April the ‘tipping point’ for change in shopper mindset eBay reveals
Data released by eBay Advertising has revealed that Easter is the time when consumers begin their summer shopping, regardless of adverse weather.
The e-commerce store revealed that sales of BBQs doubled on eBay in the UK between March and April 2013, and sales of cricket bats jumped up by 40 per cent, despite last April being unseasonably cold.
eBay identified the transition from March to April as the “tipping point” when shoppers start spending in anticipation of the summer months.
Phuong Nguyen, director of eBay Advertising in the UK, said: “Regardless of the weather, we’ve seen that April is the trigger point for a change in shopper mindset, as Brits gear up for the May bank holidays and get ready for summer.
“While weather is clearly a key factor affecting shopping behaviour, the data shows that brands should flex campaigns based on actual behaviour rather than looking at the thermometer, or risk losing out. With Easter falling so late in the year, brands have a greater opportunity to capitalise on the ‘summer switch’ with three bank holidays in quick succession.”
Three categories were singled out as seeing the biggest uplift during the “summer switch” including ‘garden living’, ‘paint jobs’ and ‘outdoor pursuits’.