The web is becoming increasingly important for Black Friday shoppers. Many shoppers are showing signs that eCommerce is preferred to visiting physical stores, as indicated in a survey by Ipsos Public Affairs for Offers.com.
Many store owners are wondering where they should place time, energy and resources--web, in-store, social media, events, etc. Among survey respondents from Ipsos Public Affairs, 18% are planning to shop primarily online during Black Friday. A smaller group of shoppers (15%) stated that they plan to shop mostly at physical retail stores. About 20% of those surveyed stated their shopping on Black Friday would be a mix of eCommerce and brick-and-mortar stores.
Certainly, eCommerce websites are a large portion of the mix. Efforts should be made to connect online and offline sales strategy. Marketing automation may also play a large role in driving sales based on interests, tastes and buying behavior.
An eMarketer estimate puts US online shopping at $61.8 billion spend this year in November and December. Retailers cannot neglect their web presences. By building a robust digital strategy that includes mobile, email marketing, automation and social media, retailers can build exposure through the holiday season, while driving sales for a hyper-connected customer base.
