While Ramadan is a season of both transformation and reflection, that sees major shifts in consumer daily routines and shopping behaviors, Eid comes with its own set of opportunities for businesses to tap into as well.
In this post, we look at our top tips for businesses to make the most of Eid, looking at how you can adapt your product pages and landing pages for customer motivations at this time of the year, to making sure your payment options don't limit your success.
1. Tap into User Motivations
Tapping into people’s motivations during Eid is really the key to maximizing your success at this time of the year. Research from Google shows us that people’s searches online evolve throughout the entire month of Ramadan, helping us to understand what consumers are looking for.
For instance, before Ramadan, many households are searching for grocery and shopping deliveries, in anticipation of iftars and to prepare homes for any future entertaining.
Then, as attention switches to Eid, there is an increase in fashion and beauty searches with many women looking for make-up and skincare and men looking for shaving and grooming products to get ready for future socializing and family activities outdoors. And as you would imagine, searches for restaurants increase during this time too.
Eid is also about giving, and this theme is truly highlighted as people actively look for the best gifts for their friends and family. A few of the most popular product categories during this time of year include:
● Perfumes
● Toiletries
● Clothes
● Smartphones
● Tablets
● Fashion accessories
● Home goods
● Health and wellness products
2. Support People’s Generosity
As a business, it’s key to remember that people are keen to embrace the spirit of giving during Eid. Giving to charity is an important aspect of the Holy Month, where people will perform charitable acts such as giving money or food to those in need.
With this in mind, sales of certain food and care items are likely to increase. One way to both support this trend and optimize your platform for better performance is to make sure you have the right bundles and packages readily available for individuals to purchase important items in bulk as they embrace the spirit of giving throughout Ramadan and into Eid.
For instance, rather than selling items individually, consider creating multi-packs and high-volume bundles that are discounted. Amazon AE Gift Cards are also great tool for customers who want a quick and convenient way to gift. This Eid, the Amazon team collaborated with a young and talented Emirati local artist on the autism spectrum, to create black-and-white artworks celebrating Eid traditions. Introducing these items will support your customers as they strive to make important contributions to their community.
3. Cater to People’s Eid Travel Plans
Many will wish to travel during Eid or shortly after this period. This might involve short excursions inside the country (camping, spas, or staycation activities), or holidays abroad. As such, travel bookings and sales of related products and services start to peak in the days after Eid al-Fitr, which also coincides with the beginning of summer holiday travel plans for many people.
Schools, offices and businesses in many Middle Eastern nations will close so that family, friends and neighbours can enjoy the celebrations together. So even if people aren’t travelling, they’re likely to spend more time with their communities, resulting in an increased demand for things like gifts, food, treats and games for children.
4. Prepare for Post-Ramadan Shopping Trends
Over 50 percent of consumers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt increase their spending during the fasting month, with most choosing to spend on household items such as food and groceries, according to data from Statista.
During the week of Eid al-Fitr, sales and visitors naturally decline as many residents travel during this period. However, sales are still likely to remain higher than an average week before Ramadan and the performance of certain categories like beauty products and clothing that meet people’s needs during Eid will be sustained. Adapting your marketing and campaigns to these trends will no doubt help you make the most of this period.
5. Streamline Mobile Experiences
Most people will use their mobile phones to order online for home delivery in most parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A well-designed app and smooth payment experience will make orders more enjoyable and convenient for your customers.
Unnecessary friction during mobile orders when people are ordering items such as food will cause a great deal of frustration that can also deter customers from buying from you in the future. Marketers should also keep in mind that targeted in-app marketing can help advertisers drive even more mobile sales on the lead-up to and during Eid, especially when timed with peak shopping periods.
6. Introduce Eid Offers and Discounts
It is also essential to create unique offers, discounts and coupon codes on your products or services in preparation for Eid. As well as giving people a greater incentive to shop from you, it will show them that you are catering to their needs during this special period, allowing you to win favor from them and build loyalty.
7. Run an Eid Campaign
You may have already sent your customers a celebratory message at the start of Ramadan, but have you created a post-Ramadan campaign? We recommend sending a combination of communications throughout the month as well as following up with unique offerings directly after Ramadan.
One of the biggest reasons for this is you will hopefully have built a strong audience of users who visited your website or app during Ramadan. You can then capitalize on this through audience retargeting and Eid-related messages.
8. Don’t Stunt Your Sales Due to Limited Payment Options
Flexibility and convenience are so important today. Retailers offering cash on delivery and multiple payment options will generate more sales during Ramadan and Eid. And when it comes to local payment habits, if you’re not offering the most common payment option to your customers, you could lose a great deal of potential business.
Many people will also increase their average baskets sizes due to higher volumes of gifts for their friends and family. Adding Installment payments is a great way to make this more manageable for your customers, letting them increase their purchasing powers when they need it the most.
Sources:
● https://www.statista.com/statistics/1112298/mena-consumer-behavior-during-ramadan/ https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-145/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/4-phases-ramadan/
Notes to editor: Amazon Payment Services is not responsible for the numbers represented in this article. All information and statistics are provided from the sources indicated, and are not an indicator of future results obtained from the use of this information. Please be advised that external information and statistics depend on various factors and could contain data limitations. Amazon Payment Services has included the sources referenced, however, Amazon Payment Services cannot guarantee the validity of the information and there is no assurance of future results obtained from the use of this information.
