by Robin Fiedler
Two new trends predicted for Black Friday 2009 are shopping online and more shoppers.
Cyber Friday. Is it another new catchy phrase for another peak shopping day? Not exactly. It’s the new catch phrase for Black Friday. After online shopping research indicated shopping online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2008 increased, predictions are that online shopping will increase on those two shopping days in 2009 as well since most retailers are upping their online marketing strategies. 
“The Yahoo! Network analyzed online advertising effectiveness on Black Friday and Cyber Monday of 2008, and compared it to data in the preceding four weeks of November. The report showed that not only is Cyber Monday a top online shopping day, but that the traditional, offline, Black Friday also proved to be a significant day for online sales conversions.”
So while consumers browse and surf the net throughout November looking for deals, they buy on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. “When compared with the average day in November, Black Friday saw an increase in conversions of 147% and Cyber Monday was 73% higher. The Yahoo! Network believes that consumers were doing product selection throughout the month, in preparation for converting at the highest rates on those days, which mimics offline consumer shopping patterns.”
Nathania Johnson on Search Engine Watch blogs, “While the economy has consumers as uncertain as ever, I wouldn’t be surprised if last year’s Walmart deaths have people bumping those conversion rates even more this year. Make sure you’ve got great deals and free shipping. You might just save a life.”
More Shoppers. An International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) survey shows that more consumers plan to start their holiday shopping on Black Friday. “Consumers reported that shopping on Black Friday-the Friday (November 27) after Thanksgiving Day-is likely to be more important this season as 16 percent of respondents expect to begin their holiday gift shopping on that day,” compared with only 10 percent in 2007 and 2008 and the 13 percent high for 2006.
Consumers search for deals and discounts and retailers marketing strategies on Black Friday seem to be merging.”Bargain hunting will continue to be an important element of the consumers’ holiday shopping strategy,” noted Michael P. Niemira, ICSC’s director of research and chief economist. That strategy may be fueled by the news that many retailers will have low inventories, so consumers feel they have to shop on Black Friday before shelves become empty.
The ICSC survey also notes that shoppers plan to spend less on gift cards in 2009 than in 2008, and more on actual gifts. The planned budget is $543 on gifts and $133 on gift cards. Shoppers’ budget numbers imply that although there may be more shoppers out ‘there’ on Black Friday, they may not be spending as much. The gap in between peak shopping days also seems to be a question mark. Will consumers be ’shopping’ all season, but only ‘buying’ on advertised deep discount days?
Resources
Johnson, Nathania. “Will Black Friday Become Cyber Friday?” Search Engine Watch 19 Oct. 2009.
“U.S. Consumers Plan to Spend about $543 Each This Holiday Season, Survey Says.” ICSC 4 Nov. 2009.
“Yahoo! Network Insights Black Friday/Cyber Monday Performance Report.” Yahoo!
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