From Midnight to 11am: Cyber Monday Sales Down Compared To Last Year

**2017 Cyber Monday sales show a 3% drop on last year from 12am-11am
** Also, online sales jumped by 18% on Saturday and 6% on Sunday compared to last year after Black Friday

New UK market research released from PCA Predict’s Ecommerce Trends this morning reveals that there has been a 3% decrease in online sales this Cyber Monday from 12 midnight to 11am, compared to last year. So far today, the peak minute for purchasing in the UK was 10.23 am.

This follows a similar trend Black Friday last week, whereby, from 12am-11am, there was a 2% decline on overall online sales, when compared to 2016.

So far today, shoppers in Kingston Upon Thames have made the most online purchases this morning followed by Coventry and South East London.  A breakdown of the top areas for online spending this morning can be found below.

PCA Predict’s Ecommerce Trends tool aggregates data live from PCA Predict's 11,000+ UK retail customers.

"It would seem that the days when consumers would be willing to get up early to bag a bargain are gone. "

Chris Boaz, ‎Head of Marketing of PCA Predict, (a GBG company) said: “So far, Cyber Monday seems to be following Black Friday with sluggish sales very early in the morning. It would seem that the days when consumers would be willing to get up early to bag a bargain are gone. We saw more and more consumers shopping online over Black Friday, blurring the lines between the two shopping events.”

“However, much like this past Friday, we expect online sales to pick up significantly around lunchtime when people are at their desks, and also in the evening time and see the amount spent surge past last year’s.”

Meanwhile, over the weekend, online sales jumped by 18% on Saturday and 6% on Sunday compared to last year after Black Friday.

REGIONAL RANKINGS:

The busiest shopping regions, in the UK are as follows:

Victoria’s Secret Angels filmed for Fashion Show in Shanghai, China for broadcast on Nov. 28

For the first time, the Victoria’s Secret Angels will be filmed in Shanghai, China for THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW**, to be broadcast Tuesday, Nov. 28 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the US- CBS Television Network. The world’s  renowned American lingerie brand's reportedly most watched fashion show will be seen in more than 190 countries.

Last year’s show received 1.4 billion views and more than 150 billion media impressions worldwide.

Merging fashion, fantasy and entertainment, the lingerie runway show will include pink carpet interviews, model profiles, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show and musical performances that will be announced at a later date.

The all-star line-up of Victoria’s Secret Angels will include returning favorites Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill, as well as new faces.




**THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW is being produced by Done and Dusted, inc. Edward G. Razek, Monica Mitro, Ian Stewart, Hamish Hamilton and Chip Quigley are the executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is the director.

Black Friday sales reveal online shopping behaviour and shoppers' loyalty

Analysis of over 7 million unique e-commerce transactions this Black Friday has revealed discounting falls as order amounts rise.  This is good news for retailers, as the average discount on an order decreased by 12 percent compared to last year, whilst the average order amount grew by 9 percent compared to that of 2016.

The data, from customer relationship experts Optimove, suggests that online customers in the UK were willing to spend more on more items on Black Friday 2017.  The average number of items in an order grew by 7 percent compared to last year’s sales day figures. Customers did not insist on receiving such big discounts in order to complete their transactions.

"It is clear that more shoppers are opting to buy online rather than in-store."

Pini Yakuel, founder and CEO of Optimove, comments: “As the numbers come in after Black Friday, it is clear that more shoppers are opting to buy online rather than in-store. Which is why it is more important than ever that retailers understand the behaviours and motivations of their online customers.

“Contrary to traditional analysis of the Black Friday phenomenon, our data shows that most of the individuals shopping with a brand on the day are actually returning, rather than completely new, customers.  On Black Friday last year, our research showed that 71 percent of shoppers had bought something from the brand before at some stage. And this trends continues.

"There are signs that days like Black Friday may be helping retailers to keep customers coming back to their brand." 

“This year, the share of Black Friday transactions which were made by first-time shoppers decreased by a further 18 percent. Customers’ pre-existing contact with a brand goes some way towards explaining why shoppers have been willing to buy more items without such high discounts this year.

“Despite the supposed ‘death’ of customer loyalty, driven in part by the ease of price comparison online, there are signs that days like Black Friday may be helping retailers to keep customers coming back to their brand.

"The challenge for retailers is to continue building on this relationship outside of the pre-Christmas and sales period."

“If retailers can continue to exchange value with their online customers – offering specific offers, personalised communications and experiences – then these positive trends can continue into the sparser months, January and beyond.”

UK Black Friday online sales expected to top Boxing day sales by 77 %

Black Friday is an American shopping phenomenon that happens after their Thanksgiving holiday and this concept has now taken hold in the UK where retailers have adopted the idea since a few years ago, extending it to a last from one day to a week.

This year, Black Friday week total online sales are expected to reach £7 billion, a 164% increase on 2014 and 77% higher than expected Boxing day total sales, according to global real estate advisor Colliers International.

This is reinforced by the decrease in the proportion of Brits shopping on Boxing Day in 2015 (32%) compared to 2016 (23%).

"We’ve seen a build-up of sales which we expect to peak on Friday. "

Mark Phillipson, Head of Retail at Colliers International commented: “Black Friday is evolving into a week-long plus event in the UK.  We’ve seen a build-up of sales which we expect to peak on Friday. This is also a period in the year when retailers should be at full margins but, essentially, they are giving away some of their profits in order to compete for a higher share of consumer spending. However, there is degree of consumer skepticism as to whether any of the deals are actually any better than in standard sale periods, so in reality, it would also seem that Black Friday has just turned into a marketing event craze.”

The research also reveals that Black Friday is becoming much more of an online event since the violent scenes witnessed in 2014. Greater smart phone use and retailers’ much improved mobile websites encourage online purchasing. As a result, footfall was lower than anticipated in 2015 and 2016.

“Black Friday is having a significant impact on consumer spending patterns."

Mark Charlton, Head of UK Research at Colliers International added: “Black Friday is having a significant impact on consumer spending patterns, causing a sharper spike in sales earlier on in the Christmas run-up.  In general, we expect the online sales increase to continue, with weaker footfall on the day itself and a higher surge in online traffic.

“Historically there has been a much more gradual increase in sales in the six weeks prior to Christmas however what we are now witnessing is a potential decrease in consumer spending in the New Year sales due to the possibility of customers suffering from “sales” fatigue.”

The Design Museum Market from 1-3 December.

Design Junction and the Design Museum of London are partnering to offer the Design Museum Market from 1-3 December.

If like me you have been inundated with emails and Emessages on huge discounts on offer coming so-called Black Friday, forget about them if you want to pick up something unique for yourself or loved ones this Christmas.

Statement scarfs from Pipet Design  will be found at the Design Museum Market.

Instead head over to the Design Museum Market 1-3 December if you are in London as this is where you will find a good selection of jewellery, ceramics, glassware, textiles, homewares, graphic design, digital and children’s products - everything from original stocking-fillers to stand-out gifts, just in time for the coming festive season.

Returning for the second year, there will be a range of new brands to discover and shop from alongside designjunction exhibitors including luxury statement scarfs from Pipet Design, home furniture from Studio Perki, stationery and homeware from Laura Knight Studio, and various original gifts from Lollipop Designs, Linescapes and Alice Bosc.

Located in the Huth Gallery on 2nd floor of the museum, visitors will also have access to Design Maker User, the Design Museum’s permanent collection.

 To see more of what's in store click here.

Report:- 61% of women in the UK are happy to be single

Recent Mintel Report: 61% of women in the UK are happy to be single, compared to 49% of men

Interesting Findings:-

n  70% of singles in the UK say they have not actively tried to find a partner in the last 12 months, rising to 75% of women.

n  36% of singles in the UK say they feel financially secure, compared to 52% of those who are in a relationship.

n  33% of singles say that they feel under pressure to make their life appear more fulfilled than it is.

As China sales on Singles’ Day last Saturday (11th November 2017) broke all previous records with Chinese online giant Alibaba reporting £33 billion of sales, in the UK it seems it unattached women are deemed to be the most happy people most of the time.

New research from market intelligence agency Mintel reveals that 61% of single women in the UK say they are happy with their relationship status, compared to 49% of single men. Overall, it appears that unattached Brits are in no rush to find a partner. As many as 70% of singles in the UK say they have not actively tried to find a partner in the last 12 months*, rising to 75% of women.

Today, 42% of Brits describe their relationship status as single**, while 58% say they are in a relationship***. Of singles who have tried to find a partner in the last year*, 68% have used digital methods, such as a dating website or app, while 40% have looked to meet someone through friends and 19% have attended events. 

Read full story, click HERE.

Soremi Jewellery launches new website with new demi-fine collections

The UK's personalised jewellery retailers Soremi Jewellery has Iaunched a new website and introducing two new demi-fine precious metal coIIections, Mobius Infinity and Boulon D’amour - just in time for the forthcoming festive season of Christmas.

Möbius Infinity transcends a trend to represent everlasting love. Each of these classically beautifully precious metal donuts opens up to revel hidden and secret hand engraved words of meaning and love.

On the other hand, Boulon D’amour is bold and utilitarian. Existing as a functional nut and bolt, these chunky nuggets of love can be worn together or separate and worn by a couple or with the Boulon D’amour Family necklace symbolising each family member with solid gold yellow and rose gold nuts. 

For a decade the Leeds-based Soremi studio team have been creating handcrafted personalised jewellery with a progressive twist for people who wouldn't usually ‘do’ personalised jewellery, according to Ghazal Ghahri-Saremi, Creative Director at Soremi Jewellery who explains that their designs are joint collaborations with their customers. 

"When a customer personalises a piece of jewellery they are led by both our creativity and craftsmanship and their own imagination, it's for our customers that we are pushing the boundaries of design. That's culminated in the launch of two exceptional, innovative, tactile new collections,” said Ghazal.

In celebration of this development, Soremi is offering customers 20% off for the first two weeks post launch till November 15th with the code Launch20.