• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 21, 2020

Most commerce brands have email campaigns in place for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond. But are they ready for the changes and sheer scale of online shopping expected this year?

One study, by Glassbox Digital, found that 70% of consumers plan to make most of their purchases online, via web or mobile. This is driven largely by fear of COVID-19. 

But be advised that 83% say they require a positive experience to remain loyal to a brand, and 39% feel it is crucial. 

That means that you better be able to send a personalized and accurate triggers in real-time, and to provide a seamless experience overall.

Another study, conducted by Dynata for Redpoint Global, shows that 62% of consumer will shop online exclusively this year. But again, 82% expect retailers to accommodate preferences and expectations.

Don’t look for huge growth — 27% will spend less, while 56% expect to ring up the same amount they did last year, but not any more, Redpoint reports. 

The Glassbox study concurs in part that 39% will spend less, and that retailers will have to fight for every dollar. 

So what will keep customers loyal as they scan more brands and products online than they ever could on foot in a store? One imperative is buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) service — 50% plan to use it, according to Redpoint.

Another must-have is personalization — 49% will be more likely to purchase from retailers that send personalized content and/or offers, Redpoint adds.

In fact, people want the same level of understanding from a company no matter what the channel: That would include email, the website, in-store, a mobile app or reaching a call center.

And make sure you are sending emails in the cadence preferred by the customer — 39% say they are overwhelmed by marketing by retailers during the holidays, the Redpoint study shows. 

You also have to maintain supply chain transparency — out-of-stock items are a cause of friction for 36%, Redpoint says.

Glassbox found that receipt of irrelevant offers is a top consumer frustration, for the second year in a row. At the same time, almost a third of consumers will spend more to support a struggling industry, Glassbox adds.  

Moreover, 46% of those polled by Glassbox plan to buy from a small business, and 26% are more likely to do so than in the past.

Dynata surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers on behalf of Redpoint.

Glassbox also polled 1,000 U.S. shoppers, in conjunction with Google Consumer Surveys.