Online Retailers Boost Black Friday, Cyber Monday Promos
In addition to the in-store promotions available during the Thanksgiving holiday, many companies are planning to offer attractive online deals for the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
In fact, 97.3 percent of online retailers will offer special promotions at some point during the Thanksgiving weekend, up from 90.2 percent last year, according to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey, conducted by BIGinsight. Additionally, 45.7 percent will offer online deals specifically on Thanksgiving Day, and a record 85 percent will offer special promotions on Cyber Monday, up from 78.4 percent last year.
"Consumers are increasingly shopping and buying both online and in-store this holiday season,” said Vicki Cantrell, executive director of Washington, D.C.-based Shop.org. Cantrell added that many retailers are keeping consumers informed of their in-store offers through the use of social media in the hopes of “integrating their digital and in-store promotions, working to create that seamless shopping experience that they know consumers demand and expect,” she added.
Through CyberMonday.com as well as their official websites, retailers will offer a bevy of savings this year including gifts of coupons/percentage off their purchases (47.1 percent); limited-time promotions (26.5 percent); other online specific promotions (29.4 percent); free shipping without conditions (44.1 percent); and free standard shipping with conditions (29.5 percent).
“There’s no question that one of shoppers’ favorite deals is free shipping—in fact, many expect it— and retailers are responding,” said Pam Goodfellow, consumer insights director at BIGinsight. “The free shipping ‘savings’ plus any additional discount or promotion should pique online shoppers' interest from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday this year.”
Designed to provide an authoritative snapshot of online retailers’ holiday activities, Shop.org’s eHoliday study surveyed 2,988 consumers from Sept. 26-Oct. 11, and 40 online retailers from Sept. 25-Oct. 11.