The run up to Black Friday could be set to see a nine-fold surge in mobile search enquiries as consumers gear up for one of the busiest shopping days of the year on November 27.
Based on research from 33% of internet retail users using its search engine in 2014, the findings from Bing Ads’ UK Retail Insights Report have unearthed insights into how devices will play a crucial role on what the company has dubbed ‘Mobile Day’.
Black Friday last year saw UK consumers spend an estimated £810 million last year, and retailers will be striving to live up to this success in 2015.
Traits of 2014
Over half (54%) of retail intent searches were made on mobile and tablet devices last year, with a 900% lift on mobile search between 5-9 pm the night before, peaking at 1000% at 7am on Black Friday morning.
Jewellery was the most sought-after product on mobile devices, taking an 83% share of related searches, with just 5% and 12% occurring on tablet and PC.
This stands out among searches for Home & Garden goods, Personal & Beauty Care and Clothing Accessories which saw more balanced distributions between mobile and PC (see table below).
The report also states that ‘Generation X’ is the most investigative when it comes to shopping around Black Friday, with more than 50% of retail search queries on the Bing Ads Network coming from 35-64 year olds.
Commenting on the report, Bing Ads European head of marketing, Cedric Chambaz, says the results demonstrate the increasing trend of people seeking to get more done on the go by researching products on mobile.
“Brands need to capitalise on these insights by ensuring they’re offering the right content, in the right place and at the right time in the run up to Christmas.
“By knowing how and when consumers are searching, brands can think beyond the search box in how to do this most effectively.”