LONDON, Dec. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakuten Marketing today announces a record-breaking Cyber Weekend for advertisers across Europe in which the Rakuten Marketing Affiliate Network reported a 27% year-on-year increase in same-store sales completed through the period from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.
While the UK market is more mature, continuing to achieve 17% growth in orders year-on-year through Cyber Week, Rakuten Marketing’s French and German Networks drove staggering growth through Cyber Weekend, achieving an uplift of 199% and 116% respectively.
According to the data, Cyber Week has evolved far beyond its associations with discount laptops, phones and white goods, with some of the largest spikes being reported in the apparel and accessories vertical. According to global data, apparel enjoyed a 30% year-on-year increase in the sum of orders on Black Friday.
Anthony Capano, Managing Director EMEA, Rakuten Marketing, comments, “The uptick in the performance of the Networks in France and Germany, is reflective of the huge growth of Cyber Week across the continent. Consumers and publishers alike are driving more success through the concept of Black Friday than ever before. For the fashion vertical, expansion across Europe has to be a top 2019 priority; these seasonal events will only grow in influence creating huge sales opportunities.”
Mobile’s growing display monopoly
One major contributor is the growth in the use of mobile commerce. According to Rakuten Marketing display data, by device, 46% of total site purchases across both Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the UK were completed on mobile (compared to 40% in 2017).
By comparison, purchases through desktop made up 39% of total site purchases on Cyber Monday, reflecting a 5% fall from 2017.
Certainly one contributor to the popularity of mobile for shopping is the rise of social media sites and apps and commerce platforms. At a European level, Cyber Weekend 2018 saw a 194% increase in purchases through social platforms.
Anthony Capano concludes, “Mobile’s popularity over desktop is a clear reflection of the increasing role social commerce is playing in key sales dates. Advertisers must grasp the way social media is working to short circuit the customer journey in many areas. It’s important to get the brand and the products where consumers are making purchase decisions.”
About Rakuten Marketing
Rakuten Marketing uses innovative, data-driven technology to help brands reach consumers with timely and authentic digital advertising experiences. Pioneering AI and machine learning, paired with unique data and inventory from the Rakuten ecosystem, enable brands to identify new audiences and re-engage existing ones. This predictive technology allows Rakuten Marketing to deliver valuable experiences people love, resulting in cost-effective performance across its integrated marketing solutions: affiliate, display and search.
Rakuten Marketing is a division of Rakuten Inc. (4755: TOKYO), one of the world's leading Internet service companies. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with offices in Australia, Singapore, Brazil, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the United States. Follow us on Twitter or learn more at https://rakutenmarketing.com/en-uk/.
Media contact
Cal Young