We’re almost halfway through Spring and, at Criteo, we’ve been closely watching what happens as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer.
Last year, we noticed that consumers really start getting into the spirit of Spring Cleaning by buying more products in the Home & Goods category. Not only that, there are some serious wardrobe changes. Apparel sales skyrocket starting in April.
While there’s really no pinpointing when this kind of “Spring fever” starts, it’s safe to say that there are definitive changes in purchase habits as soon as the weather gets a little warmer. Here’s what we found for Spring sales 2019:
1. Baby & Toddler Clothes Start Booming.
The Baby & Toddler category took off first. When we compared average sales numbers in March to January, for example, we saw significant spikes that continued through April.
This shows that, before consumers start thinking about their own wardrobes, they’re thinking about their kids. Especially the youngest kids.
Since babies and toddlers grow up so fast, there’s an interesting implication here that there will always be a reliable Spring growth spurt in Baby & Toddler apparel – after all, what fit them last year probably doesn’t fit this year!
Here’s what we saw:
- Baby & Toddler Outfits +43%
- Baby & Toddler Swimwear +160%
- Baby & Toddler Tops +49%
- Baby One-Pieces +46%
And, at the same time, we saw a drastic decline in winter gear. Coats, jackets, and snow pants sales drop by up to 60% by the end of April.
2. People Start Accessorizing.
This year, we looked into detailed, product-specific changes that happen across the beginning of Spring. We observed that, as the weather gets warmer, consumers start investing in new accessories. Overall, we saw big sales increases in items that might be for workouts, fashion, and outdoor activity:
- Headbands +56%
- Ponytail Holders +68%
- Sunglasses +54%
- Shoes +17%
3. The Gardening Season is Upon Us
Another interesting trend that we saw was just how drastic plants, pots, and gardening supplies skyrocket in the Spring. Looking closer, we noticed a spike in February for seeds, while pots, planters, plants, and growing kits have a long tail of growth that starts in March and keeps rising through April.
Whether consumers are looking to start growing new plants or refurnish ones they have, we can safely say that, along with Spring cleaning, there’s definitely a time of “Spring planting.”
Here are the numbers, compared to January:
- Pots & Planters +77%
- Plant & Herb Growing Kits +103%
- Seeds +29%
The Weather Effect
What we found striking about these results is that it shows that consumer behavior is often dictated by weather events – not anything to do with holidays or advertising. By crunching the numbers across the Criteo Shopper Graph, our network of 1.9 billion active monthly shoppers, we can visualize the changes in buying behavior at a massive scale.
Now, we know that Spring Cleaning isn’t just about refreshing your home – it’s about getting a new wardrobe (as we found last year) and, apparently, starting up your garden.
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