Since 2008, NetElixir’s Retail Intelligence Lab has been aggregating and analyzing the live search-shop-buy data for top holiday retail categories. On Thursday, December 3rd, we will be hosting a live webinar to share the hot-off-the-press results, insights, and trends from the five key retail days of Cyber 5. Join our live webinar to learn the impact of 2020’s Cyber 5 weekend and what our analysis means for the rest of the holiday season.

Cyber 5 of Years Past

The 2019 holiday season was unique in that it held 6 fewer days between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, meaning retailers had to sell 20% more online, every day, to match 2018’s revenue. They largely succeeded. The results, insights, and trends of the 2019 Cyber 5, compared to 2018, in terms of eCommerce sales per region were:

• The western area of America grew over 19%.
• The central area of America grew 21%.
• The northern area of America grew 25%.
• The southern area of America grew the most at 28%.

The average order size (AOV) on Black Friday was $120 in 2019. The lowest AOV was on Sunday, at below $80. Additionally, 44% of 2019’s Cyber Monday orders came after 6 PM (local time).

Mobile shopping continued to grow in 2019, as the share of mobile search impressions, as well as orders, experienced a sharp increase during the holiday season. However, on Cyber Monday, more shoppers placed orders through their desktop rather than mobile device, especially between 6 PM and midnight (local time). 

In 2019, Text Ads drove more orders than Shopping Ads at an order ratio average of about 65% Text ads to 35% Shopping ads.

There were more checkout interruptions in 2019 compared to 2018. Exit rates from the checkout page increased marginally compared to 2018 across most categories. This may have been caused by shoppers getting swayed last-minute through more attractive offers from competitors. This year, especially with a higher rate of new-to-online shoppers acquired during the pandemic, ensure your checkout experience and online shopping experience is user-friendly. Display promotions and inventory updates prominently and offer channels for customer support. 

Last year, Thanksgiving Day yielded 13% of the total Cyber 5 online orders, up from 11% in 2018, as shown in the charts below:

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Could online sales on Thanksgiving Day exceed 15% of all Cyber 5 orders this year?

Predictions for 2020 Cyber 5

At this year’s Cyber 5: Results. Insights. Trends. webinar, NetElixir experts will go over the same region-wise, daypart, and YoY eCommerce trends and online shopping behavior patterns to see how 2020 holiday sales are progressing. NetElixir forecasted a 45% YoY growth in November and a 20% YoY growth in December for an aggregate 30% YoY growth in online sales. 

Retail Dive, in a survey on Gen Z’s shopping behavior, found that 71% of respondents will be relying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to make the most of their tighter holiday budgets. Additionally, CNBC reported that shoppers are seeking out personalized, thoughtful holiday gifts to feel more connected during the pandemic-influenced holiday season. Homemade, DIY gifts and cooking could be the hallmark gifts this year.

From totaling the eCommerce metrics of the days leading up to Cyber 5 (November 1 – 23, 2020) and comparing them to the same time span in 2019 (November 2 – 25), NetElixir’s Retail Intelligence Lab has so far found:

• Website sessions increased over 25%.
• Orders increased over 20%.
• AOV increased 13%.
• eCommerce Sales increased over 37%.
• The western area of America has seen an 81% increase in revenue growth.

Only time will tell what 2020 Cyber 5 has in store for us. Register now for NetElixir’s annual LIVE Cyber Five 2020 Webinar: Results. Insights. Trends.

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