We’re still reeling from an incredible Black Friday/Cyber Monday, so today, we’re taking a look at just how big the holiday weekend was for e-commerce sellers. Here are this week’s top stories….
Amazon now ships more packages than both UPS and FedEx, making them the largest courier company in the US.
Online shoppers spent more than $9.8 billion during Black Friday, breaking another record.
E-commerce scored another big win on Thanksgiving, with shoppers spending $5.6 billion.
Write better CTAs with 5 brilliant tactics every e-commerce seller should utilize.
The Amazon Corner
The Total Package: Amazon Beats Out UPS and FedEx as Largest Courier Company in the US
Nobody can outdo Amazon: According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, Amazon has surpassed both UPS and FedEx in terms of parcel volume. Even before Black Friday, Amazon had already shipped more than 4.8 billion packages in the US in 2023. The holiday season will no doubt see that number increase substantially, with some analysts estimating a final count of roughly 5.9 billion (up 13.5% from 2022). UPS does not expect to top the 5.3 billion packages it shipped in 2022, while FedEx’s volume had reached just over 3 billion when its fiscal year ended at the end of May.
Amazon has steadily been ramping up its delivery efficiency by investing in tech like delivery robots and artificial intelligence, part of a rollout (dubbed Sequoia) that debuted in Houston in October. Depending on performance during the holidays, Amazon expects to implement the new tech globally in 2024. According to Amazon’s Director of Robotic Storage Technology, Sequoia will reduce fulfillment time by up to 25% as well as identify and store inventory up to 75% faster.
Another Record Breaker: Online Shoppers Spent $9.8 Billion on Black Friday
It’s tough to resist a discount! According to a report from Adobe Analytics, shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion online during this year’s Black Friday — a 7.5% jump from last year. Notably, more than half (54%) of purchases were made on mobile devices, a 10.4% increase from 2022’s Black Friday. Adobe’s research indicates that prices on retail sites were 6% lower in October than they were a year ago, further incentivizing budget-conscious shoppers to spend big.
Predictably, e-commerce saw significantly greater growth than traditional retail; according to MasterCard’s Spending Pulse index, online sales were up 8.5% compared to brick-and-mortar’s more modest 2.5%. Electronics (including products like smartwatches and televisions). were a major draw for consumers, with sales up 152% versus a non-sale day in October. Other big sellers include footwear, handbags, sporting goods, and health and beauty products.
Let's Talk Turkey: Thanksgiving Online Shoppers Break New Record
Here's another thing to be thankful for: According to Adobe Analytics, online shoppers spent $5.6 billion during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday. That’s a 5.5% increase from last year and is nearly twice as much as 2017 ($2.87 billion). Mobile shoppers, in particular, made a huge impact, spending $3.3 billion in sales (a 14% increase from 2022). According to Salesforce, the average order value was $119.
With the holidays looming, toys (including products from Disney, Marvel, and Mattel) were a top-selling category on Thanksgiving, with sales up 182% compared to a typical day in October. Other big sellers include jewelry, apparel, electronics, and personal care products. Electronics saw substantial discounts during Thanksgiving, with consumers snatching up popular gaming consoles, video games, tablets, and more during Thanksgiving day.
The Strategy: 5 Brilliant CTA Tactics Every E-Commerce Seller Should Utilize
Want to cut through the noise? The CTA (short for Call to Action) is an invaluable tool for any e-commerce seller, serving as navigational signposts for customers. Whether you’re urging customers to make a purchase, subscribe to your newsletter, or fill out a survey, it’s important to know the ins and outs of the all-powerful CTA. In this guide, we’ll share five brilliant tactics to help you get your customers clicking…..
Try this. Add branding to your packaging. Packages often sit in mail rooms and offices, so effective package branding can draw curious passersby to your site.
FUN FACT
70% of shoppers start their buying process with an online search.
LISTEN UP
If you’re not diversifying your sales channels, you might be leaving money on the table. On this 112th episode of The E-Comm Show, Andrew Maff interviews Chris Shipferling, founding partner of GW Partners, a full-service firm that helps consumer brands navigate expansion and, ultimately, acquisition.
In this episode, Chris will discuss how GW Partners leverages operational expertise — including a deep understanding of the nuances of e-commerce — to help clients optimize and increase value. With over twenty years of experience in the field, he’s got a lot of valuable insights, so be sure to listen to this episode for a crash course in smart business management!
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