Per #SpendingPulse, eCommerce Sales Grew Roughly 20% Compared to 2014
Retailers rejoice! U.S. retail sales saw solid gains this holiday season. According to MasterCard SpendingPulse™, which looks at U.S. retail sales trends across cards, cash and checks, retail sales excluding auto and gas grew 7.9% during the traditional Black Friday to Christmas Eve shopping season. The biggest winners this season were eCommerce and furniture, with double-digit growth, while electronics and men’s apparel lagged well behind.
Did eCommerce Save Christmas? For certain retailers, eCommerce sales were a big gift. eCommerce grew roughly 20% compared to last year. This is not a total surprise, as 70% of U.S. consumers report doing more research online than before, according to our recent Omnishopper Guide. Transitioning from research to a sale makes sense, if the proper customer experience and incentive – free or fast shipping, for instance – is in place.