Consumer Behavior

Digital will dominate holiday shopping, claims research

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September 14, 2020

More than half of consumers, 58%, have financial worries due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, yet 59% expect to spend the same on holiday gifts this year as they did last year.

And, when it comes to where to shop more than one third said value for the money will be the prime focus.

Those are top findings from a Service Management group research report that polled 10,000 consumers on trends relating to the upcoming holiday shopping season. The research also delved into how the pandemic will impact shopping, according to a press release on the findings.

Additional findings include:

• 47% plan to spend $499 or less on holiday gifts whereas 24% plan to spend more than $1,000.
• 91% plan to shop for others this holiday season, with 31% of respondents shopping for 10 or more people.
• When asked about the most important factor when deciding where to shop, nearly one third of respondents chose value for the money (32%), followed by selection of merchandise (14%) and convenience (12%).
• Three in four plan to do most shopping online and 42% expect to begin shopping earlier than the previous year.

"While the pandemic will certainly impact retail's most important quarter, it's reassuring to see the vast majority of consumers still plan to shop this holiday season," SMG Senior Vice President of Research Paul Tiedt said in the release. "Brands that take the time to understand evolving consumer preferences, online shopping behavior and trip motivators will be well-positioned this holiday season."