We all know that the Internet is a huge part of online shopping, especially during the holiday season, but according to a recent survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation and Yesmail, online shoppers will lean heavily on social networks during this year’s spree of online holiday shopping.
According to the survey, 27 percent of respondents who conduct product research online and plan to purchase holiday gifts online this year said they are perusing social networks like Facebook for helpful hints.
In addition to this, 45 percent of consumers said they plan on using social networking sites to help them make purchase decisions, or to search for deals or free shipping.
Eighty-seven percent will also utilize the Internet to research items, compare prices, and look for discounts, coupons and free shipping offers.
Additionally, 84 percent will be looking at retailers’ Web sites, 70 percent will look at online reviews and 84 percent will conduct queries on search engines.
Seventeen percent say they are going to social networks to find exclusive deals, while 22 percent are looking for free shipping offers.
The survey, which interviewed 1,000 respondents over the phone, also found that 75 percent of consumers are planning on keeping their spending level the same as last year’s, while 11 percent plan on spending more.
Seventy-two percent said it would be appealing if part of their purchase contributed to a non-profit or charitable organization.
Books (64 percent) and apparel/accessories (58 percent) were the most popular product categories for online shoppers.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s “24th Annual Holiday Survey” found that 17 percent of consumers plan to utilize social media during the holiday shopping season. Of this group, 60 percent plan to use social media to find discounts, coupons and sale information. Fifty-three percent plan to use social media to research gift ideas and 52 percent plan to check wish lists of friends and family members.
Mobile phones will also play a bigger role in holiday shopping plans, according to Deloitte, as 19 percent plan to use them to assist with their holiday shopping. Of this group, 55 percent intend to find store locations, 45 percent plan to research prices, 40 percent plan to find product information, 32 percent plan to get discounts and coupons and 31 percent intend to read reviews.
Deloitte also notes that 25 percent of respondents plan on making a holiday purchase with their mobile phones.
Twenty-two percent of consumers see the Internet as their primary shopping venue this year, according to the survey of 10,878 consumers.
“Retailers should consider harnessing this activity to turn browsers into buyers with one-click access to coupons, promotions and purchasing tools,” said Stacy Janiak, vice chairman and leader of Deloitte’s U.S. Retail division. “This year’s leaner in-store inventories may also open the door for retailers to lure customers to their online channels where it is easier to access inventory, no matter where it is located.”
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