Written by:
Amber Day
Director of Agency Services
It’s that time of year again. The Holiday Season is very well-known for being the busiest time of year. Between travel plans, Holiday parties, getting the house ready for Holiday guest, Holiday shopping, Holiday traditions, and more, your checkbooks are getting used quite a bit; and that means your bank account is quickly getting smaller. The only thing getting us through this time is the possibility of those Christmas bonuses and maybe even a bigger paycheck from all the Holiday sales. (One can hope, right?) So , the question is: are we going to see those high sales volumes; or has the poor economy overtaken even the most profitable time of year?
Experts are providing us with a little bit of good news, and a little bit of bad news. Good news is that Holiday sales are predicted to increase from 2010. Bad news: the predicted percentage increase from 2010 – 2011 is much smaller than the percentage increase from 2009 – 2010. Below are some of the predicted statistics for 2011 Holiday season.
Retail Stores:
Retail stores are known to be crazy this time of year. Customers have a love/hate relationship with retail stores during the Holiday season. It is great to have that second opinion and see the actual product before purchasing the gift for your oh-so-picky in-laws, but who likes to stand in those long lines and deal with the crowds of people? With all the other avenues to shop now, retail stores are lucky to still see profit this time of year. In 2010, retail Holiday sales increased 5.6% from 2009. This year, they are only predicted to increase between 1.5% – 2.8% from 2010. That’s about half of the percentage increase from 2009 – 2010. Luckily, sales are still increasing, but let’s just hope that for the 2012 Holiday season this percentage doesn’t cut in half again or retail stores may struggle becoming profitable.
Online Sales:
We may be a little bias, but shopping online is our favorite way to shop. The variety of options you get for just one item from sitting on your couch is great. You can get feedback from others who have purchased the item, testimonials, detailed product information, and more without even leaving your home. That is why online sales have continued to grow each and every year. However, similar to the retail sales, online sales are not predicted to grow this holiday season as much as they did from 2009 – 2010. In 2009 – 2010, holiday sales increased 16.5%. This holiday season, online sales are estimated to increase anywhere from 9% – 14%, which will equal a total revenue between $42 million and $60 million. We can’t wait to see this happen!
Mobile Sales:
It’s interesting to think that mobile sales are even a category to consider now for Holiday sales. Even just 5 years ago, this category wasn’t even around. However, it’s a category that has become quickly adapted by many; and one that we definitely cannot ignore. Did you know that mobile sales are predicted to double this Holiday season? A 50% increase from 2010 holiday sales to 2011 will make quite the difference in the yearend financial reports. If you haven’t tapped into this market yet, it is time to do so.
Here’s hoping that these prediction come true and we all see an increase in our sales this Holiday season. Offer Launch Media wishes you all a very happy, safe, and profitable holiday season!
Sources:
Enright, A. (2011, Sept 22). A subdued holiday forecast. Retrieved from http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/09/22/subdued-holiday-forecast
Holiday sales tips. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.esales411.com/document_general_info.html?products_id=58
Sullivan, L. (2011, Nov 04). Ibm predicts mobile sales to double during 2011 holiday season. Retrieved from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/161751/ibm-predicts-mobile-sales-to-double-during-2011-ho.html