• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, December 8, 2016

According to The National Retail Federation, reported by Sprout Social, retail sales (excluding auto gas and restaurants) between November and December 2016 will reach $655.8 billion, a 3.6% increase from 2015. Online sales are forecasted to see a 7-10% spike and have the potential to account for $177 billion.

And a recent survey conducted by Sprout Social revealed that social media will influence holiday purchases for 1 in 3 Americans. Additionally, 30% of respondents said they’re likely to post about a gift they receive on social media.

• 3,140 social messages are expected to be sent to the average retailer this holiday season
• 1 in 3 consumers say their gift buying is impacted by social media
• 30% of people will post about a gift on social media

In correlation with the survey, Sprout analyzed over 3.6 billion inbound and outbound social messages from 15 industries across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Data analysis zeroed in on activity within the retail industry and found that the average retailer will receive 3,140 social messages this holiday season.

The number of social messages retailers receive has been trending upward since 2015. The survey data suggests that this trend will continue in Q4 2016 with the average retailer receiving approximately 30% more messages than last year.

This is particularly important for big box retailers with large social audience. Since follower count often correlates with message volume, enterprise retailers can expect a record breaking season on social, says the report.

Whether that inbound message is a complaint, compliment or inquiry, it will require your business’ attention. An estimated 56% of social messages retailers are expected to receive in Q4 2016 will require action. Retailers can expect a 15% increase in social messages that will warrant a response compared to last holiday season.

It’s anticipated that retailers will see a flood of incoming messages and comments across every major social network this holiday season, says the study. This influx presents retailers with a huge opportunity to capitalize on the conversation.

While some brands will shift their primary focus to Twitter, others might find it more necessary to pivot their attention elsewhere. With a shop now button coming to Instagram and an upwards of 1,000 comments expected for retailers on the platform, this storytelling medium will likely require some extra attention.

On average retailers send 18 promotional posts for every 1 reply to a customer question. About 1 in 7 people are specifically looking for responses to customer service inquires on social during the holidays. Luckily, across 15 industries, retail has a 1 in 6 response rate compared to the average business’ 1 in 10. This means that people are 50% more likely to get a response from a retailer than they are from another type of business.

For additional information from SproutSocial, please visit here.