From Rights to Revenue: Exploring the Impact of Consumers’ Day on Latin American E-commerce

Consumers Day serves as an annual celebration dedicated to upholding consumer rights. Its roots trace back to the United Nations declaration in 1983, inspired by a speech delivered by John F. Kennedy on March 15, 1962. While initially rooted in the United States, this celebration was embraced by all Latin American nations, including Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Colombia. 

But here’s the twist: In Latin America, especially in Brazil, Consumers Day isn’t just about rights—it’s a shopping extravaganza! Thanks to the participation of major stores and marketplaces, what began as a simple day turned into a major shopping event. It’s often described as March’s equivalent of Black Friday, attracting hoards of shoppers with irresistible offers.

So, what’s the deal with Consumers Day and online shopping? Let’s dive into its evolution and how businesses can make the most of it in Brazil.

Consumers Day as a Key E-commerce Date in Latin America

In 2014, Consumers Day emerged as a pivotal day for e-commerce in Latin America. Spearheaded by Buscapé, a Brazilian marketplace, the initiative brought together 500 e-commerce giants like Americanas, Netshoes, and Dell. Their objective was clear: to attract consumers through promotions and special offers tailored specifically for this occasion.

Due to its huge success, Consumers Day no longer lasts 24 hours. Today, it spans an entire week filled with discounts and irresistible offers. Several marketplaces participate by offering exclusive deals and coupons, encouraging customers to shop online.

Growth of Consumers Day and Results of Past Editions

The 2018 edition of Consumers Day marked a significant milestone with over 5,000 participating stores, elevating this e-commerce event to the ranks of popular celebrations like Mother’s Day. Searches for the term “Dia Do Consumidor” surged by an impressive 92% in March compared to the previous year, as reported by Google Trends.

Another fact underscoring the event’s growing importance is that at the beginning of 2018, only 30% of Brazilians were familiar with Consumers Day. However, once the date was introduced to the public, 81% expressed intent to make purchases. 

Fast forward to 2020, amidst the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, Consumers Day took on new significance. According to Ebit/Nielsen, the promotions and actions during Consumers Day were leveraged by consumers to prepare for the impending restrictions. Consequently, there was a noticeable uptick in sales across sectors such as food and beverages, electronics, and appliances compared to 2019.

By 2023, promotions for Consumers Day yielded revenues of R$11.7 million, marking a 19% increase from the previous year, according to Nuvemshop. When considering the three days leading up to the event, total revenues reached R$37.4 million, up from R$28.5 million in the same period of 2022.

Expectations and Anticipated Trends for Consumers Day 2024

Just as previous editions have seen remarkable success, this year is poised for another surge in online sales. A glance at Google Trends reveals that searches for Consumers Day in Brazil typically begin to escalate during the last week of February, reaching their peak on March 15th. What’s particularly promising is that for the 2024 edition, Consumers Day falls on a Friday, allowing for the extension of offers throughout the weekend, prime days for sales.

According to Neotrust, the daily revenue average for the first 15 days of March is anticipated to see a 7.8% increase compared to the daily average of January. Moreover, during the event itself, revenue is projected to surge by 48.6% compared to January’s average.

Top-Selling Categories

In the 2023 edition, the top-selling category online was “fashion and accessories,” accounting for 15% of sales, followed closely by healthcare at 12%, and beauty and fragrances at 10%. Other notable categories included home appliances and electronic devices, each comprising 5.5% of sales, as reported by Neotrust. Additionally, categories experiencing the highest growth rates included vitamins and supplements, witnessing a remarkable 44% increase. It is followed by stationery with a growth of 21% and books with a growth of 19%.

Brazilian Consumer Profile

In early March 2023, women comprised 60.0% of consumers, contributing to 60.3% of revenue and 53.9% of orders. On Consumers Day, female participation increases to 61.3%, marking a 1.3 percentage point uptick. This surge is also reflected in revenue, with women’s contribution rising by 0.3 percentage points to reach 54.2%.

The primary consumer group comprises individuals aged 25 to 39, representing 46.2% of consumers in early March 2023 and 45.2% on Consumers Day. Additionally, this demographic accounts for 45.3% of total consumers in early March and 46.3% of revenue on Consumers Day.

Participating Marketplaces

Nearly all marketplaces take part in Consumer Day in their own unique way. For example, the Brazilian giant, Mercado Livre, offers discounts of up to 80% and has even launched its own TV commercial, reaching millions of consumers.

Meanwhile, Magalu refers to it as ‘Consumer Week’ and offers exclusive discounts both on its website and through its app.

Casas Bahia offers up to 50 million reais in discounts on products and coupons, flooding social media and the internet with promotions.

Thanks to extensive marketing campaigns and shared discounts with sellers, third-party sellers have reported peak sales during this week.

Conclusion:

Participating in Consumer Day and offering discounts can significantly boost your sales on promising marketplaces like Mercado Livre, Magalu, Americanas, and Casas Bahia. To succeed, it’s important to prepare in advance, study products with the most potential, analyze Brazilian trends and popular categories and be ready to provide quick consumer support.

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