2 dec 2011Dutch ‘Santa’ provides online retailers with 36% extra turnover

Once again this year the Dutch Santa Claus will provide online webshops with an extra boost in turnover (+36%). During the period between 1st November and 5th December, Dutch webshops expect a turnover of € 110 million per week. In the weeks just prior to this Santa Claus period, online retailers were already booking a turnover of € 81 million per week. The arrival of the saintly gentleman will be bringing an extra turnover of € 29 million per week into the tills of webshops, despite the drop in consumer confidence. During this Santa Claus period, a total of €146 million euro was spent via internet on Santa Claus presents.

This can be seen from the online research commissioned by Thuiswinkel.org and carried out by research bureau Blauw Research among the members of Thuiswinkel.org, the association that promotes the interests of almost 1,500 webshops in the Netherlands.

Online Santa popular despite waning consumer confidence
Dutch webshops sketch a positive picture in online expenditure on Santa Claus goodies despite the low level of confidence in the economy (CBS: -32). In the words of Wijnand Jongen, director of Thuiswinkel.org: “What is noticeable is that Santa Claus has quite emphatically found his way into webshops even in such dreadful economic circumstances. During the past few weeks webshops have done everything they could to seduce Santa Claus into going online. For example, by not charging delivery charges and by delivering presents – through the chimney as it were – the very next day if they were ordered before 22.00 hours on the previous day. This did a lot to boost consumers’ extra online expenditure”.

Most popular online presents
In keeping with tradition, online purchases within the segments toys and consumer electronics are most popular. The following products are popular with the saintly old man:
• LEGO City Passenger train
• Playmobil’s Santa Claus and Black Peter’s Steamboat
• Game: Battlefield 3
• Game: Modern Warfare 3
• Book: Steve Jobs
• Playstation 3
• Tablets
• iPod/MP3/MP4

Sales during the Festive Season
Expectations are that Father Christmas will once again be even more successful at finding his way to webshops. Wijnand Jongen, director of Thuiswinkel.org: “During the next few weeks we also expect the online purchase of Christmas presents to reach new records. Depending on the weather, growth percentages between 25% and 35% are expected”. Jongen expects that once again webshops will focus on the most important advantages of purchasing online: 24 hours-a-day availability from one’s own armchair, rapid delivery and an excellent price-quality relationship. It is also expected that delivery costs will again be deployed as instrument to get new purchasers to take the plunge. “The advantages of online shopping become even more evident during the busy month of December. The ease of shopping from home in combination with a wider online assortment are what make opting for online shopping so very attractive”, according to Jongen.
Expectations are that, together, Father Christmas and Santa Claus will ensure that the online turnover for the whole of 2011 will exceed the € 9 billion mark, which would be a 10% increase over 2010.

About the research
The study, which was commission by Thuiswinkel.org, was carried out by the research bureau Blauw Research among the almost 1,500 members of the association. Businesses that supply services, such as insurance, travel, tickets and food, were not included.

Next study
At the end of December Thuiswinkel.org will commission Blauw Research once again to carry out additional research into the extra sales during the festive weeks leading up to Christmas. The results of the study will be published at the end of December.

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