IBM: Q4 online sales up 10.3%

Armonk, N.Y. -- Overall fourth quarter online sales were up 10.3% year-over-year. The IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark indicates that soaring mobile traffic and sales were one of several key drivers.



Mobile traffic accounted for nearly 35% of all online traffic, up 40% compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. Mobile sales also remained strong, reaching 16.6% of all online sales, up more than 46% from the same period last year.



Smartphones drove 21.3% of all online traffic, nearly double that of tablets at 12.8%, making it the browsing device of choice. When it comes to making the sale, tablets drove 11.5% of all online sales, more than twice that of smartphones, which accounted for 5%. Tablet users also averaged $118.09 per order, versus smartphone users, who averaged $104.72 per order.



As a percentage of total online sales, iOS was almost five times higher than Android, driving 12.7% compared to 2.6% for Android. On average, iOS users spent $115.42 per order, nearly 40% higher than Android users, who spent $83.56 per order. iOS also led as a component of overall traffic with 22.1% compared to 10.6% for Android.



In terms of social retailing, shoppers referred from Facebook averaged $60.48 per order, compared to Pinterest referrals, which drove $109.93 per order. However, Facebook referrals converted sales at more than three and a half times the rate of Pinterest referrals, perhaps indicating stronger confidence in network recommendations.



Supporting these overall trends, the IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark also reported real-time trends across a number of retail subcategories throughout the fourth quarter. Fourth quarter department store online sales grew by 62.8% from 2012, with mobile sales growing by 49.6% year-over-year. Fourth quarter online sales grew by 14.7% from 2012, with mobile sales growing by 81.7% year-over-year. Fourth quarter online sales grew by more than 46.4% from 2012, with mobile sales growing by 38% year-over-year. Fourth quarter online sales grew by 10.2% from 2012, with mobile sales growing by 54.5% year-over-year.



These results were driven in part by the record online sales IBM observed during Thanksgiving (up 19.7% YoY), Black Friday (up 19% YoY) and Cyber Monday (up 20.6% YoY).