GITNUXREPORT 2025

Marketing In The Merchant Industry Statistics

Merchant marketing leverages social media, SEO, content, and data for growth.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

65% of consumers say they have made a purchase based on a social media post from a brand or merchant

Statistic 2

55% of merchants report that online reviews influence more than half of their new customer acquisition

Statistic 3

Loyalty programs are used by 59% of merchant businesses to retain customers

Statistic 4

48% of merchants say that personalized marketing improves customer engagement

Statistic 5

70% of consumers say they discover new brands through social media

Statistic 6

33% of merchants participate in loyalty or referral programs as part of their marketing strategy

Statistic 7

80% of merchant businesses believe that online reviews influence their sales

Statistic 8

65% of merchant marketers rank customer retention as their top marketing priority

Statistic 9

50% of consumers say personalized emails influence their purchase decisions

Statistic 10

65% of merchant businesses utilize loyalty apps to engage consumers

Statistic 11

49% of merchants say that omnichannel marketing enhances customer experience

Statistic 12

74% of merchants value customer feedback for campaign improvement

Statistic 13

84% of merchant marketers say that their digital marketing efforts have led to increased customer engagement

Statistic 14

82% of merchants use content marketing to engage their target audience

Statistic 15

Video marketing is employed by 73% of merchant businesses to promote products and services

Statistic 16

49% of merchants have integrated user-generated content into their marketing strategies

Statistic 17

57% of merchant marketers believe that influencer collaborations increase brand awareness

Statistic 18

66% of merchants consider content marketing crucial for brand building

Statistic 19

80% of merchant marketers say that content marketing has increased their brand visibility

Statistic 20

E-commerce transactions made through mobile devices grew by 35% in the merchant sector in 2023

Statistic 21

68% of merchant marketers use data analytics to optimize their marketing campaigns

Statistic 22

52% of merchants use chatbots on their websites to enhance customer service

Statistic 23

41% of merchant businesses have integrated augmented reality (AR) into their marketing mix in 2023

Statistic 24

54% of merchant marketers plan to invest more in digital marketing tools in 2024

Statistic 25

35% of merchants actively use automation tools to streamline their marketing processes

Statistic 26

41% of merchants use customer segmentation to better target their campaigns

Statistic 27

38% of merchants report that their marketing automation has increased efficiency by over 30%

Statistic 28

43% of merchants use analytics dashboards to track marketing performance

Statistic 29

69% of merchants believe that personalized product recommendations increase sales

Statistic 30

48% of merchants report that integrating multiple channels improves overall campaign success

Statistic 31

53% of merchants say that data-driven marketing enhances personalization efforts

Statistic 32

78% of merchant businesses prioritize social media marketing to attract new customers

Statistic 33

Email marketing yields an average ROI of 42:1 for merchant businesses

Statistic 34

60% of merchant industry marketers use Google Ads for online advertising

Statistic 35

45% of merchants believe that local search engine optimization (SEO) provides the highest ROI

Statistic 36

Mobile marketing accounts for 70% of all digital marketing efforts in the merchant industry

Statistic 37

30% of merchant industry marketers plan to increase their marketing budgets in 2024

Statistic 38

42% of merchants participate in influencer marketing campaigns

Statistic 39

The average click-through rate for merchant industry PPC ads is 2.8%

Statistic 40

44% of merchant businesses report increased sales directly attributable to digital advertising efforts

Statistic 41

58% of merchant companies use video advertisements on social media platforms

Statistic 42

72% of merchant businesses have increased their social media advertising budget over the past year

Statistic 43

67% of merchants consider their email marketing campaigns effective in driving sales

Statistic 44

Online advertising spending by merchants increased by 21% in 2023

Statistic 45

47% of merchants say that SEO efforts result in measurable increases in sales

Statistic 46

74% of merchant marketers plan to explore new digital platforms in 2024

Statistic 47

79% of merchants include seasonal campaigns as part of their marketing strategy

Statistic 48

53% of merchant marketers find that influencer marketing generates high quality leads

Statistic 49

61% of merchant marketers plan to increase their investment in social media advertising in 2024

Statistic 50

54% of merchant businesses have adopted chat marketing strategies

Statistic 51

62% of merchant companies plan to expand their digital advertising spend in the next year

Statistic 52

69% of merchants leverage influencer marketing for brand awareness

Statistic 53

55% of merchants use social media stories features to promote their products

Statistic 54

40% of merchants utilize SMS marketing for customer outreach

Statistic 55

71% of merchants reported an increase in conversion rates after implementing targeted advertising strategies

Statistic 56

60% of merchant industry businesses report that their local SEO efforts have increased foot traffic

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Sources

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Key Highlights

78% of merchant businesses prioritize social media marketing to attract new customers
65% of consumers say they have made a purchase based on a social media post from a brand or merchant
Email marketing yields an average ROI of 42:1 for merchant businesses
60% of merchant industry marketers use Google Ads for online advertising
45% of merchants believe that local search engine optimization (SEO) provides the highest ROI
Mobile marketing accounts for 70% of all digital marketing efforts in the merchant industry
55% of merchants report that online reviews influence more than half of their new customer acquisition
E-commerce transactions made through mobile devices grew by 35% in the merchant sector in 2023
82% of merchants use content marketing to engage their target audience
30% of merchant industry marketers plan to increase their marketing budgets in 2024
68% of merchant marketers use data analytics to optimize their marketing campaigns
Video marketing is employed by 73% of merchant businesses to promote products and services
42% of merchants participate in influencer marketing campaigns

In a digital landscape where 78% of merchant businesses are harnessing social media to attract customers, the latest statistics reveal how innovative marketing strategies are transforming the merchant industry in 2023 and shaping its future.

