eCommerce Forecast for Christmas 2017

26-10-2017

What can we expect for Christmas this year?

With Christmas being less than 9 weeks away, we take a look at what we can expect from an eCommerce perspective this year, by looking at previous Christmas results. This is the busiest time of the year in both retail and eCommerce where businesses aim to maximise their sales and so careful preparation for this time of the year is a must.

Increase in eCommerce Spending

Judging from last years results according to the IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index, online retail is forecast to grow at 14% in 2017 following a year in which sales rose by 16% in 2016. More and more people continue to buy online, perhaps due to the convenience factor of not having to face those bustling shops in the cold!

More Last Minute Shopping

As delivery times from online companies become shorter, many people are leaving their buying to the last minute. With the likes of Amazon Prime being able to deliver in 2 hours the laid back shopper doesn’t need to do a mad rush shopping spree a few days before the big day. So I guess companies can expect to see busy sales right up to the big day.

Christmas Day will be a Busy Day!

John Gillian, Managing Director at Criteo says ‘you can expect Christmas Day to be a busy one for online shopping’.

“Last year, Criteo’s data revealed that Christmas Day is the busiest mobile shopping day of the year. Gone are times when families focus on spending time with each other, and enjoy their new gifts, instead shoppers are back on their phones hunting for the next bargain. Nearly two thirds (62%) of online purchases made on Christmas Day are carried out using a smartphone. The convenience of being able to buy on-the-go means that retailers should be focusing on their mobile commerce strategy more than ever, even on Christmas day itself. ”

How should companies prepare?

CEO of Rocaba Group, Sujan Shah, offered the following advice:

Plan early, make sure you have enough stock based on predictions from spending last year.
Use all of your social media platforms to promote your products for Christmas Sales.
Plan your Christmas Marketing Campaigns early enough so that you have a clear schedule set up.
Try to make delivery timings even more tighter, here at Carrier Bag Shop we are working hard to ensure we get out our orders in a shorter time period.