Top Ecommerce Holiday Trends for the 2024 Season

We may be months away from the holiday season, but it's never too early to start preparing — especially for winning ecommerce retailers.

According to predictions by eMarketer, US holiday retail ecommerce sales will break records this year, reaching $271.58 billion — a 9.5% increase from 2023 — which means ecommerce is in for a busy season. 

So how can you find digital success in 2024?

BigCommerce is here to unwrap the latest predictions, strategies, and expert advice so that you can make the most of this holiday shopping season. Take a look at these early consumer shopping trends to prepare for what’s driving shoppers in 2024. 

Get familiar with holiday shopping behaviors 

Customer behaviors are evolving year round, and the holiday season is no exception. 

Last year we saw customers eager to get back to shopping in-person, shopping earlier, and looking for hassle-free returns. But with a new year comes new consumer habits and behaviors. And knowing how to tailor your holiday ecommerce strategy starts with knowing your customer. What behaviors are driving this year’s holiday shoppers? What are their top priorities? Where, when, and how are they shopping?

Let’s explore four key consumer behaviors that are shaping this year’s holiday trends.

Holiday shopping is starting earlier.

Historically, the “holiday season” has encompassed the months of November and December, typically beginning around Thanksgiving and Black Friday. However, if you’ve done any amount of holiday shopping in the last couple years, it should come as no surprise that holiday shopping is no longer designated to just two months out of the year. 

Jared Shaner, Partner and Chief Revenue Officer at Trellis, explains:

“Brands will be fighting for a larger slice of a smaller pie. We have been seeing the emergence of brands launching BFCM sales well prior to the actual holidays and lasting beyond the holiday, which certainly has diluted the impact of the holiday seasonal promotions and shifted consumer sentiment. The reality is that consumers have taken note and shifted to value shoppers looking to have price be a primary constraint in much of their purchasing. Coupled with tighter spending habits we have seen emerging over the last 12-18 months, and brands will have to stand out to capture the spend.”

Additionally, data by CivicScience shows that 16% of US consumers already began shopping for holiday gifts in June — an increase from the 9% who were holiday shopping in July of 2019. Not to mention a whopping 34% of shoppers now make holiday purchases before Thanksgiving — an 8% increase since last July. 

How should ecommerce businesses respond? 

By offering more frequent discounts and promotions throughout the year. This can help engage more price-sensitive shoppers who may be looking to start their holiday shopping early and spread their spending over the course of several months.

Discounts, discounts, discounts.

Despite fears of decreased consumer spending, buying among shoppers rose 3.1% over the 2023 holiday season, compared to the same period in 2022. 

But amid inflation, layoffs, and other economic challenges, many price-conscious shoppers are still eager to find the best deals and discounts this year. So what kinds of discounts are most likely to convert holiday shoppers? 

According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, “60% of consumers favor clear ‘discounts on everything’ over flash sales or bundle deals.” In addition, these deals “should grant at least a 30% discount across categories to entice purchases.” 

This year, be ready to discount throughout the holiday season, and perhaps consider offering flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to provide an extra bit of cushion for budget-conscious shoppers. 

According to Spencer Flaherty, Internal Marketing Manager at Groove Commerce, value-add bundles are likely to make a large impact in the upcoming holiday season. He states:

“If the base-model of your product typically retails for $129.95 with up to $74.99 in upsells, such as accessories, offer that complete upsell bundle for $24.99 (if your margins can handle it). Sacrificing the profit from an upsell bundle allows you to maximize the volume of your primary product while liquidating excess inventory. For customers, getting “the complete set” helps them perceive that they purchased the top of the line item, with no frills spared. Getting a deal like this from a new brand earns goodwill, which will be paid back handsomely in time.”

Mobile commerce takes shopping on-the-go.

Chances are you probably have a smartphone in your hand or somewhere nearby — as does most of the US. So it’s no surprise that mobile commerce is expected to contribute nearly 28% of growth to this year’s holiday ecommerce sales, per eMarketer’s forecast. 

What does this mean for today’s ecommerce businesses? For starters, it means ensuring your online store is mobile-friendly. Make sure your content is optimized for smaller screens, and enable one-click ordering and other conveniences that support on-the-go shopping.

Despite the rise in m-commerce sales, desktop still dominates when it comes to conversions.

According to Contentsquare, 2023’s Black Friday and Christmas saw the highest share of traffic from mobile devices, yet mobile devices only converted at 3.1%, compared to 5.5% on desktop. Thus, while customers may prefer to window shop on mobile devices, many still prefer to complete purchases on desktop. 

