ReportWire

Tag: Online Sales

  • Planning to return unwanted Christmas gifts? You may be charged fees.

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    Hassle-free returns may be a thing of the past, and if you’re staring at a stack of unwanted Christmas gifts, you may have to think twice before mailing them back.

    Several major retailers are now charging customers to return items even if they are unopened and in perfect condition.

    Macy’s now charges $9.99 for mail-in returns, while TJ Maxx and Marshalls each charge $11.99.

    J. Crew charges $7.50 for mail-in returns, Abercrombie & Fitch charges $7, H&M charges $3.99 and Zara charges $4.95.

    It can now cost as much as $45 to return certain electronics at Best Buy.

    Amazon has also tightened its policy, charging some customers unless they use its box-free, in-person drop-off option.

    According to a report from the National Retail Federation, Americans will return an estimated $850 billion worth of items to stores this year. And nearly 20% of all the things U.S. consumers purchase online are returned, according to the NRF. 

    David Sobie, who co-founded Happy Returns, a company that uses artificial intelligence robots to help make returns easier, says that the White House’s tariff policies could be to blame.

    “Merchants now are under a tremendous amount of cost pressure,” Sobie told CBS News. “…They’re really trying to offset some of the costs that they face in returns by asking shoppers to share some of the burden.”

    Sobie advises that the best way to avoid the fees is “to read the retailer’s return policy before you check out in the first place.”

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  • U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online during Black Friday sales

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    Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year’s holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday — spending billions of dollars both in stores and online.

    Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. It was a slight increase from the company’s spending estimate of $11.7 billion. 

    Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute. Mobile shopping was estimated to drive more than half of all sales, according to Adobe. 

    Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said.

    In-store traffic continues to dwindle

    Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally. And e-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute – with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company.

    Black Friday is far from the sales event that created midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem just decades ago. More and more consumers have instead turned to online deals to make post-Thanksgiving purchases from the comfort of their own homes – or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions now offered by retailers.

    As a result, in-store traffic has continued to dwindle. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% from 2024.

    But “the story isn’t just that shoppers stayed home; it’s that they’re changing how and when they shop,” Joe Shasteen, global manager of advanced analytics at RetailNext said in emailed comments on Saturday. He explained that customers are now spreading out purchases over a longer time frame and “walking into stores with a far narrower mission than we’ve seen in past holiday seasons.”

    Black Friday remains a major date on retailers’ calendar – and Shasteen added that Friday’s drop is “notably better” than a sharper 6.2% decline RetailNext saw in in-store traffic for the days leading up to Thanksgiving. This indicates that, while shoppers remain cautious and are pulling back on in-store spending overall, “they’re still willing to show up for the biggest promotional moments,” he said.

    Experts expect heightened holiday spending to continue through the weekend. In terms of e-commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday – before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday, which would mark yet another record.

    Tariffs create strain on businesses and households

    Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. U.S. President Donald Trump’s barrage of tariffs on foreign imports have strained businesses and households alike over the last year. The federal government had raised $195 billion in customs duties for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

    Despite spending more overall, Salesforce found U.S. shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday (down 2% from last year). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firm noted, as average selling prices climbed 7%.

    This year’s holiday spending rush arrives amid heightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs, workers across public and private sectors are also struggling with anxieties over job security – amid both corporate layoffs and the after-effects of the 43-day government shutdown.

    For the November-December holiday season overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S. shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion for the first time this year. But the rate of growth is slowing – with an anticipated increase of 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holiday season.

    At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies on other short-term loans have been rising. And more and more shoppers are turning to “buy now, pay later” plans, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items.

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  • Why Founders Keep Failing on Social Media | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a founder, your instinct is to appeal to everyone. Investors. Customers. Partners. The whole world feels like your audience.

    And that instinct is killing your posts.

    The biggest mistake I see founders make on social media is trying to speak to everyone at once. The result? Your message hits no one with any power. Social media works when one person on the other side of the screen feels like you’re talking directly to them. And only them. That’s when they stop scrolling. That’s when they like, comment, DM and share.

