Strong Holiday Outlook for Deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday for holiday shopping are bedrocks of the nation’s economy. Where do deals fit in?

As Bloomberg reports, Yipit Data forecasts that U.S. consumers will spend $80 million to $100 million on daily deals gifts between Thanksgiving and Christmas, up from $15 million to $20 million in 2010. A separate poll of 10,000 Yipit users found that more than 90 percent said they were likely to buy a daily deal as a gift this year.

Our gut also tells us that deals will be attractive for the holidays.

• They are fun and not stigmatized as “cheap.”
• National brands account for roughly 15 percent for major sites, and will have some very attractive deals set for the major destination sites.
• Social deals that give a free deal for three or more buys lend themselves naturally to the holidays.

The sites seem like they are prepared. As the Bloomberg article notes, Groupon expanded its Grouponicus holiday site to more than 40 cities, up from 20 last year. It also added more deals involving unique experiences, including tickets to “Ellen DeGeneres” and a half-price helicopter ride in New Jersey.

Deals are prominently featured at ILM West Dec. 12-14 in San Francisco, with cutting-edge data from BIA/Kelsey and Local Offer Network; major media companies such as CBS and Belo talking about their experiences; and next wave providers including Thrillist and Scoutmob. Register here.