Returning holiday purchases are part of the post-holiday experience

Consumers spent $257.8 billion online from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, up 6.8% year over year, and returns spiked 4.7% in the days after Christmas, a pattern Adobe Analytics describes as a predictable post-holiday uptick.

Many shoppers are returning items after a strong holiday season. Adobe Analytics reports online spending of $257.8 billion from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, a 6.8% increase from a year earlier. Returns rose in the days immediately after Christmas and are expected to climb in the first weeks of January. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, described the post-Christmas rise as a predictable part of the overall experience. Key figures: - Online spending reached $257.8 billion between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, up 6.8% year over year, according to Adobe Analytics. - Returns spiked 4.7% compared with last year during Dec. 26–31. - Adobe found returns are expected to increase in the first weeks of January. - Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, described the uptick as a predictable post-holiday pattern. Summary: The holiday period produced a record level of e-commerce spending and was followed by an increase in returns in late December. Adobe Analytics reports that return volumes rose immediately after Christmas and are likely to remain elevated into early January. The overall pattern is described by Adobe as a predictable part of the post-holiday shopping cycle.