Sales will drop for etailers this summer

Predictions are already for the next holiday season, but getting to the holidays may be tough for some online retailers. According to a recent study from BIGResearch, consumers will not spend much money in the upcoming six months.

by Kristina Knight

According to a recent Advertising.com study, 84% of consumers are planning to spend more online in 2007 than they spent in 2006. That figure is great for online retailers and advertisers but getting to the holiday shopping season - which is expected to begin in October - may be harder.

The release of BIGResearch's June Consumer Intentions & Actions (CIA) survey found that women are very leery of the current US economy and are already tightening their purse strings. The survey found that 41% of women are shopping closer to home and 40% are making fewer shopping trips. A striking 32% of women said they will cut back on all spending in the upcoming three months until the economic picture becomes a bit more clear.

Once the holiday season comes around, wallets will open and more spending will occur, but marketers can continue to see rising revenue in the mean time by following a few tips. With fewer consumers driving to shop many will turn to the Internet. Offering free shipping, discounts to frequent return shoppers and easy return information on a website will invite users to stick around. Also, investing in a paid search campaign to help users find new online shopping hubs will likely help revenue as we head toward the holiday shopping season.