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Key Takeaways
- Online spending this November and December hit a record $282 billion in the U.S., up 4% from last holiday season, Salesforce said.
- Sales grew as more consumers found items on TikTok, Instagram and with aid from AI agents, the software firm said.
- Still, products are being sent back at high rates, and Salesforce estimates that about 11% of global holiday spending will wind up returned.
Americans spent a record $282 billion online this holiday season, according to data from Salesforce. But the figure may not be the gift retailers longed for, given that consumers are returning items in droves, the software company added.
Americans spent 4% more online in November and December than last year, with consumers shopping after months of saving early in the year, Salesforce (CRM) said. Globally, consumers spent $1.2 trillion or 3% more than the prior holiday season, according to the software firm.
Sales grew more than Salesforce anticipated as social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, and AI agents pointed people to products. AI tools had a hand in 19% of global online orders by making recommendations, targeting offers or conversing with customers, Salesforce said.
“Retailers who have embraced AI and agents are already seeing the benefits,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce.
Return Rates Also on the Rise
Still, some of retailers’ success could be undercut by high rates of returns, Schwartz said.
“Retailers had a robust holiday season, but a 28% rise in the rate of returns compared to last year is a cause for some concern,” Schwartz said, citing global return trends.
More consumers are buying a few sizes of items online or ordering “try-on hauls,” with the intent of sending back some of the products, Salesforce said. The firm expects global returns to hit $133 billion — or more than 11% of the $1.2 trillion spent digitally from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.
Ordering patterns are shifting as a greater share of shopping happens on mobile devices and social media, Salesforce said, pointing out that social networks generated 8% more traffic globally for retailers than last year. Companies focused on selling through these platforms, including TikTok and Meta’s (META) Instagram, attributed about 20% of their sales to social media, Salesforce said.
Still, retailers have not abandoned one of the more traditional sales tactics — discounting. Companies in the U.S. cut online prices an average of 23% throughout the holiday season, up 1% from last year, according to Salesforce. Discounts tended to be most generous in the U.S. for apparel, health and beauty products, home goods and decor, Salesforce said.