Image by Heidi Fin
By Sarah Mahoney/Marketing Daily
The National Retail Federation predicts that 183.4 million people — a record — are planning to shop in-store and online on Thanksgiving Day weekend, up slightly from 182 million in 2023. And while the trade association’s research encompasses Thanksgiving Day to Cyber Monday, Black Friday remains the most popular day to shop, with 72% (131.7 million) planning to head out to stores or shop online. Of those, 65% say they’ll visit stores in person.
The research conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics confirms that consumers have shifted their behavior to shop earlier, with 58% of consumers already powering through their lists. By early November, when the study was fielded, consumers had finished an average of 25% of their shopping.
While retailers’ promotions and shopping events have fed that trend, stores are still scrambling to match marketing efforts to customer mindset. Target, for example, just launched “Kris from Target,” a second holiday campaign starring a hunky sales associate named Kris, who probably looks familiar (as in Kris Kringle, aka Santa). Scheduled to break next week, the Minneapolis-based marketer says it will run in tandem with “Happier Holidays from Target,” which debuted at the beginning of November. (Target Creative and Mythology developed and produced the campaign.)
Target says this is the first time it has tried this two-campaign approach. The first campaign tried to bring a bit of “Tarzhay magic” to holiday marketing, says Lisa Roath, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, in the campaign announcement. “As shoppers move further into the season, and their holiday checklists become the priority, we bring them ‘Kris from Target.’ This new campaign introduces a joyful new Target team member ready to help our guests complete any holiday shopping mission – with a touch of magic. In a series of spots, we follow Kris, who knows just the right gift, holiday meal staple, or unbelievable Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals – and they’re always at an incredible value.”
Macy’s is also trying new timing tactics, starting with Black Friday Now deals, two weeks ahead of the real thing, and its first-ever Parade of Deals, which have been running throughout November.
Kohl’s has already wrapped up a three-day Black Friday Early Access event and has begun revealing the extent of markdowns coming as the actual Black Friday approaches.
Thanksgiving shopping, record numbers, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, in-store, online, popular day, store visits
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Senior Editor, Digital Manager, Blogger, has been nominated for awards several times as Publisher and Author over the years. Has been with company for almost three years and is a current native St. Louisan.
