St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. We wear green, drink green, and perhaps cook up a green dish. No longer a day just for the Irish, consumers across the board will enjoy some good St. Paddy’s fun this year. In fact, 82% of Americans plan on wearing green. The National Retail Federation expects this year’s holidays to have a $4.4 billion impact on the economy, which is good news. But who and what will be the biggest sales drivers?
According to Finder.com, the biggest St. Patrick’s Day shoppers are Millennials, who spend 75% more than other consumer groups on this holiday. This is not shocking if we consider the Millennial penchant for celebrating non-holidays (e.g. friendsgiving, galentine’s day, etc.). It’s a time to celebrate with friends and enjoy the moment, which naturally leads to some liquid courage to hit the “buy” button. And the biggest sellers? For women, 8% buy shoes and clothes while men are most likely to gamble (9%). Additionally, men spend about four times the amount of women. Perhaps beer goggles have a whole new meaning with today’s shoppers.
St. Patrick’s Day presents itself as an opportunity for marketers to engage Millennial shoppers with fun communication that ties to the festiveness of the holiday but also to their desire to shop. Little treats like free shipping or a percentage off will easily entice these online shoppers this year.
