5 predictions for the 2022 holiday shopping season! These are the directions to prepare for

According to foreign media reports, Salesforce recently released five predictions for holiday shopping in 2022. According to the forecast, as inflation continues, 51% of American consumers plan to buy fewer holiday gifts during this year's peak season.

Caila Schwartz, director of consumer strategy and insights at Salesforce, wrote in a blog post: "Rising gas prices, food shortages, soaring interest rates and continued inflation have made American consumers worried, causing them to change their purchasing behavior. 2022 is a challenging year for retailers, who will face an "unprecedented" holiday season."

Here are five Salesforce predictions for the 2022 holiday shopping season.

1. Shoppers will buy in advance to counter price increases

In the past two years, U.S. shoppers have started buying holiday items in early November due to supply chain issues. This year is no exception, but the main driving force behind early purchases this year is inflation.

According to Salesforce research, 42% of shoppers worldwide and 37% in the United States plan to buy holiday gifts in advance during the 2022 peak season, hoping to grab beloved items before prices rise significantly.

2. Shoppers are more concerned about product prices

According to a Salesforce survey, 50% of shoppers will switch brands due to price issues, which means that 2.5 billion shoppers around the world may give up the brand they have always been interested in and choose a lower-priced competitor.

In addition, 17% of global shoppers (850 million) and 15% of U.S. shoppers (31 million) are still unsure whether they will buy goods this year. Therefore, retailers' pricing and discount strategies will be very important and will determine whether there will be a "surge in orders".

Salesforce also noted that some product categories, such as luxury brands, grocery stores and department stores, will see a decline in customer loyalty during this peak season due to significant price increases on products.

3. Physical stores will drive omnichannel growth

As consumers return to physical stores, 60% of online orders will be affected. Salesforce predicts that retailers with physical stores will grow online sales 1.5 times faster than retailers without physical stores.

Salesforce said that retailers with both physical stores and online stores will achieve faster growth, and consumers' combination of offline and online purchasing methods will drive retailers' omnichannel growth.

4. Shoppers will be more likely to purchase sustainable brands and products

According to Salesforce, 83% of shoppers will look for sustainable brands and products during the 2022 holiday season. 42% of shoppers would consider paying more for environmentally friendly shipping options or choosing longer delivery times. Sustainability will be the top factor influencing consumer purchasing decisions, ahead of racial discrimination and economic justice.

5. Retailers will test NFT solutions

46% of shoppers said they would consider purchasing a non-monetary token (NFT), a digital asset that represents something unique or scarce and stored on a blockchain. Younger generations are more likely to be attracted to NFTs, with Gen Z being more interested than Gen X.

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