Maybe about a decade ago, the nadir of the online shopping year was a sunny August Bank Holiday weekend. On the rare occasions that the sun came out, ecommerce sales would plummet as online shoppers would head outside to the beach, beer garden and BBQ and shun their inside desktop computers for some outdoors leisure.
The ecommerce year followed a familiar trajectory. On the up from the New Year, starting to level off around Easter and then heading downhill to the August Bank Holiday. And then it would reach a spending peak in early December and drop off at Christmas as it was impossible to despatch. Boxing days were always quite good. But these were the days before Black Friday and smartphones.
But we know that many habits have changed in the intervening years and smartphones have driven that as people can shop on the move with ease. Of particular note are those daily commuter peaks (especially that in the evening) that see people shopping as they head to work on the train, bus and tube. And there’s the evening shopping peak too now. That’s where people ‘double screen’ and buy stuff as they watch their telly programmes between 8pm and 10pm.
Half terms, and the longer holidays, do anecdotally also impact shopping but does a sunny day like today (I hope it was baking where you are) have an affect on consumer habits as it used to? There doesn’t seem to be any evidence around that says the slump is as bad as it once was. The eBay seller prayer used to be “Let it rain.”
You are at the cutting edge, what do you reckon? Does a sunny day still deter online shopping? Or has the ubiquitous, ever-so-mobile smartphone, made a vital difference? Are people shopping while they dip their toes in the paddling pool?
4 Responses
We still notice large sales drops when the sun is out.
Same here. Noticeably fewer orders on sunny days.
The Postmaster commented that my mail volume increased when it was raining!
We sell summer dresses so just the slightest sunny day can give a huge lift in sales.