With lowered holiday shopping expectations amid inflation concerns, consumers hunt for deals as early promotions lured them in but not in the hoped-for droves, and inventory remains a challenge. Retailers continue to discount and promote to clear out stock, increasingly using resale platforms like Poshmark, ThredUp and Etsy.
While the fourth quarter showed a 1.6% decline in sales, Karen M. Hoguet, chief financial officer at Macy’s, said moving forward the retailer plans on making strides in its omnichannel fulfillment initiatives including buy online, pick up in-store, and same-day delivery.
Nordstrom saw a 30% increase in its direct-to-customer sales, which built upon last year’s 31% increase. The direct-to-customer increase was driven by expanded merchandise selection and ongoing technology investments to enhance the customer experience.
Amazon announced late last week during its fourth quarter conference call to investors that it was planning on raising its Amazon Prime annual subscription of $79 to potentially $99 or even $119. Even though the increase may seem steep, many experts are saying the move will not hurt business.
Amazon’s fourth quarter financials have been released which show net sales have hit $25.59 billion and an increase of 20% compared to Q4 2012.
When looking at some of the more successful fourth quarter performances inside marketplaces such as such as eBay and Amazon, it appears one of the sure fire ways to boost sales is through mobile. As an example, by attracting more customers using mobile gift guides and mobile-only deals, eBay was able to double its mobile sales in 2012. Maybe it’s time your ecommerce company started getting serious about mcommerce.