New eBay Ads Report Finds 33% of Holiday Shoppers Are Very Influenced by Holiday Ads, Presenting New Opportunities for Sellers

Every year, I look forward to the fall season. As a consumer, I of course enjoy planning my own holiday celebrations; and as a professional, it is truly the most exciting time of the year! At eBay Ads, this is when we get to review the full ads landscape by digging into the latest trends and market dynamics, to guide our sellers to form smart, effective holiday ad strategies. Every year is different, and as an eBay Ads leader, I find it so rewarding when we are able to share fresh insights that ultimately drive the success of our sellers during the holidays.

While the holiday shopping experience once revolved around in-person Black Friday sales and conventional advertising methods, we’ve seen a notable shift recently, as consumers have increasingly moved to an online-first shopping process. This means the likes of search ads, advanced retargeting features, and other ecommerce tools and resources have become critical vehicles for sellers. While this change can feel daunting to some, it can be extremely beneficial and encouraging for smaller sellers that can now better compete with big retailers, by showing up well in front of existing and future customers online.

While the holiday shopping experience once revolved around in-person Black Friday sales and conventional advertising methods, we’ve seen a notable shift recently, as consumers have increasingly moved to an online-first shopping process. This means the likes of search ads, advanced retargeting features, and other ecommerce tools and resources have become critical vehicles for sellers. While this change can feel daunting to some, it can be extremely beneficial and encouraging for smaller sellers that can now better compete with big retailers, by showing up well in front of existing and future customers online.

As we approach the 2023 holiday shopping season, the eBay Ads 2023 Holiday Guide is helping sellers to do just that. The guide provides both a high level perspective and more granular insights, so that they can make fully informed, smart decisions. It breaks down the many consumers who will be flooding all platforms and shopping methods in search of gifts and other festive items, while also offering specific guidance on shopping trends and how sellers can increase their return on ads spend.

Here are a few key insights from eBay Ads’ report.

Advertise on marketplaces to catch shoppers at the beginning of the purchase funnel.

According to eBay Ads’ guide, marketplaces are the starting point for the majority of holiday shopping journeys, as nearly three in four (71%) U.S. consumers begin their holiday shopping on online marketplaces, such as eBay. Considering their decision to begin on a marketplace as opposed to a specific brand’s website or product page, we can infer that many of these shoppers are in the early stages of the purchase funnel, as they are still discovering and exploring new items. 

This indicates the importance of operating and advertising on a large marketplace filled with potential customers. And while this is true for almost any vendor, it is especially relevant for smaller sellers. Marketplace shoppers are looking to the platform to help spark discovery, and are open-minded to creative gift choices. They likely want to present their recipients with something that has more character or a story behind it. They want to make thoughtful and unique choices, which aligns perfectly with the offerings from many small businesses.

To make the most of the marketplace, sellers should take advantage of the robust ad solutions at their disposal. Marketplaces offer intuitive and comprehensive ad tools, to help sellers effectively target the wealth of shoppers who flock to their sites. For example, sellers can utilize a combination of promoted listings, keyword targeting, and offsite ads. By investing in these tools and monitoring their performance, sellers can refine their ad strategies on an ongoing basis, and better understand consumers’ preferences and expectations on the platform.

One-third of shoppers are “very influenced” by ads – proving that consumers want to see, and even rely on, advertisements.

Most shoppers are open-minded when it comes to ads, and willingly allow them to influence their holiday purchase decisions. They feel a heightened need to please a wide range of recipients and interests, and in response to this expectation, shoppers not only want to see ads – but they even rely on them.

New data from the eBay Ads’ guide revealed that one-third (33%) of shoppers say that they are “very influenced” by ads – meaning that more than 50% of the gifts they purchase are different from what they originally intended to purchase, due to ads during the holidays. Additionally, over half (54%) of shoppers state that they feel more confident about holiday gift choices when they are chosen from ads.

Despite common concerns that consumers may be resistant, the survey shows that holiday shoppers are actually very receptive to relevant ads. This is further proven by results from eBay sellers who currently leverage eBay Ads’ solutions – they report seeing a 50% increase in sales when using eBay’s Promoted Listings Advanced, compared to non-promoted items.*

Sellers should feel empowered to take advantage of ad solutions such as promoted listings and keyword targeting, especially during the holiday season, to capitalize on heavy shopper traffic. Consumers are more likely to engage with them during this season in their quest for the perfect holiday items – and sellers who appeal to them via smart ads will ultimately complete the purchase cycle and come out on top this holiday season.

One size does not fit all: different demographics have different shopping priorities.

This year, an important group of shoppers has emerged from eBay Ads’ holiday survey: millennials aged between 35-44. This group consists of the “holiday decision makers” who are responsible for the majority of gifting decisions. They also tend to be the hosts of holiday gatherings, and seem to run the holiday season overall in most households. Inversely, this group is the least likely to self-shop during the holidays, as they prioritize making purchases for others over themselves.

Knowing that these consumers hold significant purchasing power, sellers should find ways to advertise and appeal to this group, in addition to other relevant demographics. Diversifying efforts across a combination of ad solutions can help to meet this goal. Today, many platforms offer the ability to narrow in on specific messaging for specific browsing behaviors and consumer profiles – further underscoring the benefits of leveraging the latest marketplace ad options.

To learn more about how sellers can tap into the $200+ billion that consumers spend during the holiday season, check out eBay Ads’ one-stop-shop for valuable holiday resources here.

^{* Source: eBay data; Sept 2022 – Feb 2023}

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