There may still be a few weeks left in 2018, but many shoppers have their sights on the new year. Whether it’s the need for a warm-weather getaway or a resolution for adventure, more buyers are on the lookout for low rates and enticing offerings from hotels, travel agencies, resorts and more.
Though consumers are spending more money on experiences, traditional holiday shopping seasonality still drives many of these purchases. According to travel app Hopper, for example, airfare sale activity more than doubled immediately after Cyber Monday last year.
Similarly, millions of active buyers log on to eBay this time of year for suggestions on items and experiences that complement their interests. With more than a billion listings, including in categories such as Tickets & Experiences, buyers rely on the platform for help planning upcoming trips, concerts, sports games as well as to find the perfect travel item to accompany them on their next big trip in the new year. As holiday sales grow throughout the travel industry, brands can unite with eBay’s experience-minded shoppers and inspire them for their next big adventure.
‘Tis the Season to Get Packing
Experience-seeking consumers can discover a number of different events and activities within eBay’s Tickets & Experiences category. Beginning with the Cyber 5, holiday shoppers increase their visits to the category, with purchases spiking closer to the new year. In fact, buyers around New Year’s made twice the number of ticket purchases as they did throughout Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas combined.
These top-selling experiences vary greatly. In 2017, the five most popular ticket sales from September through the end of the year included an SEC college football game, a high-profile pop star concert, museum tickets in Washington, D.C. and amusement park passes on both sides of the country. Whether shoppers are NFL fans or entertainment enthusiasts, they rely on eBay for its unmatched selection of merchandise and the ability to maintain an interconnected retail and entertainment experience. Especially in the lead up to their next excursion, shoppers consult the platform for must-have items to bring along. Fans can find new bathing suits, the perfect outfit to cheer or a favorite team, snow gear to hit the slopes and more across the marketplace.
Shopping Among the Community
As many as three quarters of Tickets & Experiences sellers do not have their own branded online storefront – the category is mostly C2C activity: active buyers selling to other eBay users. With eBay’s audience and cross-shopping data, advertisers can learn more about shoppers who don’t engage with a branded experience and include them in activation strategies.
Audience data finds that many of these shoppers overlap with specific audience segments like Evergreen Big Spenders. In fact, over a third of eBay’s travel-inclined buyers are almost 1,000% more likely than the average buyer to have made multiple purchases over $250 on the platform. With this insight, advertisers may find even more receptive shoppers among segments whose buyers also spend big.
Experience-seeking consumers are also highly likely to shop across other categories, which expands contextual targeting opportunities. Clothing, Shoes & Accessories is a popular category among experience-minded buyers, given that 50% of them are twice as likely than the average eBay buyer to shop in the category. Additionally, over a third of these shoppers are also 75% likely to cross-shop in Health & Beauty.
As a hub to share and celebrate consumer passions, eBay attracts shoppers who expect a curated and comprehensive buying experience. While millions of buyers are scanning the platform for gifts this season, they’re also keeping tabs on purchases that will set good intentions for the year ahead. Advertisers who understand how eBay’s communities seek experiences online are one step closer to forming relationships with travel-savvy consumers that will take off into 2019.
To learn more about eBay’s well-traveled passengers, check out our Audience Buying Guide and contact our ad sales team today.