    If you’re writing posts for a crowd, you’re blending into the noise. If you’re writing for one person, you’re cutting through it.

    Talk to the ONE.

    Think about the last time you heard a great keynote. Thousands of people in the room, but it felt like the speaker was talking just to you. That’s the effect you need to recreate in your posts.

    Related: Why Authenticity Is the Key to Making Great Social Media Content and Building a More Devoted Audience

    Here’s how to do it

    1. Use direct language. Say you. Not “teams,” not “leaders in general.” You.
    2. Call out exactly who you’re speaking to. “As a founder…” “If you’re leading a small team…” Be very specific.
    3. Match their language and tone. Talk how they talk. Tech founders read differently than family-run restaurant owners. Investors hear you differently than customers.
    4. Anchor it in real experiences. Share stories your “one” will nod along to and relate to.
    5. Ask questions. Keep it conversational. If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a friend, don’t post it.

    The goal is connection, not coverage.

    Related: 11 Social Media Secrets Every Business Should Be Using in 2025

    Who is your ONE?

    Before you write the post, get clear:

    • Is this message for investors?
    • Is it for potential customers?
    • Is it for peers and other founders?

    Pick one. Speak to them. Let everyone else listen in. Being direct isn’t enough. You also have to engage. Respond to comments. Ask follow-ups. Keep the conversation alive in the comment section. The magic of social media isn’t in the post; it’s in the dialogue that happens after.

    Yes, it takes more effort to do it this way. But the payoff is real. You’ll start seeing responses from people who “get it,” and that’s how networks and brands are built.

    By the way, this principle isn’t just for your social media work. It applies to everything: your website, your pitch deck and even how you write emails. If people don’t feel like you’re speaking directly to them, they’ll bounce. But when they do feel it? They stay. They engage. They buy in.

    And here’s the kicker: when you start focusing on one person, you’ll be shocked at how many “ones” actually show up.

    The ONE-Person Framework (fast filter before you post)

    Run every draft through three quick checks:

    O — Outcome:
    What single outcome does your reader want right now? Name it in the first 1–2 lines.

    N — Narrative:
    Tell a tiny story (3–6 sentences) that proves you’ve been where they are.

    E — Engagement:
    End with an invitation that’s easy to answer: a yes/no, a choice, a “fill-in-the-blank” or “DM me ‘PLAYBOOK’ if you want the steps.”

    If your post can’t pass O-N-E in under a minute, it’s still written for a crowd.

    Bad vs. Better (same idea, three audiences)

    Generic (bad):
    “Founders, growth is about focusing on customers and raising capital efficiently.”

    Investor-focused (better):
    “If you write checks, here’s the only metric that matters for us this quarter: cash payback in < 9 months on the core offer. Want the cohort math? I’ll drop it in a thread if you ask.”

    Customer-focused (better):
    “If you’re a CFO tired of surprise SaaS overages, here’s how we cap your spend in 30 days without switching tools. Step 1:…”

    Founder-peer (better):
    “Bootstrappers: stop optimizing your logo. Ship a clunky v1 to 10 paying customers. Here’s the email I send to get those first 10 calls.”

    Related: How to Market Yourself on Social Media in 4 Steps

    Micro-examples you can steal

    • Hook for investors: “If you care about repeatable revenue, look at this: 41% of logos bought a second product within 60 days. Here’s why.”
    • Hook for customers: “If your onboarding still takes 14 days, try this 3-email sequence. We cut ours to 72 hours.”
    • Hook for peers: “What actually moved MRR last month (and what was a total waste of time). Numbers and receipts below.”

    A simple post template (fill in and ship)

    1. Call the ONE: “If you’re a [role] who’s stuck with [pain]…”
    2. Promise an outcome: “…here’s how to get [specific result] in [time frame] without [common objection].”
    3. Proof/story: 3–6 sentences. Short, concrete, credible.
    4. One clear step: “Start with [step 1].”
    5. Engagement: “Want my checklist? Comment ‘CHECK’ and I’ll send it.”

    The 30-minute weekly workflow

    You don’t need a content department. You need a habit.

