Report: Good deals ring in stronger holiday sales

Holiday sales may be on pace to increase this year, but sale-savvy shoppers will drive this boost.



The 10th annual “Accenture Holiday Shopping Survey” found that 42% of consumers said they rarely or never expect to pay full price for an item during the holiday season, and this year is no exception.



Two-thirds (67%) said they will purchase items from different stores or websites to get the lowest price, and nearly three-quarters (72%) said they would be enticed by promotions or coupons to shop at a store they have not used in the last year, the study revealed.



Keeping in the spirit of the holiday, shoppers are also looking to “give” more this year — specifically, they are willing to “give” personal details in order to receive personalized offers. According to the study, 54% said they are open to sharing personal information and shopping preferences with retailers in order to receive personalized offers, compared to 51% last year, and 33% in 2014.



The factors most likely to entice shoppers to share personal data are discounts or coupons (78%), loyalty card points (52%) and highly relevant promotions (47%), the report said.



“The good news is that U.S. consumers plan to spend more, and are increasingly willing to share personal information to receive offers – but they remain focused on frugal bargain hunting,” said Jill Standish, senior managing director of retail, Accenture.



“The clear opportunity for retailers is to learn all they can about their customers and use these insights to provide the personalized and timely deals consumers are seeking,” she added. “By optimizing inventory and marketing, they can increase the profitability of each customer visit to their store or website and maximize each click.”