E-commerce platform and online marketing provider Shopatron Inc. says same-store online sales for its clients increased 25.5% in November and 4.5% during the first 25 days of December compared with the same periods last year. Total holiday sales volume also increased 16.5% from a year ago.
The company says the 25.5% increase in November and the smaller increase in December indicates that e-retailers have become more aggressive with marketing and discounts early in the season and then offer fewer promotions as Christmas nears, a strategy that can protect margins. “The holiday season felt more healthy,” says Mark Grondin, senior vice president of marketing for Shopatron. “We did not see the kind of intense discounting that we saw last year. As a result, we believe deeper analysis will show higher profits this season.”
Shopatron provides e-commerce sales platforms and fulfillment services primarily to consumer goods manufacturers that wish to sell directly to consumers. Clients include Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the parent company to bat-maker Louisville Slugger, which sells via Slugger.com, and plush doll maker Gund.
Sales growth for Shopatron clients outpaced the industry-wide sales growth measured by comScore Inc. for Thanksgiving Day sales. Shopatron says Thanksgiving Day sales increased 43% for its clients. ComScore, a web measurement firm, says Thanksgiving Day online sales increased 18% year over year. Online retailers took in $479 million in Thanksgiving Day sales this year versus $407 million last year, according to comScore.
Shopatron says more of its clients’ traffic and sales came through the mobile channel this year than in 2010. In particular, Thanksgiving weekend traffic and sales shifted more significantly to mobile. Mobile accounted for 14.5% of web site traffic and 8.4% of sales revenue for Shopatron clients for the Thursday, Friday and Monday of Thanksgiving weekend.
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