The number of settled transactions during ‘Green Week’ actually exceeded Cyber Week (November 26th to December 2nd, 2012) by 1.3%. Comparatively, dollar sales were just a fraction (-0.9%) below this year Cyber week sales results. Year-over-year sales and transactions for the same period were up 10.7% and 16.6% respectively.
October 29th through December 16th, Pulse YTD sales are up 11.9% YoY while transactions grew by 22.1% YoY. Average Ticket price is down YTD by 8.4% YoY.
During ‘Green Week’, sales growth in the Home* category was up 17.9% YoY and Consumer Electronics up 12.4% YoY.
*Home Improvement and Automotive Goods
Green Monday, celebrated annually on the second Monday of December, has traditionally been a major online shopping day for retailers. While Green Monday isn't touted or publicized as much as Cyber Monday, it has become an important online shopping day.
Overall sales volume for the week commencing December 3rd grew 7.1% compared with Season-to-Date growth of 12.2% YoY. For transactions, volume for the period increased by 9.3% compared with a Season-to-Date growth of22.5%. Mass Market* and Home** categories showed a YoY increase of 22.9% and 14.8% respectively for the same period.
*Mass Market is made up of large e-retailers providing a variety of affordably priced products such as electronics, apparel, furniture, and jewelry.
**Home includes home improvement and automotive goods
For Cyber Week, (Friday, Nov. 23 Black Friday through Friday, Nov. 30), Pulse shows year-over-year sales increased by 22.5%, which is 6.4% above our year-to-date sales growth rate of 16.1%. For the same period of Cyber Week, year-over-year (YoY) transactions increased by 32.7% while average ticket price dropped by 7.7%. For the same period, Consumer Electronics sales increased almost 33% YoY over 2011 and Toy sales were up over 34% YoY.
Though consumer spending tapered down towards the end of the week and hit negative year-over-year sales growth rates over the weekend, early indications point to a likely resurgence in online sales in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Year-to-date, ecommerce sales are up 15.3%. This is in line with the season predication from Forrester that online shoppers in the U.S. will spend 15% more this holiday season.
Looking at combined Saturday, Sunday and Cyber Monday results, Pulse recorded a nearly 31% YoY growth. This may suggest that merchants are expanding available offers and shoppers, equipped with mobile devices, are responding in large numbers. Based on 2011 Pulse results, we expect to see continued strong online shopping activity throughout ‘cyber week’.
Cyber Monday ecommerce sales for Gifts (include delivery gifting i.e. flowers/chocolates and gift catalog) and Home (Home Improvement and Auto) categories rose 45% and 51% respectively.
Weekend online sales (Saturday and Sunday) grew 37.9% over the same period in 2011. Average ticket price took an interesting swing over the weekend, up 1.7% compared to the year-to-date average ticket size which is down 10% YoY. This indicates that shoppers may have gone online for big ticket items after Black Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, Electronics sales were up almost 86% YoY, with average ticket size up 23%. Toy sales grew almost 56% over 2011, with average ticket remaining flat.
For in-store, weekend overall sales and transactions are up 3% with average ticket size essentially remaining the same. Thanksgiving night doorbusters seem to have pulled Black Friday activity up into Thursday night, but the weekend saw a bounce back of growth for in-store purchases.
Thanksgiving & Black Friday SummaryIn-store sales for the full 24 hours of Thanksgiving Day registered a 70.8% increase over Thanksgiving Day 2011, driven by an incredible 251% increase in YoY sales between the times of 6pm and midnight. For the same period, transactions volume was up 14% and average ticket amount was up 24%, indicating more overall activity and that each transaction was larger. On Black Friday, sales dropped 7.2%, transaction volume decreased by 3.6%, and average ticket was down 3.7%.
On the ecommerce side, Black Friday sales were up 15.2% over 2011. Transaction percentages for the same period increased by almost 30%, with average ticket down 11.3%. This may indicate that consumers spent more in 2012 but that they bought lower ticket items – a trend that we will follow closely throughout the season.
In-store sales for the full 24 hours of Thanksgiving registered a 70.8% increase over Thanksgiving Day 2011, driven by an incredible 251% increase in YoY sales between the times of 6pm and midnight. For the same period, transactions volume up 14% and average ticket up 24%, indicating more overall activity and each transaction is larger. On Black Friday, sales dropped 7.2%, transaction volume decreased by 3.6%, and average tickets was down 3.7%.
On the ecommerce side, Black Friday sales are up 15.2% over 2011. Transaction percentages for the same period increased by almost 30%, with average ticket down 11.3%. This may indicate that consumers spent more in 2012 but that they bought lower ticket items – a trend that we will follow closely throughout the season.
*Mass Market is made up of large e-retailers providing a variety of affordably priced products such as electronics, apparel, furniture, and jewelry.
In 2012, for the seventh consecutive year, Pulse will provide near-real-time Insights into consumer online and in-store shopping trends. For the first time this year, Pulse will also provide aggregated Chase retail spending data at brick-and-mortar merchants. Together, this data offers one-of-a kind insight into consumer spending, both online and in-store, during the holiday shopping season.
Check in often to follow the pulse of holiday consumer shopping trends.
This survey arrives ahead of the Chase Holiday Pulse, which, for the seventh year, will present actual aggregated daily payment processing activity for 50 of the leading U.S. online retailers, giving a near-real-time snapshot of year-over-year ecommerce growth.
