Mobile Devices Drive Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

Mobile is booming for retailers. According to an IBM study, nearly a quarter of customers used a mobile device to reach a retail site on Black Friday. Mobile devices boosted online sales by 16 percent, up from 9.8 percent in 2011.

Mobile sales for Cyber Monday have skyrocketed nearly 260 percent since 2010.

What role is social media playing in the growth of mobile shopping? Almost zero. IBM’s study revealed networks like Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn only accounted for 0.34 percent of all online Black Friday sales. Even more surprising, Twitter contributed 0 percent. Social media referrals are down more than 35 percent since 2011.

However, shoppers still went to social media to discuss their shopping experiences. The IBM study found shoppers expressed “positive sentiment” about promotions, shipping and convenience at a 3 to 1 ratio on social media channels.

Is your site properly optimized for mobile?