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Who is Booking Parties? Insights from 2020's Online Booking Study

As a FEC owner or operator, you're probably curious to see how 2020 impacted who books parties. Here's some more information!


If you're an FEC owner or operator, you're probably wondering how 2020 impacted who books parties. 

Are women still booking more parties than men? What device are they using to book? Has anything changed?

In this article, we'll answer the questions above with the data from our 2020 Online Booking Study.

NEW RESOURCE

In our 2020 Online Booking Study, you will find:

  1. Data on average party booking revenue, online store revenue by month, popular devices used, and more.
  2. Tips and suggestions to maximize revenue. 
  3. New growth opportunities.

If you'd like to learn more, download a copy of this complimentary guide by clicking the image below!

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Who are Booking Parties? 

Parties Booked by Gender

Parties Booked by Gender - 2020

The majority of parties are booked by women, both offline (via phone or in-person) and online. As it appears, men are more inclined to call to book a party rather than do so online.

Knowing your target demographic and creating several buyer personas will make your marketing efforts more intentional.

Consider running an ad targeting males in your area that states that if they call in to book a party, they’ll receive a discount. For ads targeting females, add a call-to-action to “book a party online.” Then, compare the results.

Parties Booked Offline vs. Online

Parties Booked Online vs. Offline - 2020

Usually, the majority of parties or events are still booked in person or via phone.

But in 2020, the gap between both options looked a lot smaller compared to data collected in 2019 and even 2018.

Due to state-wide lockdowns and capacity restrictions, customers relied on checking facility websites to determine availability, and capacity, and to understand COVID-19 safety protocols.

If a facility is unavailable or shut down, an online booking system will still allow customers to look at party options and book or reserve a room as soon as the facility can re-open.

Additionally, as a way to deal with facility shutdowns, many FECs and event venues started to host virtual events, from virtual birthday parties to “Meet with Santa” Zoom calls.

All of these required facilities to depend on their online booking system for customers to register.

Age Groups Celebrated

Age Groups Celebrated - 2020

Children between 4-9 years old continue to be the most popular guest of honor ages celebrated at family entertainment centers.

Compared to 2019, ages 16-30 did increase by one or two percentage points, possibly due to virtual party packages and the popular #QuarantineBirthday trend.

Device Used to Book

Devices Used to Book - 2020

The popularity of using mobile devices to book events continues to rise. Customers appreciate the convenience of browsing websites and checking out party packages on their phones.

Thus, creating a mobile-friendly website is critical. From Wix to Weebly, there are many website-building platforms that you can use to design a beautiful, modern, mobile-compatible website.

Mobile Operating System Used

Mobile Operating System Used - 2020

Apart from considering the popular devices used, it’s also important to consider which mobile operating system is most popular among your customers.

According to a Slickdeals survey, "iPhone and Android users have distinct personality traits...differences between household incomes and spending power, which could inform marketers as they seek to reach these consumers."

Thus, it’s important to test your website on both operating systems and ensure it functions properly.

Leave a Comment, We'd Love to Hear Your Thoughts!

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UPCOMING WEBINAR

The importance of collecting guest data can be easily overlooked, especially if you don't know how to collect it or aren't aware of its benefits. 

In our upcoming webinar, you'll learn how to: 
 
  • Collect and use data from your facility management software.
  • Use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel to reach your target demographic.
  • Gather and use information from customer surveys.

Register by clicking the image below.

Webinar 30 - Using Data to Discover Business Opportunities - Blog - CTA

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