Christmas shopping: which products sell the most in Latin America?

Knowing which products are sold the most when people do Christmas shopping is fundamental to e-commerces and stores seeking to succeed this season with plenty of opportunities. 

Christmas in Latin America is one of the most awaited commercial dates in the second semester. For this reason, many brands invest in advance in marketing strategies and special promotions for consumers. 

Far beyond the traditional exchanging of gifts , Christmas is a special holiday in which many families get together and celebrate the season with feasts and parties.  The cultural diversity in the region is directly exemplified by the different ways of celebrating the date, in incorporating local traditions and unique commercial habits.

Brazil

According to the Meta Study, “Expectations of Shopping Season 2023”, 89% of Brazilian consumers had the intention to shop on Black Friday.

In contrast, 87% of people interviewed said that they intended to shop exclusively at Christmas time.  The study also showed that Brazilians seek new products, with 75% of the respondents having the intention to explore different categories. 

In Brazil, the targeted categories at Christmas are:

• food (73%);
• beauty and health (60%);
• fashion and aesthetics (58%); 
• home appliances (57%);
• eletrodomésticos (55%);
• toys (46%)

It is worth highlighting that consumers have different preferences in relation to payment methods. About 30% prioritize credit cards, followed by FedNow (25%), then debit cards (15%) and cash (9%).

Lastly, the studies also revealed that 64% of clients do online research before shopping, while 37% of them prefer to shop at physical stores. Additionally, 35% do the shopping research at physical stores and then shop online.

Argentina

The changes in the Argentine economic and social  landscape  have deeply influenced consumer habits, a behaviour we can clearly see in the Christmas shopping period.

According to the Confederación Argentina de la Mediana Empresa (CAME), in 2022, sales decreased by 1.8% due to budget restrictions and the World Cup, highlighting the lack of time for shopping.

The 2023, projections based on Cyber Monday show a remarkable rise of 187% in business when compared to 2022. It indicates a promissory rise on the sales during the festive season.

The Argentine Assembly of E-commerce also reported a rise of 5% in sales compared to the previous year. 

According to an Ipsos report, there are four main types of shopping that Argentinians will do during the festive season:

• 63% will buy gifts to their family and close friends;
• 49% will buy products they need;
• 34% will buy products that must be replaced;
• and only 23% will buy gifts for themselves.  

The study also showed the main sales categories in 2022:

• Cosmetics and perfumes (+2,1%)
• Audio, video, cellphones and accessories (+4,2%) 
• Toys (+3,4%) 
• Shoes (-5,1%)
• Clothes (-14,4%) 
• Books (-7,5%)

According to CACE, the categories with the most business volume at the Cyber Monday 2023 were:

• Home appliances and air conditioners
• Tickets and tourism
• Cell phones and telephones
• Tools and construction
• House, furniture and garden
• Accessories for motorcycles, cars and other vehicles
• Non-sports clothing
• Electronics, audio, video and TV
• Computing
• Beauty products

Colombia

The vacation season has a big impact on the Colombian economy, as was shown in a report from the National Federation of Empresarial Sellers (FENALCO) last Christmas. The best-selling categories were:

•  Clothes (32%)
•  Toys and videogames (17%)
•  Alcoholic beverages (12%)
•  Travel (11%)

In the same year, Colombians spent 32.8 trillion pesos, according to a Portafolio article.

Despite robust numbers, a reduction was observed regarding the average spend compared to previous years. While in 2021, the average investment was 500.000 COP, in 2022 this value went down to 400.000 COP.

Although e-commerce is not well used for Christmas shopping purchases, it has shown a notable rise. The Colombian E-commerce Assembly registered 178.2 million transactions on digital platforms in 2023. During the third trimester, online sales reached the figure of 15.4 trillion pesos.

CCCE aims to exceed this year’s sales by 16% compared to 2022, aiming to reach the 64 trillion peso mark. In partnership with Google, the entity aims to promote the digitalization of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), as reported by the economic newspaper La República. 

Among sales trends, the most common ones were:

• Consumption recovery
• Price stability and increased purchasing volume
• Shift towards private labels
• Emphasis on discounts with the rise of discount stores
• Adaptation of traditional stores

Other notable items related to Christmas festivities are candles, Christmas decorations, alcoholic drinks and ingredients for preparing traditional holiday dishes.

Since social isolation in 2020, consumer habits have passed through  significant transformation. Consumers now tend to prioritize brands that offer more efficient customer journeys. 

The search for fast and simple shopping experiences show the valorization of time and comfort against a busy routine that the majority of workers face. 

In this context, companies that do omnichannel strategies manage to stand out from their competitors. According to a report made by Opinion Box, around 84% of consumers care a lot about convenience, such as online shopping and pick up at the physical stores, or do a price check at physical stores and make the purchase online.

The union between the physical and virtual made social networks a real shopping showcase, as well as immersive spaces, 3D and other trends linked to the metaverse.

Faced with this scenario, Influencer Marketing shows as a way  of positively  impacting potential clients. When using influential personalities on digital platforms, brands can reach a wider and more engaged public.

According to a LTK study, consumers usually shop after being influenced by content creators and influencers. They also can spend more on categories such as personal care, toys, entertainment and fashion. 

The report also showed that consumers from Generation Z and Millennials use influencers as an inspiration, as well as for Christmas shopping. 

The tendency is that content creators – especially the most niched of them – will surpass the reach of social media ads and celebrities. 

Coca-Cola

In 2023, Coca-Cola created the global campaign “We all can be Santa Claus”. The initiative shows generosity and good will, inviting people to “awake the Santa Claus inside you”.

Besides the video, the campaign also has an online quiz and a Christmas card made by Artificial Intelligence.

The brand established “harmonize the fundamental values”  as their main goal  – such as optimism, happiness and positive impact, reinforcing the emotional connection between the company and the public during the festive season.

Disney

In 2022, Disney from Latin America made history with the video “celebrating magic”. It is a sequential short film that includes the episode “Present”, where Mickey Mouse makes a special connection between past, present and future. 

The cartoon values family ties, highlighting the importance of shared traditions and affective memories over generations. The narrative shows a captivating story about the eternal magic of Mickey Mouse that unites hearts.

Ruavieja

In 2018,  Ruavieja, a Spanish liquor, launched the campaign “El tiempo que nos queda” (the time we have left). The main goal of the campaign was to show that we don’t need to hurry, criticizing the frenetic routine we live in. The company built a platform where you could calculate how much you had left in order to share it with your loved ones.

The campaign went viral. Not only because of the social impact it had, but also for its notable capacity of mobilizing people and the media. 

To launch your brand in Latin America at any time of the year, it is important to recognize the cultural diversity of the region. 

For this reason, we recommend you to hire a local agency of public relations and digital marketing, focused on adopting personalized  strategies according to Latin Americans preferences,  as well as the brand goals.

It ‘s very important to create and adapt your campaigns and messages to the specific characteristics of each country. Incorportating local elements, such as festive traditions, colors and regional symbols, can be a positive approach. 

Moreover, taking local Christmas shopping preferences into consideration will contribute to an even more aligned strategy to people ‘s expectations. Personalization and cultural sensibility are key to establishing a genuine connection with local consumers, hence building a solid and lasting presence.