Online shopping will surpass physical store sales this Christmas campaign
Right before Christmas is that time of the year when the volume of sales increases the most out of the whole year. This has been like this for years & years, but what it is more relevant nowadays is that consumers think that the ideal channel to make these purchases in the Internet. A study undertaken by the digital agency Elogia ensures that more than 85% of Christmas purchases will be made through digital platforms, while the physical store will be the second option with a percentage close to 77%.
Why having online purchases is becoming the best option?
Buying through digital platforms has become more common for its practicality. The advantages of online shopping, as most of us know, are diverse:
- Saturation and queues are avoided in stores and shopping centers.
- It is faster and there is a wider variety of offer.
- Cheaper prices
From the point of view of sellers, they benefit from selling online by having a wider reach, as well as the significant savings in costs. Some of these expenses revolve around the maintenance of a physical store: Rent of the premises, personnel expenses, insurance of civil responsibility, etc.
The trend remains positive
It is always difficult to accurately forecast the demand ahead of time, but by using digital means it is much easier to do so nowadays. During this year’s Christmas campaign, it is expected that there will be more than 50% of shipments than in the same period of 2016. In addition, it is expected that Spain will be the European country with the highest growth in terms of sales, where it will sell 15% more than last year. Other countries, like the United States, already had a strong telephone sales background which makes a smooth transaction to the online.
The preferred device to make these purchases will be, as expected, Smartphones with a up to an 80% of transactions made.
Who are the biggest beneficiaries?
When making online Christmas purchases, most users are inclined to use common Marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay or Aliexpress, portals that manage more than 80% of the online sales, followed by owned store portals, with more than 10%.
The logistics operators have one of the leading roles in this play. The increase in online purchases at this time is also largely due to the fact that the customer has greater and better resources in making returns and claims. Consumers now have the option to receive shipments free of charge. Most of the shipments that will be made during the Christmas campaign will have standard priority and will be responsible for contributing 75% of the revenues for the logistics operators.
The big problem today is the physical stores, which see how digital platforms continue to gain ground in the sector, however they try to boost them by making for their deficiencies:
- Being able to test products before purchasing them.
- Making it easier to change or swap products.
- Receive products instantly upon purchase.
Although many of them have already opted to create online stores in order to not be left behind and stay competitive.
How about you, have you already decided on how you will make your Christmas purchases this year? Do you believe that a time will come in which all purchases will be made online?
