Spotting trends when selling online
In June 2021, the delayed Euro 2020 football championship finally took place. Sports fans who had waited an extra year to watch their national team vie for the trophy took to online marketplaces in search of deals – clothing, memorabilia and technology being among the biggest sellers.
Shopiago’s data showed this trend clearly, with an increase in listings and sales for sports memorabilia in June. Listings were up 124%. There was a 105% uptake in sales. Sellers who had identified that the Euros would create additional interest in football-related items had listed relevant items and were primed to sell, and achieve the best prices.
What trends have an effect on online sales?
Sports events
Large scale sports events – primarily national or premier league matches – generate huge amounts of press and excitement. Even when Wimbledon didn’t go ahead in 2020, eBay searches for ‘tennis shoes’ went up 36% on July 12th – the day that would have been the men’s final. Football is perennially popular. And don’t forget events such as The Grand National, The Tour de France and The Boat Race.
The Olympic Games, The Winter Olympics, Paralympics are great opportunities too, and can help boost sales of ‘fringe’ sports items, especially when the GB team is winning. Keep an eye on those taekwondo results!
TV and film
The “Netflix effect” describes a boost in popularity for generally big-budget shows that are put on the streaming service. They can be Netflix-produced series such as The Crown, or shows it has bought the streaming rights to (Friends, Breaking Bad).
Recent hit Bridgerton saw a rise in interest in period clothing while The Queen’s Gambit saw sales of chess sets increase by 273% on eBay in the 10 days following the show’s release.
Other streaming services and broadcast channels can also set online trends. Just look for those big shows: Poldark, Fleabag, Line of Duty, Broadchurch… the list goes on.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on major cinema releases, particularly franchises such as Marvel Cinematic Universe (eg. Iron Man, Captain America, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy) and James Bond.
Holidays
It may sound obvious but the regular holiday calendar has plenty of opportunities to see a rise in sales. But instead of just thinking about Easter and Christmas, think of the opportunities that will benefit sales and prices for your unique inventory: Christmas Jumper Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day.
Music events
With music, it’s trickier to find trends that really move the needle in sales. Even the headliner at Glastonbury or someone selling out multiple shows at the O2 is unlikely to create significant extra demand. But some things might, including reunions (think Take That, Spice Girls, ABBA), film and TV tie-ins and deaths (Prince, David Bowie).
The return of music festivals may not help to sell much music, but it is likely to drive sales of vintage clothing and accessories, a key area for charity sales. Sites such as Depop offer a marketplace that is tailor-made for these items.
Celebrity fashion
Every week, celebrities appear on the front pages of newspapers and websites. Film premieres, parties and launches all try to attract glamorous and well-known people and invite the press to photograph them. And it often results in striking costumery from the stars. It’s unlikely to create a stampede, but it might be the only chance you get to sell some of your more ‘out there’ pieces.
Set up a trends calendar to boost online sales
To maximise your chances of being prepared to spot trends, we advise you to set up a trends calendar. This can list regular holidays, upcoming sports events and other national events (royal anniversaries and weddings, for example), plus you can update it with TV shows that are getting a lot of press or any other newsworthy items that might play to your sales advantage. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 is a prime opportunity to list street party decorations and accessories – bunting, tea sets, flags and other regalia are likely to see increased interest in the run up.