Online Retail Traffic And Conversions Warmed Up Last Week

As we did last year, Marketing Land will be providing our readers with the latest information on holiday e-commerce activity weekly in 2016, giving retail marketers benchmarks as the season goes on.

We are putting together this weekly Online Retail Sales Report in partnership with HookLogic, which has a unique perspective into e-commerce activity via its pay-per-click network where brands like Hasbro, Intel, LG, L’Oreal, Mondelēz, Philips, and Microsoft advertise their wares on retail websites including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Macy’s.

Traffic And Conversions Trending Upwards

During the past week — from Monday, November 2 to Sunday, November 8 — HookLogic data that was provided exclusively to Marketing Land shows the holiday shopping season is warming up slowly, as traffic to product pages and average conversion rates are both up slightly as compared to the benchmarks from early in October.

The traffic increase is less than what we’d seen during the comparable week last year, indicating that consumers may be holding back a bit more this year, though the conversion rate is similar to what occurred in 2014.

Cart Size Is Steady

Meanwhile, the size of shopping carts — with an average of 2.9 items — is down slightly from the three-item benchmark. And shopping cart value, averaging $114.43, has also dipped compared to the October benchmark of $119.20.

The expectation is that cart size and value will begin to rise as holiday shopping commences in earnest.

Mobile Outpacing Desktop

Interestingly, HookLogic found that traffic to e-commerce pages from mobile devices is already higher than traffic from desktop devices, but only slightly, and at a volume that’s consistent with the benchmarked figure.

The company’s analysts expect mobile traffic to continue to be higher than desktop throughout the holiday season, as internet users use their phones while in stores and during holiday travel.

Top Non-Branded Search Terms

The top searched-for term on retail sites in the ad network — boots — reflected the possibility that people may still be shopping for themselves rather than their loved ones. However, popular gift items like Christmas pajamas, as well as cold weather favorites like flannel sheets, slippers and leggings, followed closely behind.

About The Author

Pamela Parker

Pamela Parker is Research Director at Third Door Media's Content Studio, where she produces MarTech Intelligence Reports and other in-depth content for digital marketers in conjunction with Search Engine Land and MarTech. Prior to taking on this role at TDM, she served as Content Manager, Senior Editor and Executive Features Editor. Parker is a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since its beginning. She's a former managing editor of ClickZ and has also worked on the business side helping independent publishers monetize their sites at Federated Media Publishing. Parker earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.