UK Retailers Expecting Cracking Christmas 2016
November 08 2016 - 3:30AM
Business Wire
ChannelAdvisor research reveals almost half of
UK retailers surveyed expect to see an increase in online
holiday-related sales this year
ChannelAdvisor Corporation (NYSE: ECOM), a leading provider of
cloud-based e-commerce solutions, today revealed the results of its
E-Commerce Holiday Season 2016 research, reflecting responses of
102 UK retailers. This year, UK retailers are expecting consumers
to fill up their virtual stockings more so than ever before; 47%
anticipate an increase in online sales compared to last year’s
festive shopping. What’s more, 21% of those retailers expect an
increase of more than 10%.
The research, which questioned senior e-commerce decision makers
at UK retailers, paints a merry picture of how consumer shopping
habits, major discount days and innovative marketing strategies
will help brands to drive a bumper sales period this Christmas. And
if you’re wondering why you’re already being bombarded with
promotions this year, that’s because 50% of UK retailers started
their Christmas campaigns in August or earlier:
- The early bird catches the worm:
In 2015, the majority of retailers started Christmas promotions in
September (34%) or August (23%), with 19% starting in July or
earlier. This year, retailers have recognised the importance of
getting in even earlier to beat the competition
- Black Friday turns a hefty
profit: 26% of UK retailers said the most profitable day in
their e-commerce calendar is Black Friday, followed by Amazon Prime
Day (22%) and Cyber Monday (15%)
- Increase your marketing, or “yule”
be sorry: When it comes to the top strategies employed by UK
retailers to boost Christmas sales, nearly 40% plan to increase
digital marketing and advertising spend, with many retailers
offering more promotions specifically around Black Friday
While the retail outlook for Christmas 2016 is far from bleak,
51% of the retailers questioned said that their biggest challenge
for the holiday season is order fulfilment. With Christmas falling
on a Sunday this year, this could become a particularly thorny
obstacle for retailers to overcome if consumers leave their
last-minute shopping until later on in the working week. The
research found that 38% of retailers are offering a 20th December
cut-off date this year for guaranteed on-time deliveries. And to
make sure Santa delivers those gifts for consumers before Christmas
morning, 52% of retailers are offering same-day delivery; and 66%
are offering next-day delivery.
“Consumer expectations continue to increase. They expect high
quality products at a competitive price, delivered quickly and for
free,” said Mike Shapaker, managing director, EMEA at
ChannelAdvisor. “As we approach the busiest time of year for online
retail, these expectations are amplified. Thus, as it is for every
holiday season, preparation is key if retailers want to reap the
rewards of the season. If you haven’t tested your websites and
outlined your promotional calendar, it’s almost too late—you better
do it now. In this highly competitive environment, retailers that
can deliver on consumers’ high expectations will dominate.”
Other key findings from the research include:
- Rudolph goes mobile: 66% of UK
retailers now offer a mobile app for Christmas purchases made on
the move. Not everyone will have a mobile app that is widely used
so be sure your site is mobile-optimised
- A star is born in Facebook: 62%
claimed it was the top social platform for sales conversions
- PayPal tops list of preferred
payment methods after debit/credit cards: 66% of retailers said
PayPal is the most popular payment method used by customers after
debit and credit cards, followed by Amazon Payments (19%) and Apple
Pay (6%)
Notes to editors
ChannelAdvisor commissioned Morar Consulting to conduct the 2016
E-Commerce Holiday Season Survey. This research, which was
conducted in July 2016, interviewed a total of 203 UK and US senior
e-commerce executives. The fieldwork was done via online
questionnaire.
About ChannelAdvisor
ChannelAdvisor (NYSE: ECOM) is a leading provider of cloud-based
e-commerce solutions that enable retailers and branded
manufacturers to integrate, manage and optimise their merchandise
sales across hundreds of online channels including Amazon, Google,
eBay, Walmart, Facebook and more. Through automation, analytics and
optimisation, ChannelAdvisor customers can leverage a single
inventory feed to more efficiently list and advertise products
online, and connect with shoppers to increase sales. Billions of
dollars in merchandise value are driven through ChannelAdvisor’s
platform every year, and thousands of customers use
ChannelAdvisor’s solutions to help grow their businesses. For more
information, visit www.channeladvisor.co.uk
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Media Contact:Sarah Alonzechanneladvisor@babelpr.com0207
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