Consumers continue to show strong interest in ecommerce
Consumers are increasingly browsing and making purchases from ecommerce websites, according to a new report from MarketLive.
In the three month quarter ending in September, online revenue among analyzed retailers was up 18.14 percent. Similarly, traffic to these websites marked a 15.95 percent improvement. As MarketLive suggested, this bodes well for retailers as they approach the busy holiday season.
"As the crucial holiday season approaches, merchants are once again poised for solid gains in online sales," the report notes. "Forecasters are predicting a 13.5 percent increase in online sales – slightly less robust than 2010, but still potentially a bright spot amidst what may be an otherwise tepid season."
MarketLive also found that cart abandonment has dropped over the past year from 62.25 percent to 61.48 percent, meaning fewer consumers are shopping but not finishing orders – another positive trend for retailers.
Abandoned shopping carts can be a key source of lost revenue for retailers. The Email Marketing Institute suggests sending emails to shoppers to remind them to complete purchases, but as few as 30 percent of retailers do that.
