Retailers set for cracking Christmas following Black Friday boost

Christmas is still a massive opportunity for retailers, despite Black Friday peaks, according to Salmon research. 

UK online traffic in the first two weeks of December is up 17% compared to the same period last year, with total number of orders rising by 20%. Conversion rates were up 7% in the same period. And for the first time, nearly half of consumers are showing a willingness to purchase gifts via voice-controlled technology such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.

“In what has been a bumper year for many retailers during the Black Friday period, a fresh opportunity awaits in the run-up to Christmas. While some have legitimate concerns over whether Black Friday has hijacked their December profits, what we’re seeing in our operations room is a strong upsurge in number of orders and traffic compared to this time last year,” says Patrick Munden, Global Head of Retail and Marketing at Salmon.

“With voice-enabled devices currently the biggest craze – and lots more of these devices purchased around Black Friday - retailers need to be prepared for this new channel for customers to purchase goods. As we head towards the end of December, every retailer will need to ensure they have all their back- and front-end systems in place to cope with the increase in demand if they are to really reap the rewards of seemingly indulgent consumers.”