    Monday (10 min): Pick your ONE for the week. One audience. One outcome.
    Wednesday (15 min): Draft two posts. Use the template. Cut filler.
    Friday (5 min): Show up in the comments for 5 solid minutes — answer, ask, invite DMs. That’s it. Consistency beats virality.

    Comment strategy that actually builds business

    • Reply fast to the first 10 comments. Speed signals presence.
    • Ask back: “Curious — what’s the blocker on your team?” Pull the thread.
    • Move the qualified ones to DM with a micro-ask: “Want the 5-step SOP? DM me ‘SOP’ and I’ll send it.”
    • Close the loop publicly: “Sent!” Your audience sees you deliver.

    This is how posts turn into a pipeline.

    Quality metrics to track (ignore the vanity)

    • Replies per 1,000 views (conversation density)
    • Save rate (did this earn a second look?)
    • Inbound DMs per post (real intent)
    • % of comments from the ONE (are the right people talking back?)

    If these four move up, you’re winning — even if views are flat.

    Common traps to avoid

    • Spray-and-pray topics. If your post could apply to anyone, it will land with no one.
    • Jargon flexing. If the ONE wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t type it.
    • Burying the lead. Put the outcome in the first two lines.
    • CTA soup. One ask per post. Not three.
    • Ghosting your comments. If you won’t show up after you post, don’t expect your audience to.

    How to pick your ONE (when you serve multiple)

    Rotate deliberately:

    • Week 1: Potential customers
    • Week 2: Current users (expansion/retention)
    • Week 3: Investors/partners
    • Week 4: Founder peers (recruiting, brand)

    Write for one each week. Let the others eavesdrop.

    A 5-minute edit pass to run through before you hit ‘post’

    1. Highlight every “you.” Not enough? Rewrite.
    2. Cut your first sentence. Start where the heat begins.
    3. Swap abstractions for specifics. “Grow fast” → “Add $20k MRR in 60 days.”
    4. Add one question. Make it answerable in one line.
    5. Pick one CTA. Comment, DM or click — choose.

    Related: The 8 Secrets of Great Communicators

    Bring it home

    Crowds don’t buy. People do. So pick your person. Speak their language. Prove you’ve been where they are. Invite a next step. Do this, and your posts stop sounding like ads to everyone and start feeling like help to someone.

    Talk to one — and watch how many of your right-fit customers show up.

    As a founder, your instinct is to appeal to everyone. Investors. Customers. Partners. The whole world feels like your audience.

    And that instinct is killing your posts.

    The biggest mistake I see founders make on social media is trying to speak to everyone at once. The result? Your message hits no one with any power. Social media works when one person on the other side of the screen feels like you’re talking directly to them. And only them. That’s when they stop scrolling. That’s when they like, comment, DM and share.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Chad Willardson

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  • Tesla’s most affordable Cybertruck gets scrapped after a whopping five months

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    The rear-wheel drive trim of the Tesla Cybertruck lasted about five months before it was unceremoniously removed from online sales. The Long Range model represented the most affordable Cybertruck option with its starting price of $69,990, but visitors to Tesla’s online configurator can now only choose between the all-wheel drive model that starts at $79,990 and the Cyberbeast trim, which goes for at least $114,990.

    Tesla launched the Long Range version of the Cybertruck in April, which arrived at $10,000 more than originally expected. Along with an elevated price tag, Tesla removed several features, including the power tonneau cover, adaptive suspension, a touchscreen for the back row, the rear lightbar and outlets in the truck bed. The RWD version also came with less towing power, a lower payload capacity and only one motor. While unrelated, the federal tax credit for EV buyers in the US is coming to a close at the end of the month, making the purchase of a Long Range model even less of a bargain.

    Tesla didn’t officially offer any explanation about the removal of the Long Range option from its website, but it could be attributed to low Cybertruck sales overall. According to a report from Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, Tesla only sold 4,306 Cybertrucks in the second quarter of the year, which is a more than 50 percent drop in sales during the same time period last year.

