Consumer spending statistics
Explore online consumer spending behavior from the 2019
holiday season to help you rise above your competition in 2020.
Growth in holiday online sales
of the total 2019 holiday shopping season came from Cyber 5 shopping days.
Potential impact of COVID-19
- The new normal to avoid in-store crowds could bump up online sales.
- The spring/summer crisis could continue to impact inventory and supply.
- The economic downturn could induce consumer price-sensitivity, resulting in reduced sales and lower revenue per purchase.
Potential impact of COVID-19
- The new normal to avoid in-store crowds could bump up online sales.
- The spring/summer crisis could continue to impact inventory and supply.
- The economic downturn could induce consumer price-sensitivity, resulting in reduced sales and lower revenue per purchase.
Takeaways from 2019
total in e-commerce spending in November
and December2
of the total was from purchases made via smartphones2
of consumers buy more from stores that offer
free shipping3
of consumers listed free shipping as the most important deciding factor4
Potential impact of COVID-19
Mobile use increased during the spring/summer crisis, which could mean businesses will see a higher spike in mobile shopping over the 2020 holiday season.
Six e-commerce business trends for 2020
Six e-commerce business trends for 2020
Owned channels
Over 1M businesses are moving marketing of their e-commerce business from paid channels (such as advertising) to owned channels (a company website, for instance) to gain independence and control over their messaging.5
Potential impact of COVID-19
The number of owned channels and owned fulfillment may increase as businesses faced with the loss of control of a paid channel during the spring/summer crisis turned to diversified channel and fulfillment options.
Potential impact of COVID-19
The number of owned channels and owned fulfillment may increase as businesses faced with the loss of control of a paid channel during the spring/summer crisis turned to diversified channel and fulfillment options.
Partnership channels
Retailers that collaborate with one or more complementary brands to accelerate growth and increase presence in new markets realized 28% of their revenue from the partnership(s).6
Potential impact of COVID-19
The number of partnerships and business collaborations increased during the crisis; this type of business-with-business partnership could continue to see an upswing moving forward.
Potential impact of COVID-19
The number of partnerships and business collaborations increased during the crisis; this type of business-with-business partnership could continue to see an upswing moving forward.
Friction-free e-commerce
Redesigning checkout processes (especially on mobile devices) so customers can find, select and pay for their purchases with as few clicks as possible, can increase the conversion rate of an average e-commerce shop by over 35%.7
Subscription boxes
Subscription-based companies are growing their revenues roughly 5X faster than S&P 500 revenues and U.S. retail sales by offering unique and convenient ways for consumers to engage with products.8
Potential impact of COVID-19
More businesses could start offering subscription boxes of food, entertainment and consumable products.
Potential impact of COVID-19
More businesses could start offering subscription boxes of food, entertainment and consumable products.
Personalized consumer experiences
93% of companies that incorporate personalization into the online shopping experience (such as recommending products based on prior purchases) experience an increase in conversion rates.9
Eco-friendly shipping
More and more Generation Z consumers are placing loyalty and dollars toward businesses that prioritize environmental issues and use sustainable packaging.10
Potential impact of COVID-19
As COVID-19 drives people to shop more online than in stores, the awareness of sustainability and recycled packaging — brought on by millennials and Generation Z — may also increase.
Potential impact of COVID-19
As COVID-19 drives people to shop more online than in stores, the awareness of sustainability and recycled packaging — brought on by millennials and Generation Z — may also increase.
Need more online business insights?
Make managing your online business easier with insights for digital marketing, custom boxes, e-commerce platforms, fulfillment, returns
and more.
Need more online business insights?
Make managing your online business easier with insights for digital marketing,
custom boxes, e-commerce platforms, fulfillment, returns and more.
1Young, Jessica, “Cyber 5 2019 analysis in charts,” Digital Commerce 360. Dec. 16, 2019.
2Clement, Douglas P., “U.S. Holiday Ecommerce a Record $142.5B, Up 13%; Every Day Over $1B,” Multichannel Merchant. January 2020.
3Saleh, Khalid, “How Free Shipping Influence Online Buying Decisions,” Invesp.
4Cassidy, Tabitha, “2019 ecommerce in review: consumer insights,” Digital Commerce 360. Dec. 23, 2019.
5McBride, Stephen, “Is This the Beginning of Amazon’s Meltdown?” Forbes. Jan. 2, 2020.
6“What’s the Channel Hotter Than Paid Search?” Partnership Cloud. 2019.
7“41 Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics,” Baymard Institute. Sept. 10, 2019.
8“The Subscription Economy Index,” Zuora. March 2019.
9Osman, Maddy, “Ecommerce Statistics for 2020 – Chatbots, Voice, Omni-Channel Marketing,” Kinsta. Jan. 29, 2020.
10“The Results are in: Sustainability is Critical for Consumer Brands,” CGS. 2020.