Mobile reshapes Black Friday

Written by Scott Thompson

10/12/2015

Black Friday 2015 represented a turning point for both US brick and mortar and online retailers. According to Euclid Analytics' November US Retail Benchmark (USRB) report, which measured data across hundreds of millions of domestic shopping sessions, while in-store traffic continued to erode over November, retailers made strides to engage shoppers in their physical stores as part of an on overarching omnichannel strategy.

The research also finds that mobile has destroyed the urgency of Black Friday. The percentage of shoppers on the big day, as measured by footfall, decreased almost 1.5 per cent year-over-year. With greater convenience, shopper intelligence and options provided through mobile and digital channels, consumers no longer feel the impetus to shop on a singular day. Focused mobile shoppers also spend more time in the store: the percentage that remained in-store over 20 minutes increased by 1.4 per cent year-over-year. At the same time, however, they are fickle and elusive. Loyalty, as measured by repeat visits, declined almost 1.5 per cent year-over-year. While some brick and click retailers were successful in tying their store and online promotions together, fostering enduring loyalty remains a challenge.

"Mobile has killed traditional Black Friday. Who needs to wait in a freezing cold line at midnight, knowing that better deals are happening online or the following week in the store?” says Randy Brasche, VP of marketing at Euclid Analytics. “Forward-thinking retailers like Best Buy, Target and Sears have found the right formula to cater to these savvy customers across their online and brick-and-mortar operations. In 2016, retailers must bring data into their brick and mortar locations and gain a 360 view of their omnichannel customer.”