Cyber Monday: Just the Beginning for eCommerce

Written by: Maria Rummel

Black Friday and Cyber Monday might have passed, but trends are saying that the season is still bright for retailers, especially online. This holiday season will not be a shy one for spending. November data from Gallup estimates 2017 will see the highest holiday spend per consumer since 2007, at an average of $862.

Marketers looking to act fast and seize the end of the year rush need to up their game online and target their younger audiences.

Who’s still shopping?

The short answer is, everyone.

Thanksgiving weekend is big, but it far from gobbles up the entire holiday shopping pie. National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that this year, 91% of shoppers still have items on their lists after Thanksgiving weekend, and the same percentage of those shoppers expect better or the same deals as the holiday draws closer.

To get more specific, targeting younger customers as the holiday nears is probably a safe bet. In the same report, NRF says, 65% of younger consumers won’t start holiday shopping until November or later – meaning now is the time to get them interested.

Where are they shopping?

Especially this season, meet your customers where they constantly are – online and on their phones – with easy purchasing and deals too good to let pass.

Here’s your evidence: 64% of customers plan to use their smartphone to research or make a purchase and 59% plan to purchase holiday items online according to NRF research. The firm also noted free shipping, sales and price discounts among top influencers for online purchases.

Additional touch points (with attractive offers) are great for customers on the purchasing fence. Use this template to spin up a quick promotional email.

Related: How to Increase Revenue Through Digital Marketing

When is everyone else running the best deals?

With the biggest traditional deal-days passed on the calendar, U.S. News points to the three remaining busiest shopping days, where customers expect the deals to be just as good, if not better than earlier in the season.

Dec. 11 – Green Monday: A quieter holiday, the term was originally coined by eBay. While the name recognition is lower than Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many retailers have joined the bandwagon and consumers will see sales pop-up, attributed to Green Monday or not.

Dec. 15 – Free Shipping Day: Entering the 10-day window until Christmas, December 15th is a key day for online retailers to give shoppers a seamless experience, offering one last incentive to click for guaranteed delivery.

Dec. 23 – Super Saturday: America is not short of last minute gifters and retail knows it. The last Saturday before Christmas always brings in-store, one-day sales. Clear your holiday inventory before customers say ho-ho-no in January.

Staying ahead of your competitors during the holiday season can be difficult. Torchlite helps you identify what you need to do and connects you with the right resources to help get it done.