eBay unwraps holiday shopping habits

As the holiday shopping season enters the home stretch, it’s brand’s last chance to deliver the categories shoppers need to complete their gift purchases.



As 42 million shoppers visited eBay’s online “Holiday Hub” marketplace, the pure play retailer took a detailed look at their shopping journey, what merchandise they are researching and purchasing. To gain insight into their demand, the e-retailer curated more than 60 personas reflecting like-minded shoppers, including soccer moms, fitness fanatics, jet-setters, and metropolitan millennials, among others.



Regardless of the demographic, visitors continue to access eBay both via mobile app and on the desktop site. However 63% of customer searches come specifically from a mobile device.



With such a higher level of digital access, merchandise is literally flying off of eBay’s digital shelves. Every minute during Cyber Week alone, eBay sold 20 fragrances, 12 headphones, seven iPhones, two MacBooks, and one television, vacuum, drone and Hatchimal, respectively, the e-retailer said.



“Consumers are making purchase decisions on our marketplace more quickly now than throughout the rest of the year, and informing their spending with mobile tools,” according to eBay. “Beauty products and tech gadgets sold at notable velocities between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.”



For mobile phones specifically, shoppers spent 29 days making a decision during the holiday shopping season, compared to 48 days during the year. Meanwhile, it only took shoppers 12 sessions to make a purchase, whereas it typically takes 14 sessions during the year, data showed.



The results suggest that “retail brands should consider how to best reach their customers at the right moment, with special consideration for platforms like tablets and smart phones,” eBay added.