Photo: RetailWire
Tomorrow is going to be a big day for retail, perhaps the biggest.
A record number of consumers, 158.5 million, are expected to go shopping tomorrow (AKA Super Saturday), according to a forecast by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
The number of people shopping in-person and online is expected to be about 10 percent higher than last year and will represent the highest figure since NRF began tracking the statistic back in 2016.
“Consumers have been shopping in record numbers this year, purchasing holiday items for friends and loved ones,” Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF, said in a statement. “With Super Saturday falling eight days before Christmas, retailers are prepared to help shoppers fulfill their last-minute purchases that will make this holiday season memorable.”
Retailers will need to have their unified commerce boots on tomorrow to meet the demands of shoppers. Twenty-eight percent of those shopping plan to do so entirely in stores, according to the survey. Twenty-seven percent expect to shop from their phones or homes and 46 percent plan to shop in stores and online.
Yesterday’s U.S. Census Bureau report showing that monthly retail sales fell 0.6 percent in November compared to October (up 1.3 percent) points to Americans’ search for deals in the current inflationary environment.
Amazon.com, Target and Walmart were among a group of retailers that went big with large sales events in October. A record number of consumers went shopping for more deals between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday. November and October posted year-over-year sales gains of 6.5 and 8.3 percent respectively.
Super Saturday will have its share of deals, as well. Insider Intelligence cites Amazon’s “Very Merry Deals” promotion, which will run through Dec. 21.
Target is cutting prices on kitchen appliances, toys and video games and promoting free same-day pickup on all orders placed before six in the evening on Christmas Eve.
Walmart is holding its “Save Big” sales on items across the store, including clothing, food, seasonal decor and foods.
Best Buy’s “20 Days of Deals” ends Dec. 18.