US Online Holiday Sales to Jump 15%

RAPAPORT... US consumers will spend $124.1 billion online this holidayseason, with Cyber Monday set to be the biggest day of the year for e-commerce,according to Adobe Analytics Data. E-commerce sales between November 1 and December 31 willrise 15% over the same period a year ago, while shopping in brick-and-mortarstores will increase 2.7%, Adobe predicted. Cyber Monday (November 26) will bethe largest and fastest-growing online-shopping day of 2018, with revenues climbing18% to $7.7 billion, Adobe predicted. The three hours between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.PST alone will drive more revenue than would an average full day this year.Sales on Thanksgiving Day (November 22) will jump 17% to $3.3 billion, the dataprovider estimated. Retailers with both e-commerce platforms and physical storeswill have a 28% higher rate of converting website visits to actual sales incomparison to those that only have a digital presence, the report said. AnAdobe survey of 1,000 US consumers found that 47% expected to look at a productin a physical store before buying it online later, while 58% of millennialswill shop that way. "As online shopping surges with another record-breakingholiday season, the retailers with compelling websites coupled with physicalstore locations will have the advantage," said John Copeland, head of marketingand customer insights at Adobe. "Many shoppers want to interact with retailers'products and the brand in-store, and the ability to pick up online ordersin-store within a matter of hours can't be underestimated." While Black Friday (November 23) will be the main day fordiscounts on electronics, jewelers are more likely to offer deals on the Sundaybefore Cyber Monday, Adobe noted. Image: Holiday gifts. (Pexels)