Are You Ready for Father’s Day and the Expected $20.1 Billion in Spending?

Father’s Day is right around the corner and there’s always a certain kind of nostalgia around this time of year. For me, personally, memories flood in of the hand-crafted cards my sister and I would make. Well, and writing our names on the gifts that my mom clearly bought. Still, I have to say, it always brought us joy to see him smiling and pretending like we had anything to do with the purchase. 

A small token of appreciation for fathers everywhere, gift-giving is just a part of the Father’s Day fun that we celebrate each year. It is a big one, though. According to the National Retail Federation, people are expected to spend a record high of $20.1 billion on gifts for Father’s Day this year. We thought last year was a big one with a spending of $17 billion, but people are going hard for 2021. What this says about Father’s Day as a whole is that there’s a steady year-over-year increase. 

Consistent with previous years, NRF also reports that 75 percent of US consumers are planning to celebrate their fathers, husbands, and other paternal figures in 2021. Of that 75 percent, half are gearing up to buy something for their dads, a quarter for their husbands, and 11 percent for their sons. But unlike previous years, shoppers plan to spend a bit more this year for an average and record high of $174.

So, what can we do with this insight? I, for one, was planning to Elmer’s Glue it up again with my homemade cards, but now I have more to think about. Maybe I’ll have to up the ante with my gift. And how about businesses? How can they use this information to optimize for Father’s Day? 

Hmm. While I continue to brainstorm my gifts, we can at least explore that last question. Here are some simple tips for how to get ready for a successful holiday: 

1. Strategize for Father’s Day Sales

By directing our focus to some of the verticals poised for success this Father’s Day, we can better strategize and plan sales. Based on NRF’s 2021 predictions, we can expect the following to make a big splash: Greeting cards, clothing, special outings, gift cards, and personal care items. 

With that in mind, Father’s Day is an opportune time to host a holiday sale and present some great deals on men’s clothing, accessories, shaving kits, and stationary. Highlight the items we expect will sell well through offers like exclusive coupon codes or buy-one-get-one offers. If you’ve got them in your inventory, maybe even offer free greeting cards with a certain purchase amount. 

With 40 percent of gift shopping happening online, another idea is putting a Father’s Day countdown on your homepage as a reminder that shoppers will need to purchase by a certain date to have gifts delivered on time. Calling attention to the time-sensitivity of holiday shopping may inspire people to make a move, especially with a sale involved. Whatever your approach, don’t be afraid to get creative.

2. Create Dad Bundles

Knowing what gifts are expected to be a big hit this year, create some bundles perfectly suited for dads. For example, let’s say that you’ve got a collared men’s shirt, tie, and pair of slacks in your inventory. Think about bundling those three together and selling them at a discount. Taking inspiration from the last tip, you could also offer a buy-one-get-one-free kind of deal as a way to bundle. 

Let’s say a family is shopping for dad, right? Well, this would allow them to go in on one gift together instead of purchasing separate gifts. Not only that but cross-selling in bundles could just raise your AOV. 

3. When In Doubt, Promote Those Gift Cards

Regardless of if you segment your ads for every possible audience shopping for Father’s Day, there will always still be some that have no idea what to get for dad. Besides that, maybe they just want to give the freedom of choice to dad. When it comes to that group, gift cards are the perfect option. 

A lot of the time on websites, gift cards are hidden somewhere in the shadows. Bring them out in the open this holiday, remind people they exist, and make them a little easier to find. Depending on how close it is to Father’s Day, focus your messaging, emails, social media, and ads on them. Let’s be real, they’re a great last-minute gift if you haven’t gotten around to doing full-on shopping yet. 

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These are just a few ways to think about optimizing your website for Father’s Day. You definitely don’t want to sleep on this holiday, especially considering how much shoppers are planning to spend this year. Just make sure you and your website are ready by helping your consumers choose the right gift for dad, offering incentives, and simplifying the entire shopping process. 

We’ll be back next week with more dad-centric content and in the meantime, Happy Dad’s Day!