‘Tis the e-commerce season
Like several other industries, the retail sector has witnessed a major digital transformation over the past decade. This gradual shift shows seasonal trends and is especially evident during the last quarter of the year, as an increasing number of U.S. Americans frequent online stores to find the perfect gift for themselves or their loved ones. When asked about their plans for holiday gift shopping in 2022, more than half of consumers said they intended to make their purchases over the internet. U.S. buyers anticipated purchasing more or as much via e-commerce as they did a year earlier, with most shoppers purchasing the same amounts. As for the websites they planned to use, nearly nine out of ten U.S. e-shoppers named Amazon as their go-to platform.Social media lure
Another e-commerce trend that has taken hold during the holiday season in the United States is the early promotion of online deals among retailers. The last quarter of the year usually counts as the most profitable period for retailers in the United States. Therefore, early advertising has proven to be instrumental in tapping into shoppers' buying potential. Nearly half of U.S. shoppers began their holiday gift shopping before December in 2022. That year, about one-third of consumers expected to use social media for holiday shopping purchases, making it a high-powered reach channel for marketers. A 2022 survey found that Facebook was particularly influential on holiday purchase decisions of U.S. consumers, while YouTube and Instagram were also prevalent.Hinderance on holiday cheer?
In 2022, inflation was inevitably on the minds of consumers worldwide, and this remained true even during the festive season. As a result, U.S. e-commerce shoppers considering inflation while holiday shopping was unsurprising. Four in ten American online shoppers compared product prices between e-commerce sites before making gift purchases , while about 35 percent of shoppers planned on purchasing less overall directly because of high inflation.With online shoppers taking inflation into consideration, retailers were also aware of the impact on consumer holiday spending plans and adjusted accordingly. Already accustomed to launching ad campaigns early, many retailers also began their deals and promotions at the start of autumn.