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    Jackson Chen

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  • Ailing Etsy rolls out its first loyalty program in move to spark growth

    Ailing Etsy rolls out its first loyalty program in move to spark growth

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    Etsy said Wednesday it will begin testing its first-ever loyalty program in September, a move designed to boost the online retailer’s sluggish sales.

    The company said it will send invitations to a select number of Etsy buyers who will beta test the program. Etsy Insider members will receive free shipping on purchases and discounts on certain products, among other perks, the New York-based company said.

    Etsy did not disclose how much customers must pay for the new loyalty program, but Raina Moskowitz, the company’s chief operating and marketing officer said the monthly fee will cost roughly as much as a latte

    “While Etsy Insider’s benefits deliver great value for buyers, the program comes at no cost to the Etsy seller community,” Simona Shakin, Etsy’s vice president of product and retention marketing, said in a statement. “Benefits, including the free shipping, will be funded by Etsy and through the membership fee.”

    Etsy, which started as as an online crafts marketplace, grew quickly during the pandemic, when homebound consumers turned to the website for items such as artistic face masks. 

    Since then, however, the company has faced more challenges since the worst of the pandemic eased. Online shoppers, who typically go to Etsy to purchase discretionary items, are now feeling the pressure from inflation and have decided to reign in spending. 

    Etsy Insider is launching as the company is trying to reverse its decline in gross merchandise sales, a measure of the amount of goods sold over a certain period. Etsy reported merchandise sales were down 5.3% during the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same period last year. Competition from Amazon, Temu and Shein have also contributed to Etsy’s slump. 

    “Etsy used to be a very focused site that really was about makers, crafting, authentic and unique products,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. “That’s still true to some extent, but there’s a lot more junk on the site and a lot of random things being sold.”

    Etsy shares have lost nearly 78% of their value since late 2021. Etsy said in December it would lay off 225 employees, which represented nearly 11% of its workforce.

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  • The Rising (and Expensive!) Cost of “Free” Shipping | Entrepreneur

    The Rising (and Expensive!) Cost of “Free” Shipping | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Covid-19 cemented the expectation of two-day and next-day shipping for “free” with Amazon Prime. Just before Jeff Bezos stepped down in 2021, Amazon had added 50 million subscribers over the pandemic. Back then, Prime was $119 a year, a price set in 2018.

    Now, it’s $139 a year. Amazon recently announced it had updated its inventory management system and search algorithms to reduce the number of touchpoints in the delivery system to keep delivery times low. It’s also added a $1 fee for returning packages when an Amazon pickup/return center is reasonably close by. This and other minimum order limits have shown the shift towards moving costs back onto the consumer for home delivery. It’s not just Amazon, though.

    Walmart has had less luck in the optics of this shift, recently receiving vocal outcry on Twitter about their high delivery prices. If you’re not a Walmart Plus member, you’ll pay up to $9.95 for a delivery fee on regular orders. “Express” delivery is an additional $10, no matter if you’re a Plus member or not.

    So, why now?

    Amazon was trying things during Covid-19, like every huge ecommerce company. There were new problems to solve and plenty of money coming in, but now they’re done throwing spaghetti at the wall. Amazon is cutting back, with over 27,000 people laid off this year and programs like the Scout delivery robots, brick-and-mortar bookstores and Halo health device being shut down. With the experimentation phase over, the main concern is making costs.

    Related: Amazon Increases Prices for Prime Members Once Again. Is It Still Worth It?

    Bezos is gone, so there’s a responsibility to shareholders. Amazon is too large to be a completely lean and trimmed organization, but the core delivery service (200 million subscribers use) must work. To match consumer expectations, they’ve shifted to AI and robotics, emphasizing the “regionalization” techniques to get products delivered faster. They’ve shifted to AI and robotics to match consumer expectations. And it works. It’s good. But…

    Even though Amazon has such expansive warehouse distribution, it’s never going to be perfect. No matter what you have, logistics and robots, 90% will be good… but never 100%. The fully automated sci-fi future is still a ways away, so, for now, we need to be aware of the human element in delivery.

    Drivers, both short and long-haul drivers, are a key human element in the delivery system. People are necessary to move products, either between warehouses or to someone’s front door. Working conditions are tough. There’s no time for breaks, and there are expectations to get packages to as many doors as possible every day. In California, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner organized a union with the Teamsters to secure safety protections and pay increases.

