Online Sales Growth Slows as Stores Reopen: Adobe

Labor Day weekend e-commerce sales were below forecast, “even for a world without COVID-19 and lockdowns,” blogged Adobe Monday. E-commerce spending was $2.6 billion, up 12% year on year; prior-week sales grew 33%, said Adobe. Online shopping activity declined in August as more physical stores reopened. Online sales rose 42% in August year on year to $63 billion but lower than July’s 55% bump. Use of buy online, pick up in store fulfillment jumped 59% in August and 259% year on year; 30% of online customers prefer using BOPIS or curbside pickup over home delivery. The pandemic drove an extra $107 billion in online spending through August, said Adobe, with the first eight months of 2020 generating $497 billion. Smartphone sales were 40%; mobile shopping will surpass 50% of e-commerce volume by next September, the researcher forecast. A third of consumers said their online packages arrived later than expected. “There may never be another holiday season quite like holiday 2020,” said John Copeland, vice president-marketing and customer insights:​ “Both in-store and online experiences will be different than in years past, as stores become more contactless to abide by social distancing rules and digital channels work harder to convert shoppers into buyers. ... If you felt like the holidays came early last year, they will likely get here even earlier this year around," Copeland said.