Easter 2021 a catalyst for ecommerce change
he country was just beginning to grapple with the pandemic when Easter 2020 rolled around. In the midst of toilet paper shortages and school closures, a season typically filled with spending was turned on its head as customers clutched their wallets tightly. Chief economist at Wilmington Trust, Luke Tilley, noted it as “the sharpest decline in consumer spending” that his team had ever seen.
Spending on toys, entertainment, music, crafts, sporting goods, and events all experienced a massive decline early in the pandemic as consumers were forced to make major changes to how they celebrated the holiday. According to a survey conducted by NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics, 51% of consumers were planning to celebrate Easter this year by cooking a festive meal at home and 34% planned to connect with their family and friends via virtual avenues. Despite these necessary changes to how they celebrate, 77% of Americans still planned on getting into the holiday spirit — even if that means trading their community-wide egg hunt for an intimate family gathering.
Next spring, these changes are likely to continue. It may only be November, but customers are already considering how they will bring the festivities home this spring.
The term Easter is currently experiencing extremely high weekly search volume — about 136,460 per week on average. According to Google Trends, searches for Easter mass online (+1,300% to LY), Easter egg hunt at home (+350% to LY), and indoor Easter egg hunt (+70% to LY) are all on the rise, an indicator of how consumers are planning to celebrate the holiday come April.
In this report, we explore key changes in consumer behavior and analyze the Easter 2021 holiday across several markets.
Women
- Strawberry Dress +1600% to LY
- Linen Midi Dress +41% to LY
- Ruffle Tiered Dress +10% to LY
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but customers are already looking toward the next holiday, with terms such as Easter dress (+36% to LY) experiencing accelerated growth. This Easter, you can expect bold sleeves to be popular, with silhouettes such as puff sleeve denim dress and bishop sleeve dress expected to grow over the next year. In terms of fabric, customers are searching for cotton (+18% to LY) and linen(+11% to LY) pieces that will help them transition from the cold, winter months to the warmth of spring.
Kids
Toys and Games
- Jixels +4,007% to LY
- Lego Dots +3,454% to LY
- Animal Crossing +872% to LY
In 2021, community Easter egg hunts will likely be downsized as a result of the pandemic. The toys and games that kids will find in their Easter baskets are those that will keep them busy while safe at home. Kids are looking for toys they can customize and make their own, from Lego Dots, which have garnered over 58,000 average weekly searches, to Hatchimal’s CollEGGtibles. The most searched for toys will keep kids occupied even after the festivities come to an end.
Apparel
For Easter celebrations, childrenswear will offer some much-needed familiarity next spring. Traditional colors and patterns like pastel, rainbow, and floral are on the rise, as are more novel options like bunny print (+3% to LY). Although searches for kids Easter clothing are -100% to LY, searches for girls Easter dress (+75% to LY), a holiday staple, are already on the rise.
Home
In the era of the COVID-19, holiday celebrations are looking quite different than they have in the past. In accordance with social distancing guidelines, customers are searching for clever ways they can bring the celebration home. For some, that means turning online — for others, it means filling the home with decorations and scents that put them in the holiday spirit.