eBay Ads have recently revealed some insights suggesting that brands should expect a last minute surge in interest in wedding-related purchases, in anticipation of last minute weddings. However, priorities may have shifted – with at home and do-it-yourself weddings on the rise, instead of the extravagant affairs we once knew.
The insights show that lockdown lifting will prompt a flurry of wedding shopping and preparation, with data from ebay.co.uk showing a spike in wedding-related searches when the government announced the recovery roadmap on 22nd February this year. On that date searches for ‘wedding invitation’ shot up 91% compared to the same day a week before, while searches for ‘bridal dress’ and ‘bridesmaid dress’ increased 33% and 31% respectively in the same timeframe. Meanwhile, searches for ‘photo albums’ and ‘cards and invitations’ in the wedding supplies category also rose by 60% and 40% respectively.
A new way to wedding
The new insights also suggest that this year will see a rise in at-home and do-it-yourself weddings, providing an opportunity for home and garden brands to engage with couples hosting their special day at home.
On the day of the roadmap announcement on 22nd February 2021, ebay.co.uk saw a 38% boost in searches for the terms ‘wedding’ and ‘marquee’ in the same session compared to the same day a week before. Meanwhile, the next day, shoppers searched for ‘wedding’ and ‘tent’ in the same session 41% more times than the same day a week before, and carried out 30% more searches for ‘wedding’ and ‘craft’, in the same timeframe.
“After a year of lockdowns causing thousands of wedding plans to fall through or be put on indefinite hold, we expect to see a wedding mania this summer as couples rush to finally say ‘I do’. However, it’s clear that the way people plan for weddings has evolved, with preparations becoming more last minute, and more couples opting for a do-it-yourself approach. Brands should therefore harness the freshest data insights in order to tap into these changing consumer mindsets. And, with the rise of last-minute nuptials, brands should ramp up their targeting in the coming weeks – so they have just as much to celebrate as new happy couples come June 21st .”
– Harmony Murphy, GM Advertising UK, eBay
