Survey: winter peak continues pandemic e-commerce rush

The pandemic shift from in-store shopping to e-commerce is accelerating the shift from a discrete pandemic peak to a seasonal plateau of continuous commerce, a survey from the digital marketing agency Adtaxi shows.

That trend may come as little surprise to the many retailers and third party logistics providers (3PLs) who have described a prolonged surge of demand from online shoppers since the very start of the pandemic, but it adds a layer of statistical nuance. 

According to Denver-based Adtaxi, nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents feel comfortable to shop in-store this holiday season, up from 50% in last year’s survey. And though one-third say they do not feel safe, only 12% feel strongly about it. It’s this minority segment of consumers who plan to spend less this year, compared to the group who feels “safe” and plan to spend as much or more.

“More than ever before, the holiday shopping season is a multi-month affair, and businesses who restrict their efforts to Black Friday or Cyber Monday will miss out,” Chris Loretto, EVP of Adtaxi, said in a release. “With online shopping as the new normal and Amazon absolutely dominating, smart brands will beef up their e-commerce capabilities and explore leveraging Amazon as well. Overall, there is clearly an appetite for the right holiday messages from consumers.”

In additional findings, the survey showed that one-third of respondents said they will spend 50-74% of their holiday dollars online, with one-fourth (27%) planning to spend 75% or more online. The figures came from an online survey of 1,037 adult respondents balanced across U.S. geographic regions, that was conducted on September 14.

And while Black Friday remains the most popular of the single-day sales—with more than one in four (28%) planning to do most of their shopping on that day alone—it also revealed that American consumers are keeping their options open. Fully 41% won’t rely on traditional sales holidays like Black Friday or Cyber Monday for the majority of their holiday shopping, and more than a third of Americans (35%) will begin holiday shopping before November, with 37% saying they won’t stop until late December.

Online shopping has experienced some drastic changes over the past couple of years. To be successful this holiday season, companies will need to deliver a convenient shopping experience throughout the season. #adtaxi #blog #holidayshopping https://t.co/7E6LEkdyD5

— Adtaxi (@Adtaxi) November 9, 2021