024: 2023 Holiday Shopping Predictions with the Director of Consumer Insights at Salesforce Caila Schwartz

Salesforce Commerce Cloud Innovations

Could the 2023 holiday shopping season change the game for retailers and consumers alike? Caila Schwartz, a key figure at Salesforce and a maven in the realm of consumer insights and strategy, thinks so. An increase in repeat buyers, the influence of generative AI, and the surprising return of the physical stores - all these factors are set to redefine the holiday shopping experience. Kayla's predictions are not mere conjecture; they are based on the analysis of shopping data from over 1.5 billion global shoppers and consumer sentiment surveys.

There's another burgeoning trend that we navigate with Caila - the resurgence of the resale market. As consumers increasingly lean towards this sector, brands are responding in kind, and the environmental benefits are promising. And where does social media fit into all this? Let's unravel together the future that Caila Schwartz envisions for the world of retail!

Show Highlights:

• The role of generative AI in shaping online sales and predicts an increase in its influence on the retail landscape.

• Exploration of the resale market's growth, with consumers increasingly turning to this avenue for holiday shopping, potentially saving billions of pounds of waste.

• Shift in social media usage for shopping, with increased reliance on social media advertising rather than influencers for driving consumer behavior.

• The significant impact of clear, easy, and reasonable return policies on online orders, with potential risks due to poor return experiences.

• The continued relevance of physical stores in the shopping process, particularly through options like 'buy online, pick up in-store.'

• The potential for AI to improve return experiences, assist customers in making purchase decisions, and identify return fraud.

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Supporting Resources:

• 2023 Holiday Shopping Predictions Report: https://www.salesforce.com/blog/holiday-shopping-predictions/

• Consumer Insights Blog: https://www.salesforce.com/blog/author/caila-schwartz/

• Follow Caila on Twitter: @CailaSchwartz

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Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.