In case you missed it, last week Wayfair hosted “Way Day,” its annual two-day blowout sale (April 27-28). Following in the footsteps of Prime Day, the household goods retailer featured massive discounts across its website on everything from furniture to textiles to appliances.
Wayfair – a primarily online retailer – has emerged in recent years as an important player on the scene, as the pandemic drove up both shopping for furniture / household fare and shopping online. Here’s a glimpse at how this year’s Way Day played out.
Way Day by the Numbers
CivicScience learned that nearly one-quarter (23%) of all U.S. adults surveyed shopped the Wayfair sale this year (n=2,837).
That’s a higher-than-expected turnout, based on numbers running up to the big sale, when just 15% of respondents said they planned to make a Way Day purchase (n=2,616). Most of those potential buyers (71%) weren’t yet sure what they wanted to purchase.
However, post-sale findings show the majority of shoppers came away without their first choice, with less in their carts than expected, or altogether empty-handed. When asked further about inventory, 70% of shoppers said items they wanted were out of stock and nearly half (49%) said nothing they wanted was available (n=2,818).
That’s not surprising, given the rampant ongoing supply chain issues witnessed by consumers in the furniture / home goods sector (which CivicScience has studied in depth).
This Year’s Hottest Buys
A separate survey (n=2,711) looked at what people bought this year. Among those who did make purchases, furniture topped the list of Way Day deals – bedroom furniture, specifically. One-third purchased something in this category, compared to just 15% who purchased living room furniture. Around one-quarter of shoppers also purchased outdoor furniture, textiles, home decor, and major appliances. Fewer shopped for lighting or home improvement items.
Outlook for Next Year’s Sale
Will this year’s shoppers return again for Way Day 2023?
A quick survey suggests that approximately 23% of U.S. adult consumers say they will shop the sale next year (n=2,512). However, it’s worth noting that likelihood to shop next year correlates with whether or not shoppers encountered supply issues this year. The majority of people who were able to get either all or just some of the items they wanted are at least “somewhat likely” to shop again next year. But a much higher proportion who said everything they wanted was in stock are “very likely” to shop again next year.
On the other hand, the majority of shoppers who said nothing they wanted was in stock are not likely to shop Way Day in 2023. Next year may also see some pickup from people who did not shop this year, perhaps some of whom were not aware of the sale.