Baynote published on Thursday the results from its inaugural 2013 Holiday Predictions Survey.
The survey, conducted in partnership with the e-tailing group, found that retailers are “cautiously optimistic.” In fact, 60% of those surveyed are forecasting growth in excess of 10 percent for 2013 online holiday season revenue, in line with industry forecasts.
Not surprisingly, retailers expect mobile to play an increased role in driving sales with minimal contributions from social media.
The study surveyed 77 U.S. retailers with annual revenue ranging from less than $20 million to more than $5 billion.
Among the published findings include:
- Fifty-three percent of respondents expect mobile transactions to account for a significant part of holiday revenue.
- Thirty-eight percent believe mobile will drive renewed in-store interest that will lead to increased revenue.
- Mobile’s momentum heading into the holiday season is in stark contrast to social media, which 84 percent of respondents see as having little or no impact on sales.
“The survey demonstrates that retailers are expecting to benefit from mobile investments made in the weeks and months leading up to the holiday season,” says Dan Darnell, VP of marketing and product at Baynote. “By using mobile as a tool to drive discovery, in-store purchases and overall customer experience, retailers will increase customer connectivity and be able to provide information and incentives that will encourage customers to complete transactions and engage with the brand post-sale.”
