With an estimated $1.25 billion take, Cyber Monday 2011, Nov. 28, was only the second billion-dollar day for online U.S. sales in history, following the equivalent day in 2010. ComScore found the strong spending continued throughout the week. The following Tuesday and Wednesday, for instance, were also billion-dollar days.
One impetus for the increased spending is free shipping. ComScore's analysis shows 63.2% of online transactions included that perk, an 11% jump over last year.
“Consumers have come to expect free shipping during the holiday promotion periods," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni in a press release, "and retailers, in turn, have realized that they must offer this incentive if they want to maximize their share of consumer spending – especially at the outset of the shopping season." Fulgoni added that nearly half of consumers say they will abandon their shopping cart at checkout if they find free shipping isn't offered.
ComScore's research shows that although free shipping comes at a cost to the retailer, the average orders tend to be higher. Relatedly, comScore is eyeing Dec. 16, Free Shipping Day, as another possible billion-dollar day. On Free Shipping Day, thousands of merchants offer the incentive for packages that will be delivered by Christmas Eve. Last year's Free Shipping Day hit $942 million, a 61% jump over the corresponding shopping day in 2009.