Every retailer knows the holiday season can make or break the entire year. With Thanksgiving falling on November 28, the 2019 holiday season features six fewer days in that super-critical period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That means it will be more important than ever for retailers to have a strong marketing plan to maximize holiday revenue and finish the year on a triumphant note.
Since 2008, NetElixir has released an annual report projecting ecommerce performance for the upcoming holiday season. Our experts offer predictions and insights to better inform retailers about what they can expect in the months ahead. This year we’ll be sharing our 2019 Holiday Forecast in a webinar on Thursday, September 12th at 2:00 PM EST.
The Basis of Our Forecast
Thanks to the quality of our data and strength of our forecasting model, our holiday ecommerce projections have regularly proved more accurate than those from other industry sources. How do we deliver such precise predictions year after year? Here are some of the key elements of our forecast methodology:
- Ongoing analysis of ecommerce and search engine marketing metrics for our customer base of mid-size and large retailers with over $500 million in online holiday revenue (defined as the period of November 1 – December 25).
- 300+ million unique website visits (forecasted for the upcoming holidays) across key holiday retail categories: Gourmet Food, Apparel & Shoes, Home & Decor, Gifting, and Consumer Electronics.
- Our forecast uses actual week-wise website visits, website sales, channel-wise investments, and CPC data. Based on these primary variables, we build our set of key metrics and track them on a weekly basis starting on the first day of the year.
By paying attention to key indicators like the back-to-school shopping period, we’re able to build an educated overview of what the holiday season will bring.
Rewind: Our 2018 Predictions
In last year’s forecast, we predicted 15% year-over-year growth in holiday ecommerce revenue, fueled by a surge in mobile shopping and other factors. NRF reported $146.8 billion in online and non-store holiday sales for 2018, an 11.5% increase over 2017. While our projections may have been a bit optimistic, we were certainly within the ballpark.
What does this year’s forecast have in store? You’ll have to attend the webinar to get all the details, but here are a few early Christmas presents to pique your interest.
Sneak Peek at This Year’s Forecast
- Unsurprisingly, Amazon will still rule. We predict the ecommerce giant’s share of total online holiday sales will exceed 44% this year.
- We estimate 35% of all mobile searches will be voice-activated. It’s time to optimize your brand for voice search if you haven’t already.
- Mobile shopping continues to rise and is projected to surpass 45% of total online sales.
Everything You Need to Win the Holidays
By joining our webinar, you’ll be among the first to see our complete 2019 holiday ecommerce forecast, giving you more time to use our industry-specific trends and insights to develop a successful retail strategy.
Attendees will also receive some special bonuses:
- 2019 Holiday Paid Search Calendar: This helpful tool offers a day-by-day look at the holiday season, allowing you to plan your PPC spend based on competitive intensity.
- Digital Holiday Workshop: Learn how you can schedule a free 30-minute online consultation with experts from NetElixir and Google.
- A chance to win our surprise holiday giveaway!
Time is running out, so click here and register now to reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!
