This year’s Black Friday is going to be very important in the UK, as 81% of shoppers plan to go shopping and get the best deals. In the US, about 44% of consumers said they are looking forward to the shopping event.

Knowing this information as early as now could help you prepare and get a bigger slice of the cake.

Of the 3,226 consumers surveyed by Periscope By McKinsey, which offers marketing solutions and analytics tools, for its Black Friday 2017 Shopping Report, 31% of consumers in the UK and 36% in the US said they are doing their shopping online and in store.

The question now is: can you give consumers what they are looking for online and offline?

If your answer is a big YES then good for you as you are more than ready to join the race.

Now if you said no because you are only selling through one channel, either online or in a brick-and-mortar store, consider partnering with someone from the platform you don’t sell on.

After all, it is very common to hear large retailers collaborate with online stores or vice versa today; Take the Amazon-Whole Foods partnership as an example.

When it comes to having the upper hand, however, it must be the online stores, as they sparked the Black Friday craze, in the UK at least.

According to the Periscope study, 37% of UK consumers said they liked Black Friday more as they shop online, while 29% said it is one of their favorite shopping events.

Factors that Trigger Black Friday Shopping

Big discounts and special promotions that are not offered at other times of the year are the main factors that encourage consumers to spend more on Black Friday.

As stores offer high-quality products at extremely low prices, many people see it as an opportunity to start their Christmas shopping before waiting until later when prices rise again.

Personalized marketing is another factor that influences the purchase decision; Consumers prefer brands that speak to them.

According to the Periscope survey, 38% of UK shoppers are more likely to opt for a brand that offers them early bird discounts, while 43% of respondents said additional discounts are more important.

They have set their sights on electronics and clothing.

It looks like this year’s Black Friday will be favorable for electronics and clothing retailers.

Although the Periscope study showed that its respondents intend to make purchases across all product categories, it also revealed that 52% of them in the UK and 58% of them in the US have consumer electronics. consumption at the top of your list.

Clothing ranked second, while movies, books, and music ranked third.

Other categories that were also mentioned in the survey include: beauty and fragrances, toys, groceries, and beverages.

Mobile devices will dominate

While desktops and laptops will continue to be the top shopping tool for 45% of shoppers on Black Friday, mobile transactions are expected to increase.

31% of shoppers in the UK and 26% in the US said they are going to make purchases with their smartphones, while only 16.5% and 20.5% respectively did so last year.

So if you don’t have a mobile responsive website that works on multiple devices, you’d better check it out before November 24, which is just one month.

Or perhaps, you’ll find inspiration in these words from Brian Elliott, Managing Partner of Periscope By McKinsey:

“Consumer appetite for Black Friday in the US and UK has increased this year, with more plans to shop, in more categories, with more budget available. There is a clear opportunity for those retailers who understand how Your customers shop in an omnichannel environment and so focus on creating shopping experiences that link your physical and online channels. From research, we know that consumers have a shopping list and are already researching online, what it means they’re giving you clues about what they want. Retailers who can use that information to create personalized promotions and offers, have a much higher chance of securing sales, and make Black Friday 2017 their biggest ever. “

We hope you get going with a brilliant plan of attack.