Seasonal Success
A closer look at e-commerce trends and statistics
from the 2016 holiday season.
HOLIDAY SPENDING
ONLINE
BUSINESSES
SAW HUGE
REVENUE
$91.7B
was spent online
during the holidays1
(Up 11% from last year.1)
CUSTOMERS STARTED SHOPPING EARLY…
Online sales began spiking around Nov. 13–142
(A week earlier than last year.)
…AND THEY KEPT SPENDING ALL SEASON LONG
30 out of 61 days in the season saw more
than $1B in online sales3
BIG E-COMMERCE WEEKENDS ONLY GOT BIGGER
$3B
Black Friday
Black Friday set a
record $3.05B in
single-day online sales4
(21.6% year-over-year increase)
$3.45B
Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday
shattered that
record with $3.45B5
(12% year-over-year increase)
MORE DEALS = MORE SHOPPERS
Down
3.5%
E-commerce shoppers spent
3.5% less per capita6
LESS TALKING, MORE SHOPPING
$28.43B
spent on
mobile7
(Up 23% from last year.)
Up
17%
But online revenue went up 17%
over Thanksgiving weekend3
WHO’S SHOPPING ONLINE?
MEN
Planned to spend 69% more during sales8
Buy big-ticket items
Use sales to shop for themselves
MILLENNIALS
WOMEN
Shop more during the holidays
Buy smaller items
Are more likely to use sales to buy gifts
Biggest consumer group
Use mobile while shopping in-store
Value authenticity and social responsibility
HOW DID E-COMMERCE AFFECT RETAIL?
OMNICHANNEL
EXPERIENCES HELP
STORES THRIVE
61%
of online shoppers who picked
up items in-store bought more
items at pickup.7
…BUT SOME RETAIL STORES STRUGGLED TO KEEP UP WITH THE ONLINE SHIFT
Macy’s, Sears, and Kmart all announced store closings for 2017.9
TIPS TO GET AHEAD IN 2017
THINK SIMPLE
Make your online experience easy for customers.
BOX IT UP
Try offering a subscription service for your product.
COLLABORATE
Find another business who shares your market who can complement your marketing efforts.
PREDICT & TARGET
Use predictive marketing to send the right message to the right audience at the right time.
FOCUS ON MOBILE
Customers spend lots of time on their phones — mobile will only grow from here.
BRANCH OUT
Find new ways to boost your
online business year-round
at smallbusiness.fedex.com/
holiday.
Look for easy ways to begin reaching new international markets.
SOURCES:
1
“Adobe Digital Insights Holiday Recap Report 2016.” Adobe. http://www.slideshare.net/adobe/adobe-digital-insights-holiday-recap-report-2016.
2
“Black Friday Web Sales Soar by 21.6%.” Internet Retailer. https://www.internetretailer.com/2016/11/26/black-friday-web-sales-soar-216.
3
“Final 2016 Desktop Online Holiday Sales Reach $63.1 Billion, Up 12 Percent vs. Year Ago.” ComScore. https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press-Releases/2017/1/Final-2016-Desktop-Online-Holiday-Sales-Reach-63-Billion-Up-12-Percent-vs-Year-Ago.
4
“Black Friday online sales to hit a record-breaking $3 billion, over $1 billion from mobile.” TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/25/black-friday-online-sales-to-hit-a-record-breaking-3-billion-over-1-billion-from-mobile/
5
“Cyber Monday set a U.S. e-commerce record with $3.45 billion in sales.” Recode. http://www.recode.net/2016/11/29/13775102/cyber-monday-2016-sales-record-345-billion
6
U.S. shoppers spend less over holiday weekend amid discounting. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-holidayshopping-idUSKBN13M0WZ.
7
“Holiday e-commerce sales slightly exceed expectations.” Internet Retailer. https://www.internetretailer.com/2017/01/05/holiday-e-commerce-sales-slightly-exceed-expectations.
8
Data Dive: Black Friday Edition. PYMNTS. Data Dive: Black Friday Edition. PYMNTS.
9
”It’s Not Just Macy’s: Department Stores Are in a Death Spiral.” Time. http://time.com/money/4623760/department-stores-struggle-macys-kohls-sears-amazon/
©2017 FedEx. All rights reserved.
0025157PM