    Related: ‘Amazon Is Too Big to Listen to Anyone’: Dum-Dums Says It Is Losing Millions to Amazon Seller Scam

    My dad is a long-haul driver, and it takes a lot of planning to maintain any semblance of work-life balance. Just to be able to work out, he had to find a gym membership that had locations along his routes in New Jersey. The human element is a limit that can’t be pushed within the delivery infrastructure, or you run the risk of dehumanizing your workforce.

    Drones have been talked about as an option for smaller products. Amazon even announced its new drone last year, but it is still limited in where and what it can deploy — it drops its payload from 12 feet in the air. There’s a “last meter problem” with drone delivery. It has to be safe for the package and everyone on the ground.

    For now, drones will be expensive to monitor and maintain. DroneUp, a Walmart-backed startup, had to lay off part of its workforce, saying new hires will come in the future. Scaling drones to cover the delivery process will work eventually, but that will take time.

    Where does that leave consumers today?

    Do you remember back in 2020 when all anyone could talk about was the supply chain? Container rates were soaring. Delays at L.A.’s ports were growing. It was the only thing we could talk about — until we all stopped talking about it. For a moment, though, there was a collective understanding of how difficult it is to move products around the world.

    Related: What Does ‘Free Shipping’ Really Mean for Retailers?

    As the world slowly bounced back from Covid, and many businesses, like Amazon, came out on top with the monumental shift to buying online, consumers forgot about those supply chain woes. It’s easy to forget — until it starts to hurt their wallets.

    And that’s precisely where they don’t want to feel it. Consumers don’t necessarily want fast. They want cheap. In a survey, shipping cost was 2.85 times more important than shipping speed. Consumers enjoy getting their products faster, but not at the expense of cost.

    It’s a miracle that two, one, or same-day shipping is accomplishable. The amount of advancement in delivery capabilities and logistics in just the past ten years amazes me. I remember when a delivery taking four to six weeks was the average. As our expectations for quick delivery have been surpassed, it may mean we need to pump the brakes for infrastructure to catch up.

    Maybe consumers learn to pay the extra price for delivery, or companies like Amazon and Walmart market a new, relaxed delivery tier; there are ways to put less stress on the system, and it may lie in putting the concept of “free” shipping to rest. Consumers need to know fast delivery isn’t magic and isn’t free.

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    Tyler Metcalf

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  • Every Cyber Monday Fashion and Beauty Sale Worth Shopping This Year

    Every Cyber Monday Fashion and Beauty Sale Worth Shopping This Year

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    Black Friday sales get most of the attention, but the truth is that many retailers and brands often drop prices and expand discounts even more when Cyber Monday rolls around a few days later. Good things come to those who wait, as the saying goes.

    We’ve put in the shopping leg work to find every single Cyber Monday fashion and beauty sale worth shopping this year — more than 200, in fact. Consider us your personal discount and promo-code-finding assistants, at your service. Happy shopping! 

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    Fashionista

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  • The Only Black Friday Sales You Need to Know (and Shop)

    The Only Black Friday Sales You Need to Know (and Shop)

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    Savvy shoppers are preparing for the greatest, most competitive event of their year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (or Cyber Week — whatever The Brands might call it), which have evolved from a one-day event into a full blowout of discounts and deals on pretty much anything and everything you might want or need. And some of the best sales are starting much earlier than you thought. 

    Ahead, shop our extensive list of the absolute best Black Friday sales you can shop across fashion and beauty. There are hundreds to discover, so allot some time to scroll through or hit that CTRL-F to find your fav brand. Happy shopping!

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    Fashionista

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  • As Inflation Soars, Consumer Habits Are Changing. Here’s How to Adapt

    As Inflation Soars, Consumer Habits Are Changing. Here’s How to Adapt

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The current uncertain economy, coupled with rising inflation, is driving consumers to seek money-saving tactics, including cashback rewards, discounts, and online coupons.

