The Holiday season starts earlier each year and boasts ever-higher results. It’s the peak time for retailers - and some use it better than others. Let’s delve into the nitty gritty of statistics to discover the best tips for employing push notifications and boosting conversions on the busiest days of the year.

E-commerce performance overview during the Holiday peak

As we delve into the performance of web push notifications during the critical year-end period, it's essential to reflect on the broader landscape of e-commerce. 

Adobe Analytics studied online spending during the Holiday season, spanning from November 1 to December 31, analyzing a vast dataset that included 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, 100 million SKUs, and 18 categories. 

In 2023, online holiday sales experienced a growth of 4.9%, as reported by Adobe Analytics. Increased purchases in categories such as electronics, apparel, furniture, groceries, and toys primarily fueled the surge. 

Notably, the majority of online holiday shopping occurred in November.

Moreover, insights from IRP Commerce shed light on the top sales channels in the UK during November 2023, pinpointing Paid Search Marketing and Direct visits as leading contributors.

Now, let's shift our focus to web push notifications and explore how this powerful tool performed during the festive months of November and December.

Comparing web push subscriptions: overall 2023 results vs. festive Nov-Dec trends

In 2023, the monthly average of web push subscribers in e-commerce was 258. Comparing the festive months of November and December to the yearly average, we observe a growth of nearly 80% in November and 54% in December.

Increase the percentage of web push subscriptions compared to the monthly average in 2023

The data reveals that users are more inclined to subscribe to push notifications in November and December, driven by their active pursuit of the best offers. This presents a valuable opportunity for marketers to capitalize on heightened interest. By seamlessly integrating web push subscription forms into the user journey, such as post-ad click, businesses can efficiently build a subscriber base. This, in turn, enables cost-effective communication with subscribers, facilitating easier re-engagement and driving them back to the site.

There are various ways to incorporate a web push subscription form into your site, which you can explore further in our article.

This synergy between different channels becomes a powerful strategy to enhance user retention and maximize the effectiveness of marketing efforts, particularly during the holiday season.

How effective were web push notifications in November-December?

Web push mass campaigns

In November 2023, there were nearly 7% fewer web push campaigns sent than the annual average. Concurrently, the number of clicked notifications increased by over 14% compared to the yearly average.

Examining the performance of web push campaigns in December reveals an almost 25% growth in the number of campaigns. However, the number of notifications clicked remained relatively unchanged compared to the annual average.

The peak average Click-Through Rate (CTR) for web push campaigns occurred in November 2023, reaching 4.58%.

Web push automation

Once again, we can turn to CTR as a basic statistic in push notifications. This number shows us the clicked-to-sent ratio of web and mobile push. At first glance, it seems that the CTR did not dramatically increase or fall during November and December 2023. However, it’s worth noting that this particular statistic isn’t perfect, since the increased number of clicks is leveraged by an impressive surge in automation notifications sent in this period.

Instead, let’s look at some more valuable numbers. During these months, there was a notable surge in the number of clicked notifications triggered by automation scenarios, surpassing the annual average. In November, this growth exceeded 49%, while in December, it reached over 11%.

Number of clicked notifications within push automation per month compared to January 2023

This uptick can be attributed to the heightened user activity on e-commerce sites, driven by the search for the best presents during the holiday season. Consequently, more automation scenarios were triggered. This trend aligns with our earlier observations during the analysis of web push performance in the context of Black Week. 

You can learn more about web push performance during the peak sales period in our case study with Beosport.

Summing up

It is crucial to seamlessly integrate web push notifications into the user journey, not just during the e-commerce sales season but throughout the year. This strategic approach capitalizes on increased user engagement, directly contributing to higher sales.

It seems that the best advice for the Holiday season remains to be: ‘Keep calm and carry on’. Make sure you have everything planned, ensure that your subscription forms are easily visible on the site, and that your push notifications reach their target. Double-check the automations, if you conducted any changes on your website during the pre-season preparations. Afterward, just sit back and enjoy the sales.