Unwrap the 2024 holiday season figures: Insights every business leader needs for 2025

The 2024 holiday season wasn’t just a pivotal moment for retail, it was a defining period for every organisation operating within the commerce, logistics and supply chain ecosystem. Black Friday, Christmas, and winter sales highlighted the challenges and opportunities that come with managing heightened consumer expectations, evolving market dynamics, and increasing operational complexity.

For leaders in both B2B and B2C organisations, this article provides an in-depth look at the forces shaping modern commerce and logistics, and offers actionable insights to future-proof your strategy. Whether you’re driving eCommerce innovation, optimising supply chain networks or redefining the customer experience, these insights are essential for navigating the complexities of today’s business environment.

The 2024 commerce landscape: redefining success

While stores are still attractive, with Deloitte predicting up to 3.3% growth in retail sales over the Christmas period, this year’s holiday season (Nov. 1 to Dec 31) was marked by a surge in online sales, with global online sales up 8,7%, according to Adobe. 

Meanwhile, PwC highlighted a significant trend: “Comparison shopping is seeing increased engagement in 2024” meaning that shoppers are likely to search for the best deal online and prioritise discounts over brand loyalty during the holiday season.

These trends extend beyond retail, impacting supply chain efficiency, e-commerce innovation and marketing strategies. Leaders must now view these statistics as a broader reflection of changing consumer behaviour and business challenges.

Key data from 2024 also underlines the transformative role of digital commerce:

• Adobe reveals that 54,5% of transactions were made on mobile devices, demonstrating the dominance of mobile-first strategies.
• Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) surged during the holiday shopping season. PwC noted that 49% of Gen Z and 48% of Millennials preferred this delivery method, demonstrating a growing demand for hybrid fulfilment models. Adobe even reveals a spike in BOPIS on Dec 23, revealing the need for last-minute shoppers to make sure they have their gifts on time.
• Sustainability also became a decisive factor, with eco-conscious consumers favoring businesses that adopted transparent, responsible practices.

Operational insights from OneStock’s OMS

Success during the holiday season hinged on the ability to integrate technology seamlessly into business operations. OneStock’s OMS enabled companies to overcome logistical bottlenecks and scale operations to meet peak demand.

Key metrics from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 include:

• Click and Collect: More than 1 order out of 3 (36%) collected in store, driven by customer expectations for convenience and speed.

Why it matters?  Customers expect seamless transitions between online and offline channels, and companies that meet this demand are improving the shopping experience while increasing footfall in physical stores, creating opportunities for incremental sales.  

• Cancellation rates: Only 2,3% achieved through real-time inventory visibility and precise order orchestration.

Why it matters?  Low abandonment rates are a critical measure of operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. By minimising cancellations, companies not only reduce lost revenue, but also build customer trust by delivering on their promises at a critical time.  

• Store contribution to revenue: Brick-and-mortar stores generated 24% of holiday revenue, proving their strategic value as fulfillment hubs.

Why it matters?  The stores contribution to overall sales highlights their role in driving omnichannel success, reducing fulfilment costs and enabling faster delivery. This underscores the strategic importance of integrating stores into the supply chain to unlock untapped revenue potential.  

• Time to customer: 4 days for Click and Collect, 1,40 for Reserve and Collect, and only 1,47 days for home delivery time to ship.

Why it matters?  Speed to customer is a cornerstone of modern commerce. These metrics demonstrate the effectiveness of different fulfilment methods in meeting consumer demand for fast delivery. Faster times improve the customer experience, reduce the risk of shopping cart abandonment, and create a competitive advantage for businesses striving to meet rising expectations.

These metrics highlight the critical role of technology in aligning business operations with consumer expectations while ensuring profitability during high-stakes periods.

Strategic takeaways for business leaders

1. Reimagine omnichannel operations: Businesses that seamlessly integrated online and offline touchpoints outperformed their competitors. Unified inventory systems and fulfilment models such as BOPIS and Ship from Store enabled flexibility and increased customer loyalty.
2. Invest in data-driven decision making: Predictive analytics and real-time insights were the backbone of successful holiday operations. Companies that used data to anticipate demand, optimise inventory and tailor customer interactions unlocked new growth opportunities.
3. Build resilient fulfilment networks: Diversified fulfilment strategies reduced costs and met tight delivery schedules. Leaders who used stores as mini-distribution centres positioned their organisations to adapt to fluctuating demand.
4. Prioritise sustainability and transparency: Consumers demand more than products; they expect companies to align with their values. Companies that adopted green practices and effectively communicated these efforts built deeper trust with customers and partners.
5. Drive operational agility: Agility isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a mandate. From responding to disruptions to scaling during peak periods, leaders must build flexibility into every layer of their operations.

Why it matters to every organisation leader

The lessons of 2024 go far beyond retail. They’re about leveraging technology, aligning operations and understanding the nuances of consumer behaviour to stay competitive. Whether your organisation is in e-commerce, logistics or supply chain management, the ability to adapt to these trends will determine your success in 2025 and beyond.

The call to action is clear: invest in omnichannel strategies, harness the power of data, and build resilient, customer-centric operations. With tools like OneStock’s OMS, your organisation can navigate the complexities of modern commerce and emerge as a leader in your field.

This isn’t just a look back, it’s a roadmap to the future of business excellence. Let the numbers and insights from 2024 guide your decisions and empower your teams to innovate, adapt and lead.