    Economic pressures are driving the broad adoption of shopping rewards programs, which are “crossing the chasm” from coupon clippers and early adopters to mainstream consumers seeking to cut costs any way they can.

    In a survey commissioned by Wildfire and conducted by the research firm Big Village, we examined mainstream consumers’ attitudes and expectations toward rewards and other shopping incentives. The findings revealed that 90% of respondents are more interested than ever in getting discounts, using coupons and earning cashback rewards when shopping online, precisely due to rising prices.

    Related: 3 Secret Reasons Why Your Brand Needs a Rewards Program

    Rewards and discounts affect online purchase behavior

    Regardless of the economic environment, consumers will continue to shop. But in challenging financial times, they will modify their buying habits, for example, by purchasing store brands instead of more expensive options. Recent reporting on these types of behavioral shifts includes from Personetics, finding that almost 2 of 3 consumers are curbing spending on non-essentials due to the higher cost of living, and from Gartner, revealing that nearly 1 in 4 consumers will spend less on holiday shopping this year due to higher prices.

    In such a setting, rewards and other incentives are a substantial factor influencing consumers’ online shopping behavior. The availability of rewards and incentives directly and positively affects consumer behavior at the top of the purchase funnel (awareness and consideration) and the bottom (completing a purchase).

    A key finding in the Wildfire survey reveals that rewards impact consumers’ behavior even before they decide where to shop: 81% state that the availability of rewards is a factor when deciding which ecommerce retailer gets their business.

    In addition to influencing where consumers shop, rewards and incentives further impact the decision to purchase, driving higher sales conversion rates. Findings show that most respondents are more likely to complete a purchase when they can earn cashback rewards or use a coupon or discount code.

    Many consumers seek bargains when they shop online, and we expect consumers’ propensity for ferreting out discounts will further increase as the economy tightens. The majority of respondents (61%) state they “always” or “often” look for coupons, discounts, cashback rewards or other ways to save on their purchases.

    Based on these findings, the takeaways for any brand selling online are clear:

    • Retailers can win the battle for consumer preference by offering rewards for shopping, either through native loyalty programs or online cashback rewards programs.
    • Offering coupons through loyalty and rewards programs drive merchant benefits, including increased sales conversion.
    • Businesses choosing not to offer such incentives are disadvantaged in consumers’ selection of online shopping destinations.

    Related: Why Trust and Incentives Help Consumers With Better Brand Selection

    Responding to customer preferences for simplicity

    Furthermore, consumers seek ease of use and want to access rewards and discounts conveniently within the natural flow of their online shopping behavior without detours or hurdles. Most consumers surveyed for Wildfire’s report prefer rewards automatically applied at checkout or activating them while shopping without having to search elsewhere. Conversely, fewer consumers want to receive an email with a special offer, and even fewer still prefer to search through a directory of offers.

    Consumers have spoken: the simpler and more convenient a rewards program or discount offer, the better. Consumers prefer easy-to-understand, simple-to-access rewards such as cashback over rewards like points, miles, or future discounts. The survey also revealed that 80% of respondents prefer cashback as their reward instead of points or credits towards future purchases.

    The need for simplicity and convenience in rewards programs is borne out by other research. In the 2022 Loyalty Marketing & Rewards Program report from Comarch and Forrester, retail marketers were asked what they find to be the most critical elements of a loyalty program. The results showed that most are leaning toward offering cash rewards.

    What’s the implication for businesses considering a loyalty program? Online shoppers have become extremely savvy. They are now much more accustomed to seamless digital experiences, so their expectations regarding earning and redeeming rewards through retail loyalty programs or other shopping rewards programs have changed. Consumers are no longer willing to settle for jumping through hoops, and retailers will see low adoption for their program unless it is simple and convenient for customers to earn and redeem rewards.

    Related: The Marketing Power of Rewards Programs

    Conclusion

    By offering easy-to-access shopping incentives — such as cashback and coupons — businesses selling online can meet the demands of today’s value-seeking consumers. Through such programs, they cannot only positively influence consumers’ purchase behavior but also provide some much-needed relief for their wallets.

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    Jordan Glazier

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