Mobile Shopping Expected to Increase this Thanksgiving

 

Last year’s holiday shopping-related mobile activity was mainly about showrooming, but this year consumers are making the transition from “just looking” to “buying.” In fact, studies report that smartphones are being used now more than ever for shopping.

According to the new Adobe Digital Index report 2014 Holiday Shopping Predictions, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are expected to tally $1.6 billion “in mobile sales alone.” This indicates the importance of a mobile component in every marketing strategy, including holiday marketing. 

ADI predicts Thanksgiving will surpass Black Friday this year in regards to mobile sales, with mobile accounting for 31% of total online Thanksgiving Day sales, or $418 million. That’s an increase of 88% from last year. Black Friday is expected to see 26% ($644 million) in mobile sales, and Cyber Monday 20% ($520 million). 

“On Thanksgiving, shoppers will turn to their phones while visiting family and friends, watching the game, and waiting in-line at stores,” noted ADI analyst Tyler White.

ADI also reports Black Friday eclipsing Cyber Monday as the fastest-growing online sales day of the year. Black Friday sales might increase the most this year at 28% in actual mobile sales ($2.48 billion), however it will still be less than Cyber Monday’s sales, up 15% YoY at $2.60 billion. Thanksgiving online sales are predicted to hit a new record at $1.35 billion, a 27% growth YoY.

“Online shopping will spike during the evenings on Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, but on Black Friday shopping will peak during the middle of the day,” White remarked.

ADI predicts retailers will attempt to lengthen the shopping season this year by targeting consumers with great deals on the Monday before Thanksgiving. That Monday as well as Thanksgiving itself are probably this year’s best days to shop online. 

“In the United States, especially, consumers have been conditioned to wait for Black Friday deals before they start holiday shopping,” White said. “This holiday shopping season will be just one day longer than last year, the shortest shopping season since 2002. Retailers will concentrate on lengthening the season, beginning it on the Monday before Thanksgiving by offering deals then.”

Product availability is expected to be highest the week of Thanksgiving, according to ADI. The average item discount on Thanksgiving is 24%, however the increased demand will make finding “hot products” more challenging on that day. Price hikes are expected the following Tuesday, or the day after Cyber Monday.

Some of the hottest products on the market this season include the iPhone +6, Fitbits, and PS4. Experts recommend retailers monitor which products garner the most social buzz and therefore not deal with the same issue as last year—running out of must-have items.