ComScore reported recently that online holiday shopping increased by 15% versus last year (nearly $35.3 billion had been spent online for the 2011 holiday season) indicating consumers are becoming even more comfortable conducting business online. This is likely a result of increased consumer convenience as well as marketing strategies such as special offers, free shipping with minimum purchase, and the advent of rebate sites like ebates.com and fatwallet.com. The comScore report is based on the most current holiday season, but this trend speaks to how overall consumer shopping and spending is shifting towards e-commerce.

Does this mean all businesses should move to conduct their business transactions online?[...]

<img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6764" title="Holiday" src="http://luminositymarketing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Holiday.jpg" alt="" width="486" height="275" />As Black Friday has now passed us by, many consumers can sigh in relief that they have most of their holiday shopping list crossed out or don’t have to deal with this crazy holiday tradition for another year. Yet, many marketers are sighing in relief because this Black Friday brought better than expected sales numbers and profits. <a href="http://adage.com/article/news/brisk-post-thanksgiving-sales-tough-maintain/231213/" target="_blank">U.S. consumers</a>, through the web and physical stores, spent a record $52.4 billion during the Thanksgiving weekend. Not only was a record sales amount reached this holiday, but more people went shopping than last year and they spent more on average. About 226 million people went shopping this Thanksgiving weekend, up from 212 million last year, and these shoppers spent an average of $399, also up from $365 last year. Yet, with these high sales numbers one has to ask if retailers will be able to keep these sales up during the rest of the holiday season?

Consumers were obviously out in full-force for the shopping offered during this Thanksgiving holiday. But did they actually enjoy their shopping experience and would they be willing to do it again?<a href="http://luminositymarketing.com/blog/?p=6742">[...]</a>

With less than 2 weeks to go until the big day, the great American celebration known as Halloween is now in full swing. Suburban yards are decorated in their scariest motifs, spooky costumes have been ordered, intricate retail displays are ubiquitous and Halloween themed pop up stores have taken over many once-vacant storefronts.

Indeed, it’s quite remarkable to think about just how popular Halloween has become in the US. Researchers at the National Retail Federation forecast that 68.6 percent of Americans will celebrate this year, (an increase of 4.4 percentage points vs. 2010). And after a dip in 2009 (near the beginning of the recession), total Halloween spending is estimated to reach an astonishing $6.86 billion this year, with the average person spending about $72.31 on decorations, costumes and candy.

Not only are consumers spending more on Halloween, but they are also personally more engaged in the holiday as well. This year, reported plans for experiential activities such as[...]

A recent Slate.com article by Daniel Gross commented on the confusion surrounding the economic statistics about holiday shopping.  Here’s a sampling of the stats Gross referenced: Projections pegged sales rising 1 to 2% Black Friday sales rose only 0.5% over last year Over Thanksgiving weekend average spending per household fell 7.9% Over Thanksgiving weekend spending on consumer [...]