holiday season

New this year, customers can make returns until January 31 for items shipped between October 1 and December 31—giving customers more time to decide on whether to keep that gift or not Amazon is also making returns even easier at Whole Foods Market locations across the country with a new no-box, no-label return option Amazon announced that it’s here to help make buying – and returning – even more stress-free and convenient as possible this holiday season. New this year, customers have even more time to make a decision on…

Data reveals 84% of consumers mindful of the businesses they support; 46% more likely to shop at small businesses American consumers are rallying to support small businesses this holiday season according the new research from Comcast Business which explores U.S. consumers’ shopping trends and behaviors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The national survey of more than 1,000 consumers found that 46% are more likely to patronize local/small businesses this holiday season compared to previous years, driven primarily by a desire to…

Sponsored Profit, an Amazon PPC strategy company, is sharing with online sellers the benefits to running Amazon promotions during the holiday season. The company says promotions can help improve brand awareness, boost conversion and increase sales Amazon PPC strategy company Sponsored Profit shares with online sellers the potential benefits to running Amazon promotions during the holiday season. The company also offers its top tips for running promotions in conjunction with Amazon PPC. The company is well known for its…

Yext, Inc., the Search Experience Cloud company, released its predictions for consumer search behavior during the holiday season to help businesses prepare for the end of an unpredictable year marked by COVID-19. The predictions, which combine Yext's research into consumer search behavior both over the past eight months and during the 2019 holiday season, indicate that foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores will only be significant for select verticals, while clicks to call a business and visit their website are expected…

With communities still hunkering down inside their homes amid the impacts of COVID-19, Phoenix-based startup maven, Steven Gurley, teamed up with two of his long time friends, Super Bowl Champion Evan Mathis and tech-developer George Wauchope, to create giftgoat.com, an online platform that allows users to send handwritten letters and gifts to the people that matter most, wherever they may be. In a time when family and friends are remaining apart for health and safety concerns, giftgoat is helping to ensure that everyone…

This year families won’t be able to meet with Santa in person to share their wish lists or ask if they are on the naughty or nice list, but they can text him at 844-YO-SANTA (844-967-2682), his toll-free text line. Santa has been texting from this phone number for the past five years with the help of Zipwhip, the inventors of landline-and toll-free texting. Kids and their families are invited to text in to the phone number in nearly any language, and they’ll get a personalized response from Santa. Santa has received…

The coronavirus affected different types of businesses in different ways. The whole economy alongside industries felt a disruption in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus. Large businesses and small, local businesses were affected by the pandemic just like normal people. As a result, perceiving the need to support the local and small businesses, Small Unites, a national advocacy program was formed to bring communities and customers together to support our local and small businesses. And now, the program is back with a…

InMarket, the leader in 360-degree consumer intelligence and real-time activation, released new research on gift card purchasing ahead of the holiday season. The report, COVID-19: Gift Cards During the Holidays 2020, indicates that shoppers are spending more on gift cards, more frequently, based on a combination of pandemic-related pressures and shifting consumer preference. Marketing Technology News: Criteo Integrates with Oracle Data Cloud Findings from the report are based on first- and third-party transactional…

Amava, the first-of-its-kind platform connecting a new generation of empty nesters and active retirees with opportunities to remain mentally active and socially connected, announces the launch of Amava Gifting, allowing everyone to now give The Gift of Connection to friends and loved ones. With COVID-19 cases once again spiking across the country, millions of Americans face a heightened sense of isolation and social disconnect, with many people opting out of traditional family gatherings and reducing holiday travel.…

Infobip, a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected customer experiences across all stages of the customer journey at scale, has released a new report on consumer sentiment around shopping this holiday season. The report, Post-COVID: Digital Practices for an Enhanced Consumer Experience, shows that the vast majority (69%) of Americans plan to do the same or more holiday shopping as last year – but their expectations on customer service are growing, too. With 59% planning to move more…

Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, has launched a Holiday Gifting Tracker to monitor advertising, promotions, and sales trends for top gifting categories during the 2020 holiday season. New data is released weekly for key gifting categories including Apparel, Beauty, Electronics, Gift Cards, Home Goods, Power & Hand Tools and Toys & Games. Both the pandemic and shift of Amazon Prime Day from July to October have accelerated sales for top gifting categories with the exception of…

More than two-thirds of U.S. consumers expect to do their holiday shopping online this year, while 60% also anticipate hitting brick-and-mortar stores, reflecting a preference to use multiple retail channels, according to an SAP SE sponsored survey by online market research firm Dynata. Consumers Want the Freedom to Control Their Own Brand Experiences With the rise of digital channels and self-service options, shopping has become more complex, and consumers have increasingly taken charge of their experiences with brands.…

Applicaster, the global technology company turbocharging video app development and giving media companies a better way "to app", launched Fast Forward Solutions, a breakthrough multi-partner technology stack that dramatically accelerates video app development. The Fast Forward Solutions include subscription, ad-based, and TV Everywhere business models, blending industry-standard technology partners—Brightcove, JW Player, MPX, Google Suite and Adobe Primetime, among many others—combined with deep technologies such as React…

As e-commerce continues to fuel retail sales, more people than ever are expected to stay digital and shop online through the holidays. To help deliver even more convenience, leading same-day delivery marketplace Shipt is launching a new holiday promotion with Mastercard that helps consumers save on at-home delivery during a busy digital shopping season. Beginning now through December 15, anyone who pays for a pack of Shipt Passes with their Mastercard will receive an extra pass for free. Earlier this year, Shipt began…

While the pandemic has caused a surge in online shopping, a new Oracle Retail survey shows that many customers are ready to venture back into stores this holiday season. Nearly 20% of shoppers surveyed plan to do most of their shopping in-store with 47% planning to split purchases between online and brick-and-mortar shops. Still, another 16% plan to make it as close as the parking lot, opting to retrieve orders curbside. And, despite the challenging year, 58% of consumers expect to spend the same or more on holiday shopping…

Forget chestnuts roasting over an open fire, because KFC's famous fried chicken-scented 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog is back for its third consecutive holiday season. Created once again in partnership with Enviro-Log, the famous fried chicken-scented firelog is available while supplies last exclusively in the U.S. at select Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. The KFC 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog, from Enviro-Log is designed to make your home smell like fried chicken and feel as warm as an Extra Crispy drumstick in a KFC …

Video advertising platforms Unruly and Tremor Video released the results of a joint study that explores consumer attitudes, expectations, and plans ahead of the 2020 holiday season. Unruly and Tremor Video, which are both part of Tremor International, surveyed over 800 US consumers in September 2020 for this study. Despite the impact that COVID-19 has had on consumers’ lifestyles over the past several months, US consumers are still looking forward to the holiday season – with 64% reporting that they are just as or more…

OpenX released a new study with leading market research company The Harris Poll examining the variety of ways that both consumer behavior and marketing tactics have changed in 2020. From an economic perspective, the report paints a promising picture, and in a year when 54 percent of consumers say they are spending less money, and 61 percent of marketers have cut budget, both groups expect a rebound and return to normal in Q4 and 2021. Despite the pandemic, 58 percent of consumers expect to spend the same amount or more…

Survey Reveals Dramatic Impact of Pandemic on Consumer Holiday Shopping Priorities and Content Consumption Roku, Inc. announced findings from its 2020 Holiday Consumer Shopping study in partnership with The Harris Poll, offering new insights into the rapidly evolving U.S. consumer shopping landscape as the country heads towards its first holiday season since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The findings of the survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults also offers a deep look at consumers’ shopping priorities and their shifting…

Integral Ad Science (IAS), the global leader in digital ad verification, released results from its 2020 consumer study on holiday shopping habits. Key findings from the study show that this year consumers are relying on online shopping and digital ads to find the perfect gifts for their friends and families this holiday season. Given the effects of the global pandemic and accompanying social distancing measures, consumer habits are shifting to account for these new realities. Almost eight in ten US consumers report…