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Despite pumpkins on our doorsteps (mine included), the retail industry can only be talking about one thing really at this time of year – the impending holiday season. The National Retail Federation this week released its annual holiday forecast, which expects a 1% decline from last year. Given the rather wobbly economic outlook, a drop of 1% in sales (vs. a drop of fully 3.4% last year) actually is good news. I usually blog about online retail specifically, but since the annual general holiday forecast is such a huge indicator for the retail industry as a whole – regardless of channel – I thought a note here was imperative.
At Shop.org, we’ll be releasing the results of our just-concluded pre-holiday online retailer and consumer surveys in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out the incredible resource that Shop.org’s parent, the National Retail Federation, puts together every year – the Holiday Survival Kit. The brand-new 2009 edition is chock full of facts and figures: what percentage of annual sales occurs during the holiday season for different types of retailers? How many Americans shopped online for last minute purchases last year? How many people started shopping for the holidays before Halloween? What payment methods do consumers use? Which were consumers’ favorite holiday TV ads last year — and how many watched TV while simultaneously using the Internet? How many gift cards did consumers buy on average last year – and which were the most popular gift cards purchased? What about free shipping offers last year – were they as pervasive as we all think they were (hint: yes, indeed). How readily do consumers recognize the term “Cyber Monday” – and how many retailers said this was the biggest sales day for them last holiday season? And, as they say, there’s much, more more…
Stay tuned for the eHoliday ’09 results shortly. As always, please don’t hesitate to ping me with any questions or comments.
