This week’s key findings:

• More promotional mailings are being sent on weekends. The average weekend this holiday season had 43% promotional and 57% trigger campaigns. This past weekend, 47% were promotional campaigns, a 9% increase from the 43% average.
• Although still a small percentage of mailings, the number of campaigns offering gift cards in subject lines more than doubled compared to the same week in 2011.
• The top 5 ranked Websites, in the Hitwise retail 500 by visits share, for the week ending 12/8 were Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and J.C. Penney.
• “Shutterfly coupon codes free shipping” and “Harry and David free shipping” topped the free shipping search term list for the week ending 12/8.

Email highlights and trends:

Christmas day mailings:

Only one third of brands sent promotional mailings on Christmas day in 2011 and, of those, about half of the campaigns included an offer in the subject line. Christmas day offers for post holiday sales actually did quite well, receiving double the transaction rate compared to the mailings without offers (transaction rate of 0.17% with offer in subject line compared to 0.08% without an offer).

If you do plan to mail on Christmas, make sure that you mail early in the day:

Post-Christmas week:

Promotional mailings with offers also did well in the post-Christmas week (December 26th – 31st).

The transaction rate for mailings with offers in their subject lines was 0.09% compared to 0.08% for mailings without offers. Revenue per email was also higher for the campaigns with offers.

The 4:00 AM time slot received a much higher percentage of total revenue than its percentage of volume, making it the best time to mail.

Morning mailings also did well on post-Christmas days. The 4:00 AM time slot received a much higher percentage of total revenue than its percentage of volume, making it the best time to mail.

Online consumer insights:

While Peak Week last year, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, saw big spikes in online retail traffic, there was another spike in traffic the day after Christmas. In 2011, there was a 3% increase in online retail traffic on Christmas and a 33% increase the day after Christmas.

^{Source: Experian Hitwise}

In 2011 we saw a spike on Christmas day occur in both social and search driving traffic to the Retail 500 sites.

As we noted last week, interest in gift cards peaks during the final weeks leading up to Christmas. While searches for gift cards last year reflect that pattern, it should also be noted that searches for gift cards during the week after Christmas were also at higher levels than those seen at the start of the season.

^{Source: Experian Hitwise}

Key findings:

Online traffic numbers climbed this year compared to last:

• Thanksgiving Day increased 6%
• Black Friday increased 7%
• Cyber Monday increased 11%

Search played a bigger part in Cyber Monday traffic this year compared to 2011:

• Downstream traffic from search engines to Retail 500 Websites increased by 5%

There’s still time to capitalize on email transactions this holiday season:

• Last year, December 16^th – 9 days before Christmas – ranked 4^th for email transactions

• Mailers started earlier, with the Monday (11/19) before Thanksgiving having the largest percentage increase (20.6%) in volume.  Black Friday, Sunday 11/25, and Cyber Monday all had double digit increases in volume over last year.
• Forty-five percent (45%) of holiday season emails are being opened on mobile – up slightly from the 44% we saw just before the season began.
• Led by Black Friday offers, campaigns with offers in the subject line made up almost 30% of all campaigns sent this past week.
• Black Friday search terms increased by 107% between the weeks ending 11/17/2012 and 11/24/2012.
• For the week of 11/17/2012, visits to Cyber Monday websites increased by 259% compared to last year. Additionally, visits for the week of 11/24/2012 increased by 190% versus 2011.
• Cyber Monday search terms increased by 606% between the weeks of 11/17/2012 and 11/24/2012.

Email volume

During peak week, mailers started earlier, with the Monday (11/19) before Thanksgiving having the largest percentage increase (20.6%) in volume.  Black Friday, Sunday 11/25, and Cyber Monday all had double digit increases over last year.

Gift guides and gift cards
As the holidays get closer, more and more shopping is focused on gifts. Two popular gift-oriented ideas for email campaigns are gift guides and gift cards. Gift guides are popular and effective ways to present many products to undecided consumers, and they generate higher transaction rates than other promotional mailings.

Describing your brand as ‘Best’ in the subject line leads to the highest open and click rates for gift guides.

Last minute shoppers, and those looking for gifts for ‘hard to please’ folks, are often drawn to gift cards. In 2011, we saw the number of gift card emails double in the two weeks prior to Christmas. Forty-two percent (42%) of US adults have purchased gift cards in the past year.

Teens are notoriously difficult to shop for. No wonder, purchases of music/entertainment gift cards are highest among parents of teens. In fact, parents of kids ages 12 to 17 are 86% more likely than the average adult to have bought these types of gift cards.

Online consumer insights:
With the busiest holiday shopping weekend behind us – let’s recap what happened online. So far this past holiday week of online traffic from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday to retail sites is up 8% compared to last year. Cyber Monday, for the second year in a row, was the busiest of the three milestone days and looks to be tracking as the busiest day of the year in online retail visits.

Thanksgiving Day online traffic increased 6% in 2012 versus 2011 as the top 500 retail sites received more than 192.5 million total US visits.

Black Friday online traffic increased 7% year-over-year as the top 500 retail sites received more than 193.8 million total US visits.

Online traffic on Cyber Monday increased 11% in 2012 compared to last year, as the top 500 retail sites received more than 206.8 million total US visits.

Top product searches by milestone days

Amazon.com remained the top visited retail site on Black Friday while Walmart was the second most visited retail site. BestBuy moved up to the 3rd most visited site while Target was the 4th most visited site. JC Penney moved up from being the 8th most visited retail site on Thanksgiving Day to the 5th most visited on Black Friday. Among the top 5 sites, JC Penney saw the biggest day-over-day growth at 26%. Looking at the top 20 retail sites on Black Friday, the Apple Store site saw the biggest day-over-day growth at 99%.