Consumer Engagement and Behavior

65% of consumers say they have made a purchase based on a social media post from a brand or merchant
55% of merchants report that online reviews influence more than half of their new customer acquisition
Loyalty programs are used by 59% of merchant businesses to retain customers
48% of merchants say that personalized marketing improves customer engagement
70% of consumers say they discover new brands through social media
33% of merchants participate in loyalty or referral programs as part of their marketing strategy
80% of merchant businesses believe that online reviews influence their sales
65% of merchant marketers rank customer retention as their top marketing priority
50% of consumers say personalized emails influence their purchase decisions
65% of merchant businesses utilize loyalty apps to engage consumers
49% of merchants say that omnichannel marketing enhances customer experience
74% of merchants value customer feedback for campaign improvement
84% of merchant marketers say that their digital marketing efforts have led to increased customer engagement

Consumer Engagement and Behavior Interpretation

In an era where social media and online reviews drive consumer choices—shaping loyalty and discovery—merchant marketers are clearly investing more in personalized, omnichannel strategies to turn digital chatter into tangible sales, all while recognizing that customer retention remains their ultimate marketing game.

Content Marketing and Brand Awareness

82% of merchants use content marketing to engage their target audience
Video marketing is employed by 73% of merchant businesses to promote products and services
49% of merchants have integrated user-generated content into their marketing strategies
57% of merchant marketers believe that influencer collaborations increase brand awareness
66% of merchants consider content marketing crucial for brand building
80% of merchant marketers say that content marketing has increased their brand visibility

Content Marketing and Brand Awareness Interpretation

With nearly all merchant marketers leveraging content—be it videos, user-generated content, or influencer collaborations—it's clear that in the competitive world of retail, loud and authentic storytelling isn't just a strategy, it's the backbone of building visibility and brand presence.

Data and Technology Utilization

E-commerce transactions made through mobile devices grew by 35% in the merchant sector in 2023
68% of merchant marketers use data analytics to optimize their marketing campaigns
52% of merchants use chatbots on their websites to enhance customer service
41% of merchant businesses have integrated augmented reality (AR) into their marketing mix in 2023
54% of merchant marketers plan to invest more in digital marketing tools in 2024
35% of merchants actively use automation tools to streamline their marketing processes
41% of merchants use customer segmentation to better target their campaigns
38% of merchants report that their marketing automation has increased efficiency by over 30%
43% of merchants use analytics dashboards to track marketing performance
69% of merchants believe that personalized product recommendations increase sales
48% of merchants report that integrating multiple channels improves overall campaign success
53% of merchants say that data-driven marketing enhances personalization efforts

Data and Technology Utilization Interpretation

As merchant marketers swiftly embrace digital tools—from a 35% surge in mobile e-commerce transactions to a growing reliance on data analytics, automation, and AR—they are increasingly tailoring their strategies to meet the personalized, multichannel shoppers of 2023, proving that in a competitive landscape, smart tech use isn't just optional—it's essential for sales success.

Digital Marketing Strategies and Tactics

78% of merchant businesses prioritize social media marketing to attract new customers
Email marketing yields an average ROI of 42:1 for merchant businesses
60% of merchant industry marketers use Google Ads for online advertising
45% of merchants believe that local search engine optimization (SEO) provides the highest ROI
Mobile marketing accounts for 70% of all digital marketing efforts in the merchant industry
30% of merchant industry marketers plan to increase their marketing budgets in 2024
42% of merchants participate in influencer marketing campaigns
The average click-through rate for merchant industry PPC ads is 2.8%
44% of merchant businesses report increased sales directly attributable to digital advertising efforts
58% of merchant companies use video advertisements on social media platforms
72% of merchant businesses have increased their social media advertising budget over the past year
67% of merchants consider their email marketing campaigns effective in driving sales
Online advertising spending by merchants increased by 21% in 2023
47% of merchants say that SEO efforts result in measurable increases in sales
74% of merchant marketers plan to explore new digital platforms in 2024
79% of merchants include seasonal campaigns as part of their marketing strategy
53% of merchant marketers find that influencer marketing generates high quality leads
61% of merchant marketers plan to increase their investment in social media advertising in 2024
54% of merchant businesses have adopted chat marketing strategies
62% of merchant companies plan to expand their digital advertising spend in the next year
69% of merchants leverage influencer marketing for brand awareness
55% of merchants use social media stories features to promote their products
40% of merchants utilize SMS marketing for customer outreach
71% of merchants reported an increase in conversion rates after implementing targeted advertising strategies

Digital Marketing Strategies and Tactics Interpretation

With 78% of merchant businesses prioritizing social media and 71% seeing conversion bumps from targeted ads, it's clear that in the digital marketplace—where video, influencer partnerships, and seasonal campaigns flourish—merchants are betting big on the pixels and posts that turn online attention into tangible sales, proving that in today’s industry, a savvy digital strategy isn’t just optional—it’s essential.

Local and Social Media Marketing

60% of merchant industry businesses report that their local SEO efforts have increased foot traffic

Local and Social Media Marketing Interpretation

With six out of ten merchant businesses seeing a boost in foot traffic from local SEO, it’s clear that investing in online visibility isn’t just digital fluff—it's the new storefront’s secret sauce.