The US holiday shopping season is starting earlier, with Thanksgiving now marking the start of the online shopping frenzy this festive season, according to new research.
The study, from Kenshoo, is based on the newly created Kenshoo US Retail Index that will serve as a barometer for examining online holiday shopping trends.
Key findings in the report include an increase of 31% in year-over-year search advertising budgets for the holiday season to date as well as 83% more online sales transactions and a 60% lift in total online sales revenue.
The report covers six key trends identified by analyzing the data from the Kenshoo US Retail Index:
1. The Holiday Shopping Season is Starting Earlier
2. Online Shoppers are More Responsive to Paid Search Advertising
3. Consumers are Buying More Often With Smaller Basket Sizes
4. Paid Search Advertisers Have Increased Effectiveness
5. Thanksgiving is Now “Cyber Kickoff Day”
6. Competition for Retailers Peaks on Cyber Monday
“As more and more holiday shopping is conducted online, the dynamics of paid search marketing and online advertising have changed dramatically,” said Aaron Goldman, Chief Marketing Officer at Kenshoo. “To capture share of mind and wallet, advertisers must start the planning process early and build in flexibility to react to market conditions. By focusing on relevancy, experimenting with merchandising, and leveraging advanced bid algorithms, retailers can approach online advertising with confidence.”
This report will be updated following Christmas to provide a full view of the 2010 holiday shopping season.
There are plans to make this an annual report and, in future editions, include regions outside the U.S. as well as online advertising channels beyond paid search such as social media and display.
Visit www.Kenshoo.com/HolidayReport to download the report.
www.Kenshoo.com
