At Nano Interactive, our unique insight into emerging intent trends provides a deep understanding of consumer habits in the build up to the winter sales season. 

As we approach the final quarter of the year, understanding the nuances of consumer intent becomes not just beneficial, but essential for retailers aiming to maximise ROI during this crucial trading period.

With a particular focus on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, our latest research sheds light on how UK shoppers approach spending, their perception of what constitutes ‘value’, and how media consumption impacts engagement and conversion during these key sales periods.

Our comprehensive analysis, drawing on extensive consumer surveys and behavioural data, reveals several critical trends that are reshaping the retail landscape:

 

How shopper attitudes have transformed the Q4 sales landscape

  • Improved deals and participation levels: Half of consumers believe that Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have improved, and shoppers now expect retailers to provide meaningful promotions during this well-established sale season. This shift in consumer expectations represents a significant departure from early Black Friday years, when deals were often viewed with scepticism. Today’s shoppers are more discerning and have a clearer understanding of genuine value, making it imperative for retailers to deliver authentic discounts rather than artificial markdowns. 
  • Advertising preferences: The effectiveness of advertising has become increasingly dependent on context and timing, with consumers demonstrating sophisticated filtering abilities that allow them to tune out irrelevant messaging almost entirely. That said, while relevant ads are effective across all generations, differing platforms and content-types reveal generational differences. For example, Gen Z and millennials are particularly responsive to influencer content, while baby boomers are 1.9x more likely to respond to ads during active deal searches. These generational distinctions underscore the importance of multi-channel strategies that recognise the diverse pathways to purchase across different age groups. A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer viable in today’s fragmented media landscape.

 

Follow the money: How shoppers are planning their winter spend

Our bespoke intent data highlights an important correlation between shopper perception and subsequent action. It contradicts the assumption that winter sales are merely opportunistic spending events. Instead, they represent carefully considered purchasing windows where consumers have actively prepared to invest in items they’ve been monitoring throughout the year – as well as increased trust in retailers to offer desirable seasonal discounts: 

  • Approximately 60% of consumers now set a budget in advance for these sales
  • Meanwhile, 58% spend more than at other times of the year, so retailers who position themselves effectively during this period stand to capture a disproportionate share of annual consumer expenditure, making the winter sales season a make-or-break period for many businesses
  • What’s more, 38% of people who use credit cards are happy to increase their spending in Q4 and demonstrate elevated purchase intentions across nearly all categories during Black Friday and Cyber Monday
  • Credit use at this time of year is not solely associated with buying holiday/festive items or gifts. In fact, credit card users are 1.7 times more likely to buy home appliances compared to other survey respondents.

 

Inside the shopper’s mind: categories, motivations and media habits

The winter sales period represents the most competitive time of year for retailers, and marketers need to understand: Which purchase categories are expected to dominate during the upcoming sales season? What ultimately drives consumers to make a purchase, and how do generational differences alter how consumers consume media, or who they prioritise when present-buying during the sales? 

 

Here’s what the research tells us:

  • Product type: At 35%, clothing and electronics are the main items consumers envisage purchasing in the coming months, followed by home appliances and toys (23%)
  • Incentives and motivation: Price and discounts are the primary purchase drivers at 77%. This will come as no surprise to most marketers. However, less obviously, exclusivity also plays a significant role for 55% of respondents. One-third of shoppers plan a month or more in advance – a trend more common amongst credit card users specifically.
  • Who is on the gift list? In a likely reflection of life stage and lifestyle, Gen Z typically shops for friends and colleagues, millennials for children, and Baby boomers for themselves
  • Media consumption: Online TV/streaming and  mobile dominate daily media use, with 32% and 28% of people respectively spending at least 2-3 hours – often significantly more – engaging with content in these formats each day. Social media shows a smaller but highly engaged subset of heavy users at 4-5 hours, with WhatsApp a universally preferred platform. Gen Z favours Instagram and TikTok, millennials lean towards Instagram, while Gen X and Baby boomers use Facebook more. Where you serve ads will dictate who sees them. 

 

Four strategies to win this winter

In summary, the research unlocks key insights for marketers looking to plan ahead and strategise for the winter sales season. Here are some our top four takeaways for campaign planners:

  • Emphasise exclusivity within campaign creative, using language that conveys limited availability, VIP access, or early-bird opportunities to tap into consumers’ desire for special treatment
  • Leverage credit card users, especially for big-ticket items, by partnering with financial services providers or creating specific campaigns that highlight flexible payment options and the value proposition of investing in quality items during discount periods
  • Maintain a strong focus on online mobile and TV/streaming channels, ensuring creative assets are optimised for these formats with attention-grabbing opening sequences, clear messaging that works without sound, and strong calls-to-action
  • Tailor advertising to generational preferences, priorities and habits, developing distinct creative approaches and channel strategies for each segment rather than attempting to create universal campaigns that may resonate with no one.

With the benefit of this window into consumer intent, retail advertisers are well placed to navigate and even dominate the competitive arena that is the Q4 sales period. The data is clear: 60% of shoppers are already planning their winter purchases, setting budgets and building wish lists. Brands who succeed will be those who reach these prepared consumers first – recognising their sophistication, respecting their intelligence and preferences, and delivering genuinely valuable propositions through the channels and formats that align with how different audiences actually engage with media.

As we move into this critical season, the combination of strategic planning, data-driven insights, and creative excellence will separate market leaders from the rest of the field. The question isn’t whether your customers are planning ahead – it’s whether you’ll be ready to meet them when they’re ready to buy.