More consumers to do some shopping online this holiday
Despite in-store shopping expected to see a rise this holiday season, e-commerce will be a staple for the overwhelming majority of shoppers.
That’s according to new data from Circana’s latest Holiday Purchase Intentions report, which shows that 83% of holiday shoppers plan to shop online this year. Roughly three-quarters (74%) of holiday shoppers plan to take an omnichannel approach and shop both online and in-store, while 16% plan to shop exclusively in-store, both increasing slightly from last year’s shopping plans.
“Convenience and value are paramount for consumers, creating an interesting dance between e-commerce and physical retail this holiday shopping season,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor for Circana. “More than ever, holiday shoppers will be utilizing all shopping channels and resources to maximize their spending ability and overall shopping experience.”
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Online-only retailers are the top planned holiday shopping destination this year, cited by 77% of consumers. More than four-in-10 (42%) holiday shoppers are planning to do more online shopping so they can ship directly to family and friends, a significant increase from last year.
Consumers, on the hunt for value, will take traditional in-store sales events online. Black Friday has ranked as the top shopping day in November for both in-store and online purchases over the past two years, according to checkout receipt-based sales tracking from Circana.
Last month, Circana reported that on average, consumers plan to spend $771 on holiday shopping this year, which is 2% higher than last year’s spending intentions but 2% below their plans in 2021.
“As the peak holiday shopping period approaches, retailers must adapt to the evolving preferences and growing proficiency of consumers,” added Cohen. “A seamless cross-channel experience will be critical for retailers that play in both spaces, and those that don’t need to find ways to counteract the top benefits of their competition or risk losing out on this holiday’s growth opportunities.”
