousand of our merchant partners in order to determine the biggest print-on-demand trends and opportunities for the upcoming season. From what kind of promotions to run to 2020’s most unexpected product (hint: it’s not face masks), this trends report will help power your holiday planning.
Keep reading to determine which products to add to your catalog, what kinds of promotions you should be running, and which marketing channels you should focus on.
When you first browse through a print-on-demand product catalog, it may seem overwhelming. There are hundreds of products to choose from and each of them come in a variety of colors and sizes. To help, we’re sharing the top 5 products of 2020. Whether you’re just starting to dip your toes into print-on-demand or you’re an established business owner, these products are a proven and marketable success for any online store.
1. Canvas Wraps. Display stunning designs and memorable moments on high-quality canvas wraps. These are perfect for artists looking to showcase their work or even a custom portrait of a beloved pet.
2. T-Shirts. T-Shirts are an evergreen wardrobe item that can fit any niche audience. Here are a few our top t-shirt picks:
3. Mugs. The perfect gift to give and receive. Mugs are a classic product for any print-on-demand store. Because of the popularity of mugs, it’s important to have unique designs that cater to the needs and wants of your niche audience. Here are a few of our top mug picks:
4. Posters. Posters have one of the best profit margins when it comes to print-on-demand products. With endless design possibilities, from inspirational quotes to creative city maps, they are the ultimate product for your online catalog. Here are a few of our top poster picks:
5. Minky Blankets. The softest, coziest, warmest blanket you will ever touch. These minky blankets are a crowd favorite amongst our merchant partners and we guarantee you’ll love them too. They are the perfect addition to any online store.
While these 5 products have been a crowd-favorite for the past couple of years, there is one product that was an unexpected success in 2020. And that product was…deskmats! They are the perfect finishing touch for your customer’s work-from-home office or gaming set-up.
Learn more about each product:
As we discussed in our holiday checklist post, you should start planning your holiday promotional calendar in September. But just like choosing which products to add to your store, it can be just as overwhelming to decide which deals to offer your customers.
To help narrow down the choices, these are the top three promotions our merchant partners plan to run this year:
1. Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales. The majority of our merchant partners plan to run a % off promotion during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
2. 10% off for returning customers. In order to encourage repeat purchases, many stores plan to re-engage existing customers with specific offers.
3. Free shipping. Consumers love free shipping so much that 83% of US online shoppers are willing to wait an additional two days for delivery if shipping is free, according to a study by Comscore. That’s why over 85% of our merchant partners plan to offer free shipping.
Here is the breakdown of how they plan to offer this extremely popular ecommerce promotion.
Once you’ve finalized your promotional offers, the next step is to figure out where to promote them. Below are the primary outlets our merchant partners have identified to drive their holiday sales.
The top two concerns our merchant partners have about this upcoming holiday season are (1) shipping delays and (2) slow production turnaround times. The holidays are a notoriously busy time for retail and shipping industries. Most online stores, however, have already experienced the rush of the holidays during the height of the pandemic when total online spend in May hit $82.5 billion, up 77% year-over-year.
The number one strategy to help mitigate these common concerns is to set consumer expectations. If your consumers knows ahead of time that the t-shirt they ordered is experiencing shipping delays, then they are much less likely to get frustrated while they’re waiting for it to arrive. Here are few ways to set expectations with your consumers before, during, and after their shopping experience.
This report could not have been completed without the help of our amazing merchant partners. Here is some background information on the businesses that grow with Gooten.
We hope this report helps prepare you for a successful and stress-free holiday season. We love to hear from our merchants. What strategies do you plan to implement in your store this year? Email us at hello@gooten.com to share your insights!
©2024 Gooten
©2024 Gooten
