It’s not even Halloween, yet research into this year’s Christmas shopper habits is beginning to surface. Aside from the obvious (more people are shopping online), there are some points worth noting.
It’s not even Halloween, yet research into this year’s Christmas shopper habits is beginning to surface. Aside from the obvious (more people are shopping online), there are some points worth noting.
This year, say RadiumOne, British consumers plan to spend £24.4 billion on Christmas gifts. But their reliance on the high street is fading, and 45% of over 16 year olds plan to research and buy their gifts online, followed by 58% of 45-54 year olds. Interestingly, people earning less than £20,000 are the most likely to buy online.
Goodbye to in-store
Less than one in seven (13%) people who know how they’ll buy their Christmas gifts, will do both their research and shopping in-store. These people, according to the survey, are older, more traditional shoppers – over 55 – and are earning bigger salaries.
This means luxury brands really need to work on attracting this demographic online, where they are likely to spend more.
Two in five people are still to decide whether to do their gift research and shopping online or on the high street. What will sway their decisions? According to RadiumOne, 68% will compare deals, 62% care about convenience, and 45% say it depends on time.
This means online shopping baskets need to be optimised to facilitate the smoothest buyer journey possible to prevent cart abandonment, and online deals must be available to convert the high street shoppers to the web.
A multi-device Christmas
A quarter of online Christmas shoppers will use at least two internet devices to buy gifts; youngest survey respondents – 16 to 24 year olds – being the most likely (44%).
The use of multiple devices increases with income, from 22% of those earning less than £20,000 to 78% of people on at least £100,000. Regionally, people in London (46%) are the most likely to use multiple devices to buy Christmas presents.
Desktop computers (72%) are the favourite device for online purchasing, particularly among people over 55 (82%). One in 6 (17%) will buy presents using their mobile phone – rising to 39% of 16-24 year olds – making it a more popular purchasing device than the tablet (13%).
The results show that the UK population is among the most sophisticated e-shoppers in the world, and so it’s absolutely critical for brands and retailers to “better understand these consumer connections and their fast-evolving relationship with technology to ensure their advertising delivers the ideal Christmas sales boost”, said RadiumOne.
Average spend per person nearly £490
Almost all (98%) of people over 16 years of age will give Christmas presents this year, spending on average £489.04. The most generous gift givers are 25-34 year olds (averaging £665) and those living in London (£767), while, regionally, people in Yorkshire & the Humber will spend the least (£378). People earning at least £80,000 a year will spend £1,608 on presents compared to £329 by those earning under £20,000.
The average Christmas gift giver will buy 14.8 presents for 8.3 people, with women much more prolific givers (17.8) than men (11.7). Despite spending the most money on presents, Londoners will buy the least amount (11.5) while people in the West Midlands will buy the most (17.4).
The most popular gifts purchased will be entertainment-related (63%), clothes (57%) and food & drink (47%).
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