E-commerce and mobile commerce expected to see major growth during holiday season
E-commerce is set to see major growth in the wake of the 2012 holiday season. The growth of e-commerce is due to many factors, such as the expansion of mobile commerce services, early online deals, rising ownership of mobile devices, and free shipping offers becoming more common. More consumers are relying on their mobile devices for shopping and research. As such, e-commerce platforms and sites are expected to see a significant amount of traffic that could show just how viable mobile commerce really is.
ComScore predicts promising results for e-commerce
According to ComScore, an international analytics firm, online sales are expected to grow by as much as 18% in the U.S. during the 2012 holiday season. Last year, e-commerce broke spending records for the holiday season by accounting for $37.2 billion in sales, according to the firm. This trend is expected to become more pronounced this year due to the lengths many retailers have gone to cater to mobile consumers and provide them with the services they need.
Wal-Mart and others continue catering to mobile consumers
Wal-Mart is one such retailer. The company is expecting to see more than 600 million online visitors during the holiday season, a 13% increase from the traffic it saw last year. The retailers has adopted a strong mobile commerce focus, hoping to appeal to tech-savvy consumers that rely heavily on their mobile devices for shopping and product research. Wal-Mart is also among the many retail companies that are offering special offers earlier than normal, hoping to get a jump start on Black Friday, the most important day of the year for the U.S. retail industry.
2012 holiday season may prove how powerful mobile commerce can be
E-commerce is not expected to diminish in the wake of the holiday season. As retailers see major gains through their mobile commerce initiatives, they are expected to through more support behind platforms that cater to mobile consumers. Indeed, the 2012 holiday season may mark a tipping point for mobile commerce, and e-commerce in general, as retailers and other see just how powerful mobile engagement can actually be in terms of business.
