PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwire - January 6, 2011) - Citi 2010 Annual Global Entertainment, Media, and Telecommunications Conference -- The Mercent eCommerce Performance Index (MEPI), a report that measures year-over-year same-seller gross merchandise value (GMV) for national brand name retailers selling across online sales channels, today announced summary results for the fourth quarter holiday selling season and the fiscal year 2010.
Retailers Post Strong Q4 2010 Online Results against Strengthening Comparables
For the fourth quarter 2010, same-seller GMV for retailers selling through Mercent Retail™ grew 25.5% relative to 4Q2009. Same-seller GMV for Mercent clients participating in Amazon's "Selling on Amazon" third-party marketplace program and through Google Product Search increased in the fourth quarter by 46% and 28% respectively.
According to Mercent CEO Eric Best, "Online retails sales achieved double-digit growth across all channels this holiday season, with GMV sales peaking on Cyber Monday at 34%. It was a strong season that started before Thanksgiving, the result of early and aggressive retail holiday promotions capturing a willing and eager-to-buy online consumer."
FY2010 Ecommerce Sales Growth Significantly Outpaces FY2009
According to the Mercent eCommerce Performance Index™ year-over-year GMV sales for the entire fiscal year 2010 grew 36.2%, significantly faster than the 17.3% reported by Mercent for FY2009. Mercent clients selling through Amazon's "Selling on Amazon" third-party marketplace program via Mercent Retail™ realized year-over-year growth of 51%. Those participating in Google Product Search via Mercent Retail™ posted 59% growth in FY2010 relative to FY2009.
Best continued, "Retailers first saw a return to significant growth in online shopping in the fourth quarter of 2009, when Mercent's Index reflected better than 31% same-seller year-over-year growth. While measured against increasingly challenging 2009 quarterly comparables, solid growth continued through year's end 2010. 2010 proved to be a breakout year for many online retailers and we believe, based on Mercent's data and market analysis, the industry will continue to see strong online retail sales growth throughout 2011."
Mercent attributes ongoing ecommerce growth to accelerating adoption of mobile and social shopping channels; the adoption of increasingly sophisticated marketing technologies like retargeted display advertising; and the expanding footprint and capabilities of major online shopping platforms like Amazon, Google and eBay. Retailers who leverage these channels intelligently will have an upside advantage to compete and win market share in 2011.
Mercent eCommerce Performance Index™ Methodology:
The methodology for the Mercent eCommerce Performance Index comparison matches all prior studies and reports retail transactions driven through Mercent's network of online shopping and advertising channels, including comparison shopping engines (CSEs), third-party seller marketplaces, and affiliate programs. To ensure continuity and to eliminate artifact associated with new customer ramp, the Mercent eCommerce Performance Index only references retailers live on the Mercent Retail platform prior to and during the entire reported term. Information regarding Mercent Retail shopping feed management technology, Mercent Performance marketing services, and the complete list of online marketing channels in the Mercent Shopping Network are available at www.mercent.com.
About Mercent
Mercent ensures the world's leading retailers are visible, competitive and profitable wherever consumers are shopping online. Through its award-winning Mercent Retail™ SAAS technology and Mercent Performance™ professional services, Mercent helps the world's most successful online merchants including 1-800-Flowers, Bass Pro Shops, GUESS?, L'Occitane USA, REI and others, maximize their online shopping channel marketing performance to drive inventory velocity, customer acquisition, revenues and profits. Supported online shopping destinations include Amazon.com, Google, eBay, Bing, comparison shopping engines (CSEs), affiliate networks, social shopping sites, and paid search and display advertising campaigns. The company was founded by a seasoned team of Amazon.com veterans and is a venture-funded company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.mercent.com.
Contact Information:
Mercent PR Contact:
Kristine Szarkowitz
(Tel: ) 206. 310.5323