• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 13, 2024

One key theme has emerged about holiday shopping this year: The action will be online, judging by a study by HostingAdvice.com. 

Of the consumers polled, 80% plan to shop online during the season. And 50% will do most of their shopping there, while 30% will mix online and in-person. 

These percentages do not reflect actual dollar amounts. Still, email teams should be ready to take advantage of this trend. Their job will be to drive people to the sites, offer discounts, follow up and focus on the big holiday weekend.

Cyber Monday will be just as important as Black Friday this year, the survey respondents say.  

In addition, marketers need to “ensure their websites are optimized to capture more online sales than in years prior,” the study states. 

As for dollar amounts, this research skews to an older demographic — 60% are age 46 and up. This group has significant buying power, the study points out.   

“Online shopping isn’t a new concept anymore. Most consumers these days rely on it for holiday and non-holiday shopping alike, and any retailer who doesn’t have a fast, responsive, and mobile-friendly online store is really just leaving money on the table,” says HostingAdvice expert Christian de Looper. 

“Such a site isn’t just helpful for the holiday season, it can help play a big role in yearlong sales.”

HostingAdvice surveyed 500 U.S. consumers in August 2024.