Author: Denny

IBM report shows that mobile commerce has been a success this year

| December 8, 2014

New report shows that holiday shopping weekend was a great time for mobile commerce

IBM has released its latest Digital Analytics Benchmark report, which highlights the performance of mobile commerce over the holiday shopping weekend. From Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, consumers flocked to mobile shopping sites looking for special deals on products that they are interested in. They made use of the mobile services that retail offered during the shopping weekend. This lead to a surge in mobile payments and online shopping in general, according to IBM.

Mobile sales increased by 27.2% this year during the shopping weekend

The report shows that online sales during the holiday shopping weekend increased by 12.6% over what they had been during the same period last year. Mobile sales grew by 27.2%, suggesting that more people opted to spend money through their mobile devices rather than visit physical stores. Some retail stores support mobile payments as well, which some consumers chose to make use of while shopping. The majority of mobile consumers appear to favor shopping online from their mobile device rather than making a payment at a physical store.

Tablet users spent more money online than smartphone users

Mobile Commerce Report - holiday shoppingIBM’s report shows that smartphones lead the way in terms of online traffic. Approximately 28% of all online traffic to retail sites on Cyber Monday came from smartphones, while tablets accounted for 12% of all online traffic. Tablets were able to handle retail websites better than smartphones, however, with tablets accounting for 12.9% of all online sales made from a mobile device. Tablet users were more likely to spend money than smartphone users and would purchase products more frequently.

Some retailers continue to struggle with engaging mobile consumers

The holiday shopping weekend has shown that mobile commerce is a powerful force in the retail sector. Over the past few years, more retailers have been working to engage mobile consumers more effectively. Some have managed to find significant success in this endeavor, while others have failed to connect with mobile consumers, either because of poor services provided or their lack of a mobile website.

Retail sector finds success in mobile commerce

| December 3, 2014

Retailers are reporting promising results from the holiday shopping weekend

The most significant retail holiday in the United States, Black Friday, has come and gone and many retailers saw a spike in total sales thanks to mobile commerce. Wal-Mart reported that it experienced the best three-day online shopping period it has seen in recent history and the company’s experience is being echoed by others that have adopted a focus on the digital space. According to a report from comScore, e-commerce sales throughout the United States surpassed $1 billion for the first time.

Total retail sales are lower this year than they were in 2013

While more people are shopping online, especially from their mobile devices, the retail sector has encountered some turbulence this year. Total retail sales for the holiday shopping weekend were down this year when compared to the results of 2013, according to the National Retail Federation. Many consumers opted to avoid physical stores in favor of mobile and e-commerce, while others opted to avoid holiday shopping altogether. The exact reasons behind lower retail sales this year and not entirely clear.

E-commerce is thriving among consumers interested in convenient shopping solutions

Mobile commerce reatil sector - WalmartThe report from comScore notes that consumers are shopping more from their personal computers and mobile devices. The report shows that shopping from a PC increased by 32% on Thanksgiving Day and 26% on Black Friday. Throughout November, purchases made from desktop computers rose by 15%. The report suggests that mobile commerce accounted for approximately 2% of all digital sales made during the holiday shopping weekend.

Mobile commerce has helped some retailers find success

The report also shows that e-commerce spending reached $1.009 billion this year, higher than the $766 million reported last year. Shopping online has become quite popular among consumers because of the convenience that it offers. When shopping at home from a computer, consumers can avoid the chaotic crowds that flock to retail stores on Black Friday. This convenience can also be found through mobile commerce, which allows people to purchase the products they are interested in at any time, no matter where they may be.