The holidays are fast approaching, with the end-of-year sale season just ahead of them. In this most unusual of years, sale season has arrived earlier than ever, and has already kicked off for many retailers. With this year’s holidays expected to be different for so many of us, we here at Klarna were curious about how and what people will be shopping on Black Friday and throughout the extended sales period.
To help give us some insights, we analyzed products Klarna customers added to tens of thousands of wish lists this year* along with recent searches in our app. From the new shoe of the moment to unexpected interior trends, read on to explore our predictions for what shoppers will be adding to cart this sale season.
Fashion and accessories
Sneaker of the season
Nike Air Force One’s have consistently been 2020’s most wish listed shoe in the Klarna app but they have some emerging challengers for the title most popular shoe this sale season.
While Air Force Ones remained the most wish listed shoe during the period we analyzed*, Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars, Vans Canvas Old Skool, and adidas Lite Racer Adapt are among the white shoe styles that are gaining popularity on Klarna shoppers’ wish lists.
Recent search data reflects what we’ve seen on wish lists, indicating that these shoe styles remain on shoppers’ minds – and shopping lists – as we head into the sale season. We’ve seen a 101% increase the volume of searches related to Air Forces Ones between July and October this year**. Meanwhile, searches related to vice president-elect Kamala Harris’ sneaker of choice, Converse, increased by 110% during the same period, with searches related to Vans increasing 50%.
(Sweat) suit up
We’re calling it: the sweatsuit will be the holiday look of 2020, and a shopping list-topper this sale season.
Comfort has been the prevailing fashion choice this year, a fact we see reflected in athleisure’s domination of the top wish listed fashion items in the Klarna app. What’s notable is that shoppers are looking to elevate their athleisure looks, bringing together comfort and style for their holiday season looks.
Athleisure styles made up more than 90% of the top listed items in the fashion category during the period analyzed*, from classics from top sportswear brands to new twists including tie dye, cropped styles, and sleek silhouettes.
Hoodies and sweatpants were the most popular styles, indicating that shoppers are looking for comfort in individual pieces, and to mix and match their own sweat suit combinations. The popularity of athleisure styles in wish lists is reflected in recent app search data – between September and October alone*** we’ve seen an 84% increase in search volume related to sweatpants, a 64% increase for searches related to hoodies, and a 79% increase for searches related to sweat suits.
Home and decor
It’s a jungle in there
As we settle in for the winter ahead, shoppers are taking the nesting to the next level and turning their homes in green oases, a trend we expect to see in their sale season shopping.
Almost 50% of the top 20 wish listed items in the home and decor category during the period we analyzed related to indoor plants and accessories, and we’ve seen an almost 120% increase in the volume of searches related to plants**.
Popular items include easy-to-maintain indoor plant varieties like air plants, aloe vera, monstera and bonsai, along with stylish botanical care accessories like gold watering cans and misters, sleek vases, self-watering pots, and stylish plant stands.
Sleek storage
Extended time at home and more of it on the horizon these holidays has shoppers looking for clever ways to maximize their space without compromising their aesthetic.
We’ve seen a 150% increase in the volume of searches related to storage** in the Klarna app, and more than one-third of the top 20 wish listed items in the home and decor category during the period we analyzed related to storage.
Multi-functional items (think coffee tables and sofas with in-built storage), stylish options for storage that can’t be hidden away (dish drying racks and bathroom shelving), as well as clever solutions for storage and space issues that may have become more pressing with more time spent at home topped the storage-related wish listed items and are likely to top shoppers’ sale priorities too.
Electronics
Surprising smart home
With the recent launch of the new iPhone and the continued popularity of at-home gaming, it’s no surprise that Apple products and consoles like the Nintendo Switch are consistently among the top wish listed items in the electronics category. But our analysis revealed a surprising new trend in shoppers electronics want-list, taking tech-enabled homes to the next level.
Wifi and Bluetooth-enabled devices are increasingly common in home entertainment and security, but our wish list data shows that shoppers are increasingly looking to bring ‘smart’ devices into unexpected new areas of the home.
Skin-analyzing mirrors, Bluetooth-enabled blenders, smart power plugs and phone-controlled vacuum cleaners were among the top wish listed electronics items during the period analyzed. We’ve also seen searches related to wifi increase by more than 40% and searches related to bluetooth increase by almost 20% in recent months**, indicating the tech automation is set to become ubiquitous in almost every corner of the home, and on shoppers’ sale shopping lists.
Form is equal to function
More than six months of living – and for many working – from home appears to be prompting many shoppers to bring a new aesthetic lens to their electronics and home office purchases.
A fascinating subset of top wish listed items in the electronics category shows that form and multi-functional design is likely to drive shoppers’ purchases this sale season and beyond. Retro-inspired keyboards, sleek charging stations and a mid-century inspired bluetooth speakers that double as a side table were among the most-wanted items in this category, in a trend we expect to see continue.
Ready to start your sale shopping? Download the Klarna app to see more of our sale season favorites, create your own wish list, and shop for what you love with four, interest-free payments.
*We analysed the top wish listed items in the US Klarna app between July and September 2020.
**We compared search volumes for relevant terms in the US Klarna app between July and October 2020.
***We compared search volumes for relevant terms in the US Klarna app between September and October 2020.