The number of internet users worldwide is increasing year after year, but despite this, the gender digital divide still exists. Even though the gender digital divide is marginal in Europe and the Americas, recent data shows that the gap is more pronounced in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.
On the other hand, women own and run over 13 million businesses, many of which are online-based and employ millions of people in the United States.
The ecommerce industry has traditionally been inclusive and supportive of women-led businesses due to the lower entry barriers and a wider audience reach.
Nonetheless, the statistics show that men still run most stores on eBay, Amazon, and other large digital marketplaces. So, this International Women’s Day is an excellent opportunity to support online women-run businesses and celebrate gender equality and inclusion.
Let’s examine how online sellers can use IWD to improve their brand’s performance on digital marketplaces.
International Women’s Day at a Glance
- According to a report released in 2021, approximately two-thirds (64%) of Amazon sellers are male.
- 75% of the discretionary spending will be generated by women by 2028.
- Flowers, notebooks, apparel, and home decor items are some of the most common IWD gifts.
- In 2024, 70% of men worldwide had Internet access, whereas 65% of women used the Internet daily.
- 60% of female shoppers expect fashion and beauty brands to have IWD promotions and discounts.
- Women-owned businesses are smaller and generate 27% less revenue than businesses owned by men.
International Women’s Day and online sales
Interest in search terms like International Women’s Day or International Women’s Day gifts on Google and other search engines starts to grow in the second half of February and peaks a few days before March 8. However, interest rapidly decreases toward the end of Women’s History Month.
This metric clearly indicates that sellers on international markets can benefit from limited-time offers, discounts, and promotions. However, the IWD isn’t only a commercial event, and treating it as such can irreparably damage a brand.
The IWD is about celebrating women from all walks of life and taking steps toward a gender-equal world.
Still, the accomplishments, strength, and rights to equality and inclusion of women are often overlooked, so brands that don’t take action to support and empower women throughout the year are at risk of running promotional campaigns that ring hollow.
As a result, to determine whether creating IWD promotions and marketing campaigns can improve their sales, online sellers must first ensure that their core values align with the values of the IWD.
International Women’s Day was the biggest online sales event in March from 2021 to 2023. Digital retailers averaged a 26% boost in daily orders from March 1 to March 8 compared to the sales during the rest of the month, and it’s safe to assume that this trend will continue in 2025.
It’s also important to note that International Women’s Day is unlike Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day because a significant portion of shoppers search for gifts for themselves online.
Online retailers should consider the self-gifting shopping trend when creating marketing campaigns for IWD to widen their target audience.
Women’s Day marketing trends for online sellers
Email marketing campaigns are one of the primary advertising channels digital retailers use to promote their IDW offers.
However, these campaigns often fail to reach their goals because they neglect these two critical factors:
- The authenticity of the message
- Brand alignment
Women worldwide don’t perceive International Women’s Day as primarily an online sales event, so using overly commercial messaging in your brand’s communications can be interpreted as insincere.
Consequently, expressing genuine support and highlighting how your brand’s actions and values raise awareness about women’s issues, support inspiring women, and set an example young girls can follow will likely generate the results you’re hoping to achieve.
However, email marketing is just one channel you can utilize to promote your IWD deals. Featuring women from your organization, both senior staff members in leadership positions and new joiners, in the marketing materials and highlighting their success can effectively promote your brand and its values.
Moreover, partnering with female social media influencers or supporting feminist causes can help businesses foster a positive brand image, increase their chances of connecting with their audiences, and boost sales.
Online sellers who run international stores on Amazon or eBay can use the platform’s tools to promote personalized IWD gifts ranging from flower vases to stationery.
Most importantly, timely planning is crucial for the success of IWD promotional activities for third-party sellers on large digital marketplaces and independent online retailers.
Start planning ahead for the biggest online sales events of the year with our free 2025 ecommerce calendar!
Women’s Day on international digital markets
A recent study revealed that besides gender equality at the workplace, 52% of women in the US consider gender equality in a brand’s supply chain an important factor contributing to brand loyalty.
Hence, promoting gender equality and making an effort to inspire inclusion across the supply chain can help sellers on eBay, Amazon, and other prominent international digital markets improve sales on IWD and build their brand image on the values that stand for women’s rights.
Even though the gender gap is slowly closing, international ecommerce is still dominated by men-led businesses. In 2024, only 30% of Amazon sellers were women, while this number was slightly higher on eBay, as roughly 32% of stores on this platform are run by women.
On the other hand, women need less time to set up an online business and turn a profit within three months from the launch. Furthermore, in the US, women-led businesses generate $2.1 trillion in annual revenue.
Most female founders choose the digital retail industry, indicating that ecommerce enables women from all corners of the world to build their businesses from the ground up, even if they don’t have substantial funding.
In fact, 47% of female founders identified funding as the greatest obstacle women face when starting a new business. Other challenges include:
- Marketing
- Networking
- Work-life balance
- Scaling
Women are also largely contributing to the ecommerce industry as consumers since they’re responsible for approximately 85% or $16.74 trillion of consumer spending in the US.
The statistics also show that women purchase items online more frequently than men, although men spend slightly more per purchase. In addition, advertising emails, product prices, and coupons are more likely to influence the purchasing decisions of female shoppers.
The best gift ideas and top-selling products to celebrate International Women’s Day
The effectiveness of your advertising efforts in the weeks leading up to International Women’s Day largely depends on knowing which product categories are in demand.
Apparel has been the best-selling product category in the last couple of years, especially among young middle-class women. Still, several other categories have attracted vast audiences prior to March 8.
Here’s a quick overview of the most sought-after IWD gifts:
- Flowers
- Notebooks and stationery
- Confectionary
- Home décor items
- Beauty and personal care items
- Accessories
60% of women over 18 in the United States expect fashion and beauty brands to offer promotions and product discounts on IWD.
Additionally, 57% of women anticipate promotions from health and wellness brands, followed by 49% expecting promotions for home and lifestyle items.
It’s also worth noting that most shoppers on digital marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are between 25 and 44 years old, so your advertising efforts on these ecommerce platforms should be aimed at younger women.
Gender equality and Empowerment as your online brand’s core values
An IPSOS survey released in 2024 revealed that 65% of participants believe that achieving gender equality isn’t possible unless men take necessary action and support women’s rights.
This information shows how important it is for international ecommerce businesses to support women both within their organization and externally by partnering with women-led businesses.
Celebrating International Women’s Day isn’t only an opportunity to improve sales in your online store but also a chance for digital retailers to build a brand image based on the values of equality, inclusion, and empowerment.
Navigating international e-commerce markets and timely planning advertising campaigns can be challenging. Webinterpret can make this process easier. Contact us to learn how.
About Webinterpret
Webinterpret supports merchants selling on eBay.
Our AI-based solutions enable more effective selling through automated listing localization, advertising, and returns and ensure all products placed on EU markets are GPSR-compliant.
By giving your international customers a full, end-to-end local shopping experience, Webinterpret improves your conversion and helps establish your business globally.
