As we look ahead to the 2025 holiday season, we're reflecting on key lessons from last year's record-breaking Cyber Season and how they'll help us deliver even more value to shoppers and partners alike.
Insights from Holiday Shopping 2024
In 2024, shoppers started their holiday shopping earlier than ever. According to data from our parent company Rakuten, 60% of Cyber Week shoppers had already begun tackling their holiday lists weeks before the big event. Early deals and rewards captured attention without taking away from Cyber Week's importance.
Here's what drove this shift:
Post-Election Boost: After the U.S. election, shoppers quickly turned their focus to holiday deals, motivated by economic uncertainty and the need to save.
Shortened Shopping Season: With Cyber Week falling in December, many shoppers started early to avoid shipping delays and product shortages.
Inflation's Lingering Impact: While inflation eased, its effects lingered. Over half of U.S. shoppers prioritized promotions and rewards to stretch their budgets.
Cartera's Q4 2024 Highlights
From Nov. 4 to Dec. 2, we saw record-breaking results across the board, and stand-out moments throughout the season:
Best Cyber Week Ever: Sales, shoppers, and revenue all saw year-over-year (YoY) growth, with Cyber Week outperforming 2023 every single day.
11/11 — A Big Day: Outside of Cyber Week, Nov. 11 was the second-largest shopping day of the year, showing strong demand for early holiday deals.
Loyal Shoppers Shopped: Enticing offers helped us to entice more loyal shoppers than ever. Those loyal shoppers then drove nearly half of our Cyber Season shopping activity.
In-Store Shopping Boomed: In-store sales quadrupled YoY, which underscored shoppers' continuing love for the brick-and-mortar experience, and also emphasized why a multi-channel experience remains important.
What Shoppers Loved
Several categories shined during Cyber Season, driven by strong promotions and higher average order value (AOV). Gift cards, food & restaurants, and electronics all saw impressive double-digit YoY growth. Gift cards, in particular, stood out as a favorite, with shoppers embracing their flexibility and convenience, and deeming them great last-minute gifts to both give and receive.
Looking Ahead to 2025
We're already planning for an even bigger and better Cyber Season in 2025. Here's what we're focusing on:
Personalized Marketing: We'll continue to refine targeted campaigns to engage shoppers at every stage of their journey.
In-Store Growth: With in-store shopping on the rise, we're excited to expand partnerships with brick-and-mortar retailers.
Category Leadership: We'll amplify promotions in high-performing areas like gift cards, electronics, and food & restaurants.
Mobile Optimization: As mobile shopping continues to grow, we're committed to creating a seamless experience for shoppers on-the-go.
Thank You To Our Collaborators
We couldn't have achieved these incredible results without the support of our clients, partners, and shoppers. Your trust and collaboration inspire us to keep innovating and keep delivering.
Here's to an even more successful 2025!