The holiday season keeps creeping up earlier and earlier. And shoppers are learning to expect deals sooner and sooner. Here are 10 stats that’ll help marketing teams prepare for those moments that matter—while they still matter to shoppers.
1) Analysts project 2015 holiday sales to rise 3.7%. Compare that to 4.1% in 2014, and 2.7% in 2013 and 2012. (National Retail Federation)
2) Despite the extra opening hours, online shopping, and extending special sales on Thanksgiving, 64% of shoppers plan to shop in-store on Black Friday. In fact, 18% of shoppers say they are more likely to shop on Black Friday than Thanksgiving Day. (Retale)
3) Eighty-two percent of millennials say word-of-mouth is a key influencer to their purchase decisions. (Synchrony Financial)
4) Sixty-two percent of surveyed Baby Boomers say online shopping sites are the number one purchase influencers, followed closely by advertising and advice from a sales person. (Synchrony Financial)
5) Of people who watched videos to help with holiday shopping, 80% watched product reviews and ratings.
6) Analysts say this holiday season email will remain the most effective marketing tool for retailers. (Forrester Research)
7) Seventy-five percent of millennials plan to shop on Black Friday compared to only 44% of other shoppers. (Retale)
8) Twenty-five percent of customers interact with at least three devices daily. (Blueconic)
9) Baby Boomers have the most disposable income and make up nearly 50% of retail sales; compare that to about 10% for millennials. (Synchrony Financial)
10) Fifty-three percent of those who shopped online used smartphones or tablets in 2014, up from 41% the previous year. (Ipsos MediaCT)
