Sofa Sunday Beats Cyber Monday, says Halfords.Com
Sofa Sunday has taken over from Cyber Monday as the day the Christmas online spending spree really kicks off, according to Halfords.
Retailers reckon this year Sunday will be the busiest day for orders, pushing Monday, traditionally dubbed the most hectic day on the Internet, into second place in the run up to the festive season.
Almost over half of browsing will be between 7pm – 11pm, while we watch peak time TV in a new trend known as ‘second screening’, according to the motor accessory and cycle chain.
From the comfort of their sofa, shoppers view one screen on their lap – a smart phone, tablet or laptop – while simultaneously watching the TV.
Previously Internet shoppers would compile their chosen list of gifts over the weekend and place orders on their desk computers when they got to work on Monday which led to the first Monday after Thankgiving in the US being dubbed as Cyber Monday - and the trend was taken up in the UK.
This weekend workers will also have received their last monthly salary before Christmas which is expected to encourage a loosening of the purse strings with observers predicting that £4.4billion will be spent by 25 million shoppers.
Clive West, Halfords Digital Director, said: “There has been a gradual trend towards shopping on Sundays online and much of it does seem to be done at peak TV times. We are certainly seeing a growth in orders via hand held devices and smart phones. It appears this year’s Christmas online shopping will be done from the sofa in front of the telly.”
Halfords currently has up to 50% off children’s bikes which can be ordered now for Christmas. In addition Halfords is running a Big Bike Weekend with 10% of all cycles, accessories and clothing. As well as some great deals on Car Audio and Sat Navs.
Halfords say habits have changed because of the phenomenal growth in the use of handheld tablets and smart phone to order goods from Internet sites. At the same time people have become adept at electronic multi-tasking, with many, particularly the younger generation, texting on a smart phone, while checking out a website on a tablet and at the same time watching a TV show.
Industry figures have revealed Internet traffic via handheld devices has overtaken desktop traffic for the first time ever this month.
Ends
01527 513315
The Group is the UK's leading retailer of automotive, leisure and cycling products and through Halfords Autocentres also one of the UK's leading independent car servicing and repair operator. Halfords customers shop at more than 460 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland and at halfords.com for pick-up at their local store or direct home delivery. Halfords Autocentres operates from more than 280 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices.
Halfords employs approximately 12,000 staff and sells around 10,000 product lines in stores, increasing to around 16,000 lines online. The product offering encompasses significant ranges in car parts, cycles, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes, outdoor leisure and camping equipment. Halfords own brands include the in-store Bikehut department, for cycles and cycling accessories, Apollo and Carrera cycles and exclusive UK distribution rights of the premium-ranged Boardman cycles and accessories. In outdoor leisure, we sell a premium range of camping equipment, branded URBAN Escape. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a fitting service called "wefit" for car parts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a "werepair" service for cycles.
Tags: