New data from global communications platform Infobip shows customers prefer conversational experiences on the day of Black Friday, driven by rich channels such as RCS.
Infobip recorded new levels of total customer communications interactions on its platform this year, with 3,4-billion interactions on the day of Black Friday, which represents a 26% increase when compared to last year.
From the total number of interactions, the company identified 1,8-billion coming from messaging interactions on its platform, up from 1,7-billion last year.
Infobip’s analysis reveals SMS, E-mail and WhatsApp are the three most preferred channels on Black Friday, recording more than 1,6-billion interactions during the day. This Infobip’s messaging analysis reinforces the company largest messaging platform worldwide, and its reliability for brands during shopping season.
Rich communication channels such as RCS, have recorded significant growth this year, as brands seek convenient and conversational channels that enable end-to-end customer journeys. This year, RCS interactions on Black Friday increased 17% compared to a typical day in November and increased 388% compared to last year.
Infobip also reveals that, in this year’s Black Friday, Retail & eCommerce and Finance industries are between the top 5 sectors which generated interactions in the company’s platform, presenting increases of 42% and 36%, respectively, when compared to last year.
As predicted, Infobip’s data reveals that Black Friday sales extended across the entire month of November. Interactions across the whole month were higher than last year as brands sought to attract consumers looking for discounts pre-Christmas.
Ivan Ostojić, chief business Officer at Infobip, says: “Rich Communication Services (RCS) have emerged as a significant channel for shoppers this Black Friday. The increase is driven by consumers seeking conversational experiences with brands and businesses seeking to provide end-to-end journeys for their customers in one channel.
“Moreover, brands’ focus on hyper-personalisation has helped drive conversational customer experiences and, we expect, will have boosted sales.
“Our research also shows the traditional Black Friday discount days now typically stretch across November, with a big spike in interactions across the whole month as retailers and eCommerce firms seek more cost-conscious consumers this year.”