Here are snippets from Profitero’s latest press coverage. See how our eCommerce analytics and expertise are helping brands spot the biggest trends happening across the digital landscape.
Amazon searches for school supplies and college dorm essentials like laundry bags saw spikes in late June this year, compared to a typical timeframe in late July and August, according to analytics firm Profitero. The rush goes beyond simple enthusiasm for a return to school — consumers are worried about essential items selling out.
“Retailers and brands are facing a lot of supply issues right now due to the pandemic and consumers are worried supplies may run out of stock,” says Mike Black, chief marketing officer of Profitero. He adds that shoppers also might be buying early to avoid higher prices due to inflation. Profitero’s eCommerce Price Index found that online prices for office supplies and electronics were already up 4.2% in June compared with June of 2020.
Research from global eCommerce analytics firm Profitero shows that searches for camping stoves and walking poles are up more than double on last July, while those for walking boots have more than tripled. Searches for air tents and beach bags are up 91% and 87% respectively, while pogo sticks are up 123%.
Profitero managing director EMEA & APAC Mark Wilkinson explains: “The prevailing thinking until recently was that consumers would have stocked up on summer outdoor items last year, but our findings suggest otherwise. Faced with international travel restrictions, rising Covid infections and a domestic heatwave, we’re seeing UK shoppers hungry for staycation products and equipment. We may be in the second summer of restrictions, but the data points towards a lot of new purchasing happening.” [...]
But as demand for staycation products increases, shoppers are likely to face higher prices as supply struggles to keep up. Profitero also tracked the prices on approximately 600 top-rated sports and outdoor-related products at three major UK retailers — Amazon, Argos and Sports Direct — and found, on average, that Amazon’s prices are 8% cheaper than Sports Direct online, and 11% cheaper than Argos.
(Editor's note: article is gated)
A survey by Profitero found that 41% of brand professionals do not have a specialized team or the processes in place to effectively manage their eCommerce supply chain. In turn, says Profitero, eCommerce brands can suffer multiple penalties including sales losses, longer sales recoveries, and lack of brand visibility to name just a few. When it comes to preventing these issues, proper multichannel inventory management is key, with software enabling retailers to track and manage items through various stages along the supply chain.
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