Check back for CyberMonday insight and a weekly recap of this week.

As we noted from our CEI data that consumer optimism is at an all-time this holiday weekend and retailers could see traffic significant gains for 2012 versus 2011. Last year Cyber Monday claimed the prize as the busiest shopping day of the year, growing from 138 million online visits to 177 million total US visits to the top 500 Retail sites, a 29% growth comparing 2011 to 2010.

Perhaps seeing that optimism in action are the top retailers with the top 5 most visited retail sites all seeing traffic increases heading this key shopping weekend. Amazon.com was the top visited retail site in the US for this past week. Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Kohls round out the top five. Typically Amazon and Walmart have switched places as the top visited sites on Thanksgiving Day and then reverting back on Black Friday.

It will be interesting to see this year if the volumes of email increases on Thanksgiving Day as more and more retailers are opening their doors to consumers that night. Last year, Cyber Monday, Black Friday and Thanksgiving were the top 3 Email Transaction days during the holiday season.

Learn more about what the hot products are this holiday season, how and when consumers search and buy online during the holiday season, make sure to check back here for the latest insights for this holiday season.

For the holiday insights we’re already seeing this season, watch our ‘Tis the season for holiday marketers webcast on demand. This real-time data will help you tweak your current holiday email, search, mobile and social campaigns to keep up with consumer response.

• 66% of marketers expect 2012 holiday season sales to be higher or much higher than in 2011.
• 26% plan to start 2012 holiday marketing activities in September, 23% plan for October.
• In 2011, for the first time ever, Cyber Monday surpassed Black Friday as the biggest online shopping day of the year.
• Pinterest adoption rates show the biggest increase, as 71% plan to use it during the 2012 holiday season – a 137% increase over 2011.
• 4 of the top 5 biggest movers are mobile tactics.
• 54% of those who used email marketing reported their campaigns were extremely or very successful; 42% reported moderately or slightly successful.
• 39% of marketers plan to incorporate ratings and reviews into their customers’ holiday shopping experience.

This week’s key findings:

• Percent off campaigns increased in frequency this week, comprising 27.1% of offers compared to 23.7% last week.
• The overall percent of campaigns with offers in subject lines has increased from 26% in 2011 to 28% this holiday season.
• Black Friday is less than two weeks away, and this past week Black Friday searches increased 383% compared to the previous week.
• 41% of Black Friday searches contain four keywords in a search term. The top four-word searches include “walmart black friday 2012″, “black friday ads 2012″ and “target black friday 2012″.

Email transaction rates

As we approach the halfway mark for this holiday season, we have analyzed year-over-year transaction rate performance to see what types of brands’ email programs are performing well.

Thus far, luxury retailers and technology brands have seen the biggest increase in transaction rates compared to 2011.

Who’s seeing the highest transaction rates?

• Mid and high-level department stores
• Boots
• High end home décor and bedding
• Phones and mobile products

Email subject lines

For campaigns with above average transaction rates, Experian Marketing Services found that consumers are looking for “free” gifts and shipping, “new” products and “exclusive” offers. Words creating a sense of urgency such as “today only” or “last chance” for “% off” and “$” offers are also occurring frequently in campaigns with high transaction rates.

Black Friday searches

As Black Friday approaches, the number of related searches has kicked into high gear. This past week’s Black Friday searches increased 383% compared to the previous week.

We’re seeing that 41% of Black Friday searches include four keywords in a search term. The top four-word searches include “walmart black friday 2012″, “black friday ads 2012″ and “target black friday 2012″.

Favorite holiday products

Our trend-spotters have done their research on search trends for products that could become this year’s holiday favorites. To identify the popular toys for gifts this year, Experian Marketing Services researched product-related search terms driving traffic to ToysRUs.com compared to last year’s holiday season. Check out the post from earlier this week: Holiday hot products – tablets top the list and the Furby is back!

Key take-aways:

• Many retailers are opening earlier this year compared to previous years for Black Friday shopping to capture early consumer spending dollars – with many retailers starting sales on Thursday, Thanksgiving day
• Retailers have been offering better online deals for Black Friday
• We are seeing a lot of consumer optimism this holiday season, according to Experian Marketing Services Consumer Expectation Index (CEI)

This week’s key findings:

• Free shipping is not mentioned quite as frequently this year in email marketing campaigns – there are 4% fewer mentions of free shipping in subject lines so far this season
• The number of loyalty mailings offering points or rewards benefits has increased by 8% compared to last season
• Black Friday searches continue to be on the rise, increasing 52% in the week ending 10/27 compared to the previous week
• Clicks to paid search terms increased 37% over week ending 10/27

Search and social deals

The study also finds that holiday shoppers are taking advantage of retailers’ deal sites and seeking out deals through search and social. Experian Simmons reports:

• Twenty-nine percent (29%) of online adults have visited a social discount site
• Twenty-seven percent (27%) of online adults have signed up for a daily deal
• Twenty-two percent (22%) of online adults have purchased a discount or coupon from a social site
• Eight percent (8%) of online adults have downloaded a mobile app for a social discount site

Email offers

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of all campaigns are including offers in subject lines so far this season, which is a slight increase from the 27% seen last year.

While dollars off are the most popular, free gifts have the highest transaction rates.

Key take-aways:

• Cyber Monday surpassed Black Friday as the biggest online shopping day of the year
• Email marketing, paid search and display advertising were the most successful marketing tactics last holiday season
• Marketers are planning to invest more in Pinterest this year
• Adoption of mobile-optimized websites is on the rise over last year