The summer sales are just around the corner and the possibility of celebrating them online allows the user to enjoy them from a more relaxed perspective, avoiding crowds and unnecessary waiting times.
This year summer sales are once again characterized by the predominance of the online channel due to the situation caused by the pandemic. As has been the case since last year, although in most of the Autonomous Communities the summer sales begin on July 1, there are exceptions, as is the case of the Community of Madrid or the Community of Valencia, where the sales period begins a few days earlier.
As every summer, the sales become one of the most awaited moments of the season when consumers expect to be able to purchase all those products, they have been looking forward to buying at a more affordable price.
Endless lines and long waiting times to finalize the payment of products in physical stores are very common at this time of the year and getting all those products from the wish list at a cheaper price becomes a risky sport that can be less exhausting if it is done through the online channel. Therefore, it is very likely that a large proportion of consumers prefer to make their purchases online and save time in the shopping process.
In addition, it is expected that, as has happened in previous years, retailers will bring forward the sales of their products in their applications or online stores, not only to provide a greater outlet for all the merchandise and stock from the spring and summer campaign, but also to encourage users to use mobile applications and distribute store traffic, trying to reduce the crowds that tend to occur during this time of year.
Here are some of the trends that will mark the 2021 summer sales:
Growth of purchases through the online channel
Due to the situation caused by the health crisis, ecommerce has experienced a great growth in the last year. This has meant that consumers who until before the pandemic did not buy online on a regular basis, have begun to become familiar with this new form of consumption, see the advantages it brings and intend to continue this form of purchase over time.
45% of Spaniards make more online purchases now than before the pandemic. Shopping through the online channel will continue to be a trend for another year during the summer sales, not only because of the convenience and efficiency it provides to the customer, but also because of the time and waiting time savings that are so common in physical stores during this time of the year.
In addition, it is expected that purchases of discounted items through retailer applications will predominate, due to the increased use of cell phones for online shopping. In fact, 47% of online orders in Spain are made through cell pones, which further confirms the use of this device to make purchases, since it is a device that we always tend to have closet to us.
Increased contactless payments
Online shopping and contactless payments in stores were already a trend during the winter sales and are expected to remain so during the summer sales. The use of contactless payments through cards, cell phones or wearables will continue to predominate when making purchases.
In addition, according to a report by Juniper Research, annual contactless payment transactions will reach $6 trillion worldwide by 2024. These forecasts anticipate growth in the use of these technologies in the coming years and their continued presence during this year’s sales period.
From Sipay, a payment gateway at the forefront of innovation, highlights some points that both physical and online merchants should implement to face the summer sales period.
On the one hand, they recommend that physical stores have smart payment terminals that streamline card payment or contactless devices, to avoid saturation so typical at this time of year and that customers can make their purchases in the shortest possible time.
On the other hand, in the case of ecommerce, it will be interesting for them to offer multiple payment methods to their customers, including the possibility of financing their purchases, giving them greater flexibility, and allowing them to pay in several installments.
In short, these summer sales will continue to be marked by the predominance of the digital channel and retailers, both physical and online, will have to adapt to the circumstances to offer the best possible customer experience with all the means at their disposal.
