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Half of holiday shoppers plan to shop online more this year than last

November 19, 2013

According to a study released today by market research company Lab42, half of holiday shoppers plan to shop online more this holiday season compared with last year. Just under half (48 percent) said their online shopping habits will remain the same, while two percent plan to shop online less this season.

Consumers' growing skepticism of Black Friday deals is a likely explanation for the uptick in online holiday shopping, the company said. Among shoppers who do not plan to shop on Black Friday this year, 50 percent believe that the same deals will be available at a later date, up from 42 percent last year. More specifically, 38 percent think they can find the same deals online, up from 30 percent in 2012.  

In good news for retailers, holiday spending is on the rise, with 45 percent planning to spend more this holiday season than in 2012 — the number one reason being "my financial situation improved." Millennials and men are the demographic groups most likely to spend more this year, indicating a potential correlation with an improving job market in 2013. Forty-three percent plan to spend the same as last year, while just 12 percent plan to spend less than they did in 2012.

"At Lab42, we investigate how holiday retail trends change from year to year to get a pulse on the everyday consumer. With several retailers opening on Thanksgiving Day this year, we felt it was especially relevant to gauge consumers' reaction to this trend and determine how, if at all, it affects their holiday shopping and spending in 2013," said Jonathan Pirc, founder of Lab42. "One key takeaway for retailers is that more and more consumers are planning to shop online this year. Specifically, shoppers are most inclined to make an online purchase when they receive free shipping, above all other incentives and discounts, including a percentage off, free returns, and points toward future purchases." 

Not surprisingly, shoppers who plan to participate in Black Friday are more eager than ever to get their hands on bargain-priced items. Consumers are heading to the stores earlier this year, due to an influx of retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day. Fifty-two percent of Black Friday shoppers plan to shop before 3:00am on Black Friday, with 26 percent shopping on Thanksgiving Day.

The study also revealed that 69 percent believe stores should be closed on Thanksgiving Day, up from 60 percent in 2012. Yet 22 percent in this same group plan to still shop on Thanksgiving Day, indicating their strong desire for the best deals. Black Friday shoppers also indicated that their preferred way to receive Black Friday promotions is through social media, beating out email, last year's preferred method.

The survey was conducted among 500 American adults, ages 18 and up, from Nov. 8–11, 2013, in the United States.

Read more about consumer behavior.