From baby boomers to blokes, new insights reveal lucrative shopper groups for brands to target this June.

EBay expects wedding shopping to rocket over the next week, with new insights released today showing that searches for 'wedding present' on eBay.co.uk shot up by a third (33%) in the first week of June last year, compared to two months earlier. And the data shows that it's not just young brides that brands should target at this time of year.

Consumers aged between 45 and 54 were a quarter (25%) more likely to search for 'engagement ring' on eBay.co.uk last year than those in the 25 to 34 bracket, the age group most likely to tie the knot. And these late bloomers, or possibly second wedding planners, made well over two million searches in the Wedding and Formal Clothes category - a fifth (20%) more than the younger age group. They also made more searches for 'wedding dress' on eBay.co.uk than any other age group in 2015 – highlighting the need for brands to engage with shoppers across all generations to gain a share of the consumer wallet.

eBay's data also reveals that it's never too late for love: shoppers aged between 65 and 74 made five searches for 'engagement ring' and seven searches for 'wedding dress' every hour in 2015.

And while women do invest a huge amount of time in planning for the big day, eBay's insights show that they are not alone in this pursuit. Grooms-to-be made an outstanding 289% more searches for 'wedding' than their female counterparts between 6pm and 7pm on a typical weekday* last year. And on a typical weekend**, men made 70% more searches than women for 'bridesmaid dress' between 11am and 12pm, demonstrating that brands shouldn't rely on gender stereotypes when it comes to targeting shoppers.

The opportunities for brands aren't limited to the lovers themselves: for every bride and groom, there are plenty of guests searching for inspiration ahead of the big day. In the first week of June last year, searches on eBay.co.uk for 'stag do' rose by 84% and those for 'hen do' rose by 26%, as consumers prepared for one final blow out to send the lovers on their way.

Commenting, Rob Bassett, Head of UK and EU Multinational Advertising at eBay, said:

"Getting married is an exciting occasion that encourages many consumers to splash the cash. This makes the wedding season a lucrative opportunity for brands to tap into an audience that is purchase-ready and looking for inspiration. But, as these findings demonstrate, advertisers should look beyond the obvious when planning their ad campaigns. Smart brands that use insights rather than assumptions will be well placed to capture a share of the increased spend around big life events."

Pauline Robson, Director, MediaCom Real World Insight, said:

"With the average cost of a wedding in the UK now over £20k, and the average cost of being a wedding guest standing at nearly £400, it's no wonder that people want to seek out the best deal, whether that's for a one-off vintage wedding dress or accessories to get the hen or stag do off to a flying start. This data shows that it is crucial to understand the needs of different audiences to ensure that people get the right inspiration at the right time."

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