The verdict? Make sure your site offers an intuitive, consistent layout across all devices, including desktops, smartphones, and tablets. 

Shopping goes social. 

On the note of m-commerce, many mobile shoppers this season are turning to one channel in particular: social media. Alex Fisher, Director of Client Delivery at Kepler, notes: 

“Shopping via social platforms will continue to rise, especially through Tiktok and Instagram. Easy shopping experiences combined with influencer marketing continues to be a recipe for success.”

With the birth of platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping, brands can now interact with customers in a more organic, personal, and convenient way. 

While conversions on social channels may still have room for growth, there’s no doubt that these channels are a strong avenue for product discovery: According to a 2024 Holiday Consumer Research Report by Salsify, 54% of Gen Z-ers, 45% of Millennials, and 27% of Gen Xers are using social media channels to discover gift ideas this season. 

Going into the holidays, make sure your social channels are active, up to date on your latest products and promotions, and driving customers to your online store. 

Deliver a seamless omnichannel journey

Today, the lines between online and in-person shopping have largely been blurred, with shoppers no longer distinguishing between the two, but instead viewing them all as part of the same shopping experience. In fact, Salsify found that 49% of shoppers prefer “just the right” mix of online and in-store shopping. 

Holiday shoppers want to move seamlessly from channel to channel, always picking up right where they left off — from shopping on Instagram, to browsing your online store, all the way to visiting your brick-and-mortar store. 

Plus, they want a seamless brand experience throughout their journey. This means retailers need to ensure that product content, messaging, and design are consistent across all channels. Even when it comes to shipping and order fulfillment — think Buy Online, Pickup in Store (BOPIS) — retailers can blend brick-and-mortar shopping with innovative ecommerce.

Jay Brimberry, Chief Operating Officer at EYStudios, also believes that omnichannel shopping will continue to grow exponentially in 2024 — in particular with marketplaces. He advises:

“In 2023, over 30% of all holiday shopping happened on Amazon and Walmart, two omnichannel marketplaces that I believe will continue growing in 2024. Merchants will want to focus some of their marketing dollars to ensure their products are showing up within both of these marketplaces and make an effort to keep all product data feeds up-to-date and deliver the best possible information.”

No doubt, the holidays are a busy time for shoppers, and they’ll be interacting with lots of brands. This season, make sure you’re engaging your customers at every touch point by reinforcing what makes your brand unique, so that you can stand out from the rest.

Personalize the customer experience

During the busy holiday season, it can be easy for shoppers to feel like businesses treat them as just a number. But in the age of Spotify “For You” playlists and hyper-specific TikTok algorithms, the case for personalization is clear: today’s shoppers expect brands to recognize them. 

Luckily, with artificial intelligence (AI) at our fingertips, personalization has never been more accessible. Leveraging AI tools, ecommerce brands can predict future trends, analyze shopping behavior, and even optimize supply chains. Plus, generative AI tools can provide services similar to a real-life salesperson — such as finding products, answering questions, completing orders, and processing refunds. 

Vaibhav Lohia, Head of Marketing at Apply Digital, agrees with this sentiment that AI will play a great role in this year's holiday season. He remarks:

“As per Salesforce data, 53% of shoppers are interested in using generative AI to find the perfect present. Given that generative AI has been baked into most consumer products by big tech, I see consumers leveraging these tools to make smarter decisions.”

Another popular way to personalize the customer experience this season is through digital wish lists. These can come in the form of save-for-later lists, allowing customers to pick up where they left off in their shopping journey, or share-with-others features, which encourage shoppers to invite friends and family to view or edit their wishlist. 

Personalization isn’t just for online shopping either. Edward Gaug, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Guidance, shares:

“The return to retail will be a bigger part of BFCM 2024. The online-only shopper will start to return to physical stores in order to get that personal experience and have a better connection with the products they are purchasing.”

Chances are you’ll have many new potential customers interacting with your brand this holiday season. Seize the opportunity to give them an unforgettable customer experience — one that inevitably transforms them into a loyal, long-term customer.  

The final word

Time will tell how this holiday season unwraps. But in the meantime, our best advice is to ensure your customer is front and center in your ecommerce strategy. From offering deals and discounts to upping your omnichannel experience, finding ways to put your customer first is key to standing out this holiday season.

Looking for more holiday insights? Check out our blog for more of the latest trends, predictions, and news on how enterprise retailers can sell more during the busiest shopping season.