IBM Forecasts Global Shoppers Will Drive Double Digit Online Sales Growth on Cyber Monday

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today forecasts that shoppers will drive double digit growth for retailers around the world on Cyber Monday. IBM found that pre-holiday online shopping was up nearly 10 percent over 2015. This momentum has grown over Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the weekend with consumers opening their wallets and taking advantage of the great deals being offered online by U.S. and global retailers.

IBM is familiar with what it takes to help retailers achieve success over the busiest shopping days of the year. Over the 2015 holiday season, IBM powered more than $62B in online sales and the supported clients that sent more than 1.4 billion emails during this same holiday period without a single interruption. This holiday season is already showing signs of significant growth with IBM driving record levels of engagement with their customers online and via mobile. On Black Friday alone, there were nearly 405 million email notifications sent to consumers around the world. And mobile push outreach is on track for 35% growth over 2015.

No longer limited just to US retailers, Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping growth was a world-wide phenomenon this year with retailers outside of the US experiencing significant growth. Key findings holiday shopping findings include:

• Thanksgiving Shopping Becomes a Global Sensation: Online sales for global retailers increased by nearly 24 percent (23.9%) over 2015. For example, a major UK retailer saw 2100 hits to their website per second in the early hours of Black Friday shopping. 
• US Retailers Cash in on Thanksgiving: Online sales for US retailers increased by nearly 12 percent (11.7%) over 2015. 
• Global Retailers Experience Double Digital Black Friday Growth: Online sales for global retailers increased by more than 28 percent (28.4%) over 2015.
• US Retailers Drive Strong Black Friday Growth: U.S. retailers saw online sales grow by close to 10 percent (9.3%).
• Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fuel Four-Day Online Spending Spree: Global retailers saw continued momentum over the weekend with online sales up close to 20 percent (19.5% over this four-day period last year. U.S. retailers also cashed in over these days with sales increasing more than 9 percent (9.3%) over 2015
• Online Holiday Sales Will Continue: IBM predicts that online sales on Cyber Monday will increase by double digits over 2015. It also predicts that overall 2016 online sales (November and December) for retailers will increase by nearly 14 percent over (13.89%) over 2015. 

“It is clear, online shopping during the US holiday period has become a global phenomenon and more than ever companies are turning to IBM as a trusted technology provider and supporter to help them succeed during this critical period,” said Harriet Green, General Manager IBM Commerce. ”The pace at which consumers demand personalized service across multiple channels requires new levels of cognitive capabilities on everything from consumer behaviors, inventory management, marketing and an organization’s supply chain -- only IBM can deliver that complete solution for companies"

This year, IBM’s Holiday Readiness team is supporting 41% more clients -- keeping online shopping up and running for some of the world’s largest brands through its highly scalable and secure platform.  These clients represent more than 21 countries and a variety of industries including retail, telecommunications, travel, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing and shipping.  

IBM powers the full spectrum of cognitive engagement offerings delivered as a service and on premise for more than 17,000 companies around the world including 7 of the top 10 companies on the Fortune 500.

The result of significant investment from IBM, the Cognitive Engagement SaaS portfolio is driving rapid client adoption as companies look for integrated offerings that fit into any IT environment and that span the entire client journey.  For more information visit THINK Marketing