By Lydia Chen Shah, Director Marketing Communications
Forrester Research forecasts online holiday retail sales to increase 8% to $44.7 billion this year. That’s a lot of shopping! It’s not just about Black Friday anymore. Thanks to one of our fabulous PPC managers @neilfolgate for the reminder to know our eCommerce Mondays. These Mondays come in two colors, Green and Brown plus a Cyber.
November 30: Cyber Monday
Online folklore says that when consumers go back to the cubicles the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend, shopping and spending will continue. Really, Cyber Monday is the online version of the brick-and-mortar Black Friday. Consumers will be on the hunt for the hottest deals.
December 7: Green Monday
We’re talking about moolah green. Money. Not save the earth green. Green Monday was named by eBay, after the company discerned that its sales peaked on the first or second Monday in December. Essentially, the second week of December is huge. Green Monday has become an eCommerce shopping event, even garnering recognition as the heaviest online shopping day of the holiday season. Reasons for the record eCommerce day: consumers realize their holiday shopping deadlines are closing in and retailers often begin free shipping offers on this day.
December 14: Brown Monday
This is when many retailers lay out some of the biggest promos and discounts. Last-minute free shipping with guaranteed holiday delivery is a biggie. That’s where the “brown” comes from, with all the packages making their way around the map.
Choreographing the Holiday Advertising Madness
Consumers turn to online shopping for savings and convenience. Online and offline, they have become more discerning and have embraced frugality.
One CMO recently tweeted very articulately (it is possible in 140 characters), “The challenge for retailers, & brands alike, is how best to leverage opportunity to differentiate created by the downturn.”
eCommerce Mondays are indeed opportunities to be leveraged. Online retailers should consider what makes their products, storefronts, and offering unique and enticing to their consumers. Those attributes can be leveraged effectively in various online marketing campaigns/activities, such as paid search and contextual advertising.
Don’t let the holiday madness be just that. Let it be organized chaos – where you have attacked the challenge and exploited opportunities to differentiate, and ultimately, spread a whole lot of holiday cheer amongst the eCommerce balance sheet.