Blog and Research Digest — Week 18, 2020
Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.
Retail News and Trends
UK retail sales fall at fastest rate ever – while ecommerce takes record share of spending
https://internetretailing.net/industry/uk-retail-sales-fall-at-fastest-rate-ever–while-ecommerce-takes-record-share-of-spending-21298
“At the same time, ecommerce took its largest ever share of retail spending – at 22.3% of all sales.”
New customers make up almost half of retailers’ ecommerce sales in March [halfway down page]
https://internetretailing.net/themes/coronavirus-round-up-how-shoppers-are-changing-the-way-they-buy-in-updates-from-emarsys-melody-forter-iri-bloomreach-and-a-new-edinburgh-farmers-market-21306
“Data from Covid-19 Commerce Insight, run jointly by customer engagement specialist Emarsys and analytics provider GoodData, suggests that retailers saw 43% of ecommerce transactions coming from customers who were new to them, and 23% from active repeat customers.”
RetailX Coronavirus Tracker: Shoppers settle into new ways of buying
https://internetretailing.net/industry/retailx-coronavirus-tracker-shoppers-settle-into-new-ways-of-buying-21300
“The latest RetailX Coronavirus Consumer Confidence Tracker suggests that shoppers have adopted new buying habits since the start of the coronavirus pandemic – but that these habits have remained broadly similar since the last edition of this research two weeks ago.”
RetailX Coronavirus Consumer Confidence Tracker – 22nd April
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/retailx-coronavirus-consumer-confidence-tracker—22nd-april-21299
IMRG: online sales continue to grow [halfway down page]
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/coronavirus-round-up-ingka-centres-on-reopening-malls-plus-updates-from-studio-the-ons-imrg-institute-of-customer-service-dpd-and-shipster-21293
“The figures, shared in the latest IMRG coronavirus webinar, show sales of clothing still slightly down on last year, while sales of electricals, home and garden, and health and beauty are still well ahead of last year, but declining compared to highs seen in recent weeks.”
60% of EU citizens now shop online, study finds
https://internetretailing.net/customer/60-of-eu-citizens-now-shop-online-study-finds-21291
“This represented an increase from the 2018 figure of 56% and from the 2009 figure of 32%”
More Evidence of the Mixed Impact of Coronavirus on Retail
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/updated-coronavirus-round-up-latest-on-boohoo-amazon-google-shoppingslots-lovethesales-growth-of-ecommerce-and-more-21289
“Yet, whilst online retail as a whole saw a rise in revenue across March 2020, the impact varied by vertical. Toys and games ecommerce businesses have seen the greatest growth, with a rise in revenue to 341%, followed by food and drink and the tobacco and vaping sectors, both of which rose to over 200% of their normal revenue.”
Online shopping surges by 129% across UK and Europe and ushers in new customer expectations of etail
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/online-shopping-surges-by-129-across-uk-and-europe-and-ushers-in-new-customer-expectations-of-etail-21286
“Online shopping rates continue to surge, growing 129% week-on-week in UK and Europe, according to the latest research – and it is rapidly shifting customer expectations of what they get from ecommerce.”
UK businesses pessimistic about their future after lockdown
https://www.theretailbulletin.com/general-merchandise/uk-businesses-pessimistic-about-their-future-after-lockdown-27-04-2020/
“The survey by the Institute of Directors questioned over a thousand directors about their organisations’ prospects over the coming 12 months and the result showed a net balance of -22%.”
Consumers fearful of economic future, reveals COVID-19 impact report
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/consumers-fearful-of-economic-future-reveals-covid-19-impact-report/
“A hefty majority of consumers worldwide, 77%, are fearful about the economic future and just over half report incomes are compromised as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
COVID-19 pandemic drives e-commerce upward big time
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-drives-e-commerce-upward-big-time/
“E-commerce, however, experience a 59% growth rate just in the last two weeks, according to a press release on the data. In addition to fashion, footwear is a hot commodity for online shoppers.”
Fake reviews problem is much worse than people know
https://marketingland.com/fake-reviews-problem-is-much-worse-than-people-know-278976
“Like a virus it infects all the major review sites, especially Google and Amazon.”
Opinion
Amazon is doing well, but could it be better?
https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazon-is-doing-well-but-could-it-be-better/576350/
“While at first e-commerce seemed to be the automatic, almost magical solution to the problem of closed stores during the pandemic, that notion was quickly debunked.”
Marketing
5 Logistical Tips That’ll Help You Pull Off a Great Webinar
https://contently.com/2020/04/27/5-logistical-tips-great-webinar/
“As companies start to produce more webinars and virtual conferences, I put together a list of essential pointers that’ll help you put on the best show possible.”