Black Friday to Cyber Monday, these brands are captivating gift shoppers
With Black Friday behind them, shoppers are hyperfixated on one thing from now until the end of December — scoring juicy deals.
The day after Thanksgiving — known as Black Friday — typically marks the start of the holiday gift-buying frenzy leading up to Christmas. It’s a short window of time, which is even tighter this year because of five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, compared to 2023.
For gift buyers, it means there’s no time to lose in finding the best deals on products on their checklists. This year, consumers plan to spend about $771 on their holiday shopping, or 2% higher than last year’s spending goal, according to market research firm Circana.
Still, expect those purchases to happen only if retailers and brands entice the more cost-conscious shoppers with deep discounts.
“It’s all about finding the best value,” Shelley Huff, a retail industry expert and founder and CEO of Huff Advisory, said in an interview with Bagable.com.
But, it’s not only about discounts. Huff expects shoppers to also show a preference for brands that have consistently done a good job winning over customers because of innovative products and outstanding store experience and customer service.
“The winning brands this holiday season will be those that have delivered value all year in these areas, too,” Huff said.
To that end, Huff named a handful of brands that she said are primed to be potential winners with holiday shoppers this year. They include:
YETI: The brand is a maker of stainless steel tumblers, coolers and other outdoor gear. Although YETI’s drinkware competes directly with Gen Z’s favorite Stanley tumbler, Huff said YETI has an edge for a few reasons.
“I’ve been in YETI stores a lot. The store experience is fun and the staff is enthusiastic about the brand and educating shoppers about the products,” she said. “It makes it really difficult to walk out without being converted into a customer.”
Tecovas: Cowboy boots are everywhere and the “it” style of the season. Tecovas is among the hottest brands of handcrafted Western boots, especially with younger shoppers. Tecovas launched as a direct-to-consumer seller of affordable boots in 2015 and now operates several stores nationwide and also sells its boots through select retailers.
“Tecovas has cultivated an almost cult-like following. Its boots are fashionable with mid-tier pricing and the store experience is very unique,” said Huff. To her point, Tecovas offers its store shoppers complimentary beverages, boot shining and personalized stamping services.
Vuori: In the battle of the athleisure brands, Vuori is holding its own among heavy hitters Lululemon and Alo. The privately-held company just announced it secured $825 million in new outside investment this month.
Vuori said its activewear, still premium priced but less than Lululemon and Alo, is uniquely inspired by the active Coastal California lifestyle, which is a mix of fitness, yoga, surf and outdoor lifestyle.
“Vuori is a great alternative to Lululemon and Alo in terms of comfort, functionality, trendiness and affordability,” said Huff.
UGG: Said Huff: “UGG embodies simple luxury with universal appeal. The brand’s focus on quality and affordability keeps it top of mind for comfort-driven gift options year after year.”
E.L.F. BEAUTY: E.l.f. (short for eyes, lips and face) Beauty is a favorite of Gen Z and younger tween Gen Alpha shoppers because of its under $10 makeup and skincare options, including viral dupes of pricey brands.
It also boasts a massive social media fanbase of seven million Instagram followers and nearly two million on TikTok.
“E.L.F Beauty is a perfect mix of accessibility and purpose. With fair prices, cruelty-free and vegan products and innovative marketing that resonates with younger consumers, they’ve mastered community engagement and viral collaborations,” said Huff.
Hot products searches on Google
The latest Google Trends data also surfaced hot products based on large search volume heading into the Black Friday weekend.
Lego: In the toys category, bargain hunters actively searched for Black Friday deals on Lego sets. Lego’s Black Friday weekend deals, up to 40% off on select sets, extends to Dec. 2.
Crocs: Popular footwear brand, Crocs, was another top trending search on Google over the last 48 hours.
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Even as temperatures drop and down jackets are zipped up to brace against the winter chill, plenty of Crocs fans still refuse to swap out their comfy Crocs clogs for cold-weather boots.
So, the go-to shoe brand of GenZers is doing what it does best — giving fans what they want with buzzworthy seasonal festive spins on its iconic clog. This one is perfectly timed for the holidays. [Click on story below ⬇️ ]
Oura ring:
Deal seekers were looking for the best discounts on the popular Oura ring heading into the Black Friday weekend.
The first generation of this smart fitness and wellness tracker that’s worn as a ring launched via Kickstarter in 2015.
Now in its fourth generation, it pairs with an app and sensing technology to deliver continuous data when worn that measures blood oxygen when you’re sleeping, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, respiration rate during sleep, movement and activity and body temperature variations.