A lot has changed in the month since we posted our March – May 2020 client data review blog post – and it continues to change daily.
Despite brick-and-mortar businesses implementing soft openings of their stores, consumers look to have firmly shifted to shopping online. E-commerce sales are estimated to climb 18.0 percent this year, representing 14.5 percent of total US retail sales in 2020, according to eMarketer. However, it’s estimated that total retail sales in the U.S. will drop by 10.5 percent in 2020, a level not seen since 2016.
Increases in ROAS and Profitability
Looking at client data between May 2020 and June 2020, we saw slight declines in revenue (down five percent MoM), even as brands started opening stores in different states and/or offering curbside pick-up.
Despite revenue slightly dipping, inventory started to replenish. With that, the average order value (AOV) increased by 3 percent. Some brands were able to go back to their original shipping thresholds (pre-COVID-19) to increase profitability. Additionally, with overall commissions down 14 percent, we saw our client’s overall return on ad spend (ROAS) increase 10 percent as they and their affiliate partners found more efficient and profitable ways to drive revenue.
Client Performance Data: June 2020
Overall, June “wins” for Acceleration Partners’ (AP) clients globally included testing new partnerships and offering new promotions such as coupon codes or early access. With the start of summer and coming off of Memorial Day sales at the end of May in the U.S., clients continued to offer promotions into Father’s Day and through Independence Day in July.
- Brands in Household and Apparel verticals saw increases before Father’s Day with specific promotions. Outdoor activities and summer fun were also a focus for the month of June as consumers prepped their homes for summer weather. Apparel merchants saw some declines after Father’s Day as consumers continued to focus on household. Household up 4 percent MoM; Apparel down 9 percent MoM.
- AP clients in the entertainment, recreation and travel sectors started to see an uptick in early June as consumers were eager to enjoy activities closer to home. Entertainment and recreation dipped after mid-June but travel continued to spike (up 52 percent MoM) as consumers began planning for future vacations.
Content and sub-affiliate networks were up 37 percent and 4 percent respectively MoM in revenue thanks in part to editorial coverage with top affiliate partners who were provided with commission increases. AP clients that paired commission increases with exclusive offers or early access resulted in double-digit revenue growth MoM.
Month-Over-Month Vertical Analysis of Acceleration Partners’ Clients
Month-Over-Month Publisher Segment Analysis:
Week-Over-Week Client Data for June 2020
Week of June 1, 2020
Week of June 8, 2020
Week of June 16, 2020
Week of June 22, 2020
Up Next … July 2020 Client Data
Next month, we’ll share our client performance data from July 2020.
Please note that we are discontinuing the Week-Over-Week analysis to focus on a detailed Month-Over-Month analysis.
Should you have any questions about this data or the strategies other brands are finding success during these uncertain economic times, please reach out so we can put you in contact with the right person to answer your questions.
Kelly Ground is Associate Account Director of Strategic Accounts at Acceleration Partners
