Dive Brief:

• Mobile traffic was 19% above average daily volumes on Dec. 19, or Super Saturday, the second-highest number this year after the Sunday of the Black Friday weekend.

• E-commerce-related broadband traffic has been steadily increasing above usual average daily volumes this past week, with a 6% increase by Dec. 15; last year saw no such increase, according to Verizon Enterprise Solutions. Peak traffic was also higher overall, with 10% increases on both Dec. 14 and 15, flat year over year.

• Mobile peak volumes surged, increasing by 16% by Dec. 16, which Verizon singles out as a new trend this year. 

Dive Insight:

Shoppers are busy this year online and on mobile devices, with measures that jibe with other observations this holiday retail season. With consumers keen on discounts, and if patterns from last year hold, the busiest online holiday spending days will likely come after Christmas, mainly because prices are slashed even lower, according to Verizon.

To get through their inventories, the time is now for retailers to do their best to lure in shoppers, including lowering prices, says Verizon Enterprise Solutions group vice president of retail, hospitality and distribution Michele Dupré.

“The pressure is now on for consumers who haven’t wrapped up their shopping and for retailers who need to strike the right balance with lucrative offers that will offset the shipping cost increases for on-time delivery by Christmas,” Dupré said in a statement. “Heading into Super Saturday, we can expect to see strong activity across all channels – online, mobile and in-store – as consumers take advantage of the added conveniences such as extended store hours and same day delivery. And now the question becomes are the logistics locked down that will allow retailers and shippers to deliver on the promises they have made?”