Ecommerce Pulse Report Q4 2024: Consumer Research and More | Salsify

Put lightly, the fourth quarter (Q4) is busy for brands, retailers, and consumers. The holiday season can make or break brands (and really anyone in this trio) in numerous ways — but what should brands focus on amidst the hustle and bustle? What ecommerce trends are having the most impact on buying decisions, and vice versa?

For brands seeking success as the year closes, the “Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024” from Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI) is a new quarterly report that offers fresh consumer research, expert insights, and can’t-miss ecommerce events and milestones.

Report Highlights: What’s Happening in Ecommerce in Q4?

It might be hard to keep your and your teams’ heads from spinning with the season’s internal and external demands, but as Colette Richards, former director of alternative sales and distribution, Barcel USA shares, you have to “pace yourself.”

The Q4 edition of the ecommerce pulse report features:

• Expert insights and advice: Check out tips from ecommerce professionals and industry leaders who have been there (or are right there in the trenches with you) regarding holiday planning, goal-setting, and end-of-year assessments.
• A breakdown of upcoming ecommerce events: Some of the best ecommerce competitor analysis and market research can happen behind a computer screen, sure — but better yet, many in-person and on-demand opportunities to connect and hear from industry experts are coming soon.
• Top industry trends: According to Salsify’s survey of more than 1,000 shoppers across generation groups in the U.S. and U.K., the trends taking the spotlight include household decision-makers, shopper forecasting, and retail network expansion.

How Brands Can Prepare (and Get Ahead) for 2025

Nearly 70% of shoppers will make a New Year’s resolution to cut back on spending in 2025 — how can your brand win the ones still willing to spend? Or, the ever-valuable funds of any spender?

The latest research shows winning ecommerce customer acquisition strategies incorporate enhanced content, as 87% of online shoppers find it helpful. 

Your brand also won’t get anywhere without a continued commitment to product detail page (PDP) optimization strategies, as consumers still prefer pages that provide “experiences,” and personalized experiences, at that. 

Make Sense of Shifts in Ecommerce Every Quarter

If you plan and pivot as necessary, winning the digital shelf and staying ahead of market changes is perfectly possible.

Download the full report for more insights on how your brand can bring its very best through the end of the year, and start 2025 strong.

Be on the lookout for the “2025 Consumer Research” report, coming in Q1 — because digital commerce doesn’t just stay stagnant and neither will consumer expectations.