2012 Cyber Monday reaches record high and what advertisers can learn from it

We are in the midst of the expensive holiday season. Between setting up budgets for the next fiscal year, finalizing the accounting books for this year, shopping for presents for family, friends, clients, co-workers and trying to make it home on time, it can get hectic for consumers and advertisers alike. A part of our job that never rests is research. In that, it enables us to know what is going on in the media landscape and gives us the foresight to create the best possible media plan. That being said, reports have been released in regards to this year’s Cyber Monday.

According to eMarketer, comScore reports that ecommerce sales on Cyber Monday have consistently grown over the past seven years.

§       2006: $608 million

§       2007: $733 million (a 21% increase)

§       2008: $846 million (a 15% increase)

§       2009: $887 million (a 5% increase)

§       2010: $1.03 billion (a 16% increase)

§       2011: $1.25 billion (a 22% increase)

§       2012: $1.47 billion (a 17% increase)

eMarketer has predicted that the 2012 holiday season online spending is going to reach approximately $54.47 billion, which is about a quarter of the year’s forecasted US retail ecommerce sales.

What does this mean for advertisers? If you are in the retail category, it means that a good behavioral targeting online campaign during November and December could be very lucrative for your return on investment. If you are in a different business category, like healthcare, you may experience smaller inventory selections and slower traffic. If that does happen to you, take heart and remember that inventory will likely be more readily available in January. The bottom line is know your audience and the trends in order to make the most of your advertising investment.