According to the Abacus 2006 Multichannel Trend Report, the shift from call center sales to Website sales continues. In a benchmark group of multichannel merchants, 25% of direct sales were conducted via Websites in 2005, compared with 20% in 2004–a 25% increase year over year.
The average transaction size for catalog and Website transactions also continued to shift, with Website average transaction size surpassing the call center for the second straight year.
Elisa Krause, vice president of analytical services for Lafayette, CO-based Abacus, says the report reinforces the ongoing evolution of our channel landscape and shows that customers continue to be acquired through both new and traditional channels.
“The growth of online purchases matched with relatively steady call center purchases supports that notion that marketers need to closely evaluate where their marketing dollars are making the biggest impact,” Krause said. “With the advent of new channels of purchase and advertising, marketers are adding cost to generate sales. It is imperative to understand the incremental value of each media in order to maximize profit margin.”