Mobile Devices Save Black Friday And Cyber Monday Sales
During this year’s Black Friday, if you decided to shop from a tablet or smartphone instead of baring the freakish cold that swept over the nation much too early, you were definitely not alone. The holiday tradition of door busters and early bird specials saw a dip in in-store sales compared to last year, however, online sales through mobile devices went way up over the weekend as well as for Cyber Monday.
Stats & Top Sellers
Black Friday Weekend 2014 (now including the “Black Thursday” that has weirdly but surely crept into the count) experienced an 11% decrease in sales at brick-and-mortar stores from 2013, and overall online transactions between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday increased 12.5%. Additionally, Cyber Monday mobile sales grew 28%. The solid use of consumption on the internet throughout the biggest shopping period of the year alludes to a trend that is here to stay for the long term and sheds light on how our technologies today have completely affected the way we buy.
At the physical store locations of retail giants like Walmart and Target, top sellers included iPads, Xbox One consoles, the Nikon’s L330 camera, TVs, video games and children’s apparel. Online sales showed spikes in video games, wireless prepaid phones, baby items and high-definition 4K TVs. It was tough for physical stores to compete with online retailers like Amazon who out-discounted many of their brick-and-mortar competitors on big-ticket items. For instance, the top-selling Samsung 55-inch 4K flat-screen television could be snagged for only $899 on Amazon and was deemed the cheapest name-brand 4K TV to ever be offered.
Change in the Market Place
Mobile devices were among the most purchased items, which goes hand-in hand with the fact that consumers have transitioned their shopping experience from the ground to their virtual mobile life. The increased use of technology has allowed for more e-commerce to take place, thus retailers have adapted their marketing and advertising strategies by implementing an online user experience, utilizing email marketing, social media and targeted online ads to engage customers and bring them to their websites and mobile apps. Email marketing proved to be most notable mode of promotion as it generated 23.1% of online orders for the overall weekend. To add, email visibility and ease of shopping can attribute itself to the accessibility of mobile devices – 30.3% of online orders during Black Friday happened on a mobile device and on Cyber Monday, mobile transactions accounted for 21.9% of total orders, a significant jump from 15.9% in 2013.
The Future of Black Friday
With in-store Black Friday revenues dwindling this year, it’s highly probable that they will continue to decrease in the future. Advancements in mobile technology paired with the never-ending quest for consumer information that businesses leverage to their advantage will only result in more sales on the online shopping front. The Black Friday that once was has renovated itself and will move away from the long lines of crowds towards a more solitary event that encompasses a person pushing “Checkout” on their tablet.
The annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday were saved by mobile devices due to their ability to let customers shop online and receive promotions and information at a high capacity in the digital realm. It is a reflection of how our world is changing retail tradition to cater to the strides made in technological innovations. We will continue to consume heavily during the holidays but in an adapted and more efficient way via the virtual shopping cart.
About The Author:
This article has written by Jessica Oaks. She is an tech writer.
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This article has written by Jessica Oaks. She is an tech writer.
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