Online sales expected to surpass in-store sales this holiday season, UB expert says

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

The trend of buying goods online will continue to grow this holiday season, with online sales expected to surpass in-store sales for the first time ever, according to a UB expert in retail marketing strategy, brands and consumer behavior.

Charles Lindsey, associate professor of marketing in the School of Management, predicts we’ll see booming sales this season, and that last year’s trends will continue and grow: 

• In 2016, Cyber Monday was the largest online shopping day in history and a new record is expected for this year. 
• The amount of spending per person is expected to increase this holiday season – from Black Friday through Cyber Monday – and overall.
• According to a recent Deloitte survey, online spending is expected to grow by a whopping 20%, and overall spending is expected to increase by around 5%
• While a majority of online purchases will be via desktop (vs. mobile devices), deal and price comparison apps can help consumers identify the best deals.

“According to data from RetailMeNot.com, typical holiday deals actually started about five days before Thanksgiving last year,” says Lindsey. “That number is expected to increase this year.”

“To get the best deals, consumers can take advantage of a number of resources, such as apps like ShopSavvy, which allows them to scan an item’s bar code when shopping in a store and determine if another retailer is offering the same item for a lower price,” he says. “This works for online purchases as well as the closest brick and mortar locations.”