Deloitte: Online, physical retailers tied for Black Friday weekend wallet share

As Black Friday quickly approaches, it is anyone’s game on who will garner the most wallet share — clicks or bricks.



More than three-quarters (76%) of Americans plan to shop over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and they plan to spend $400 between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, a slight uptick from last year's intentions to spend $369.



These details were shared in a new Deloitte study conducted between Nov. 8-13, 2016, among more than 1,200 consumers. As these shoppers come out in full force this weekend, their budgets will be evenly spread out. More than half (51%) of their budget online and 46% in physical stores.



Similarly, clicks and bricks will draw nearly equal amounts of traffic, as 84% of respondents plan to shop in-store over the holiday weekend, and 87% plan to do so online. The majority (71%) feel they find comparable deals online and in stores between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday, the study said.



“While digital and physical tactics should work in concert, it's critical that retailers' digital influence fits specific purposes and shopping days this week,” said Rod Sides, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and U.S. retail, wholesale and distribution leader.



On Black Friday, nearly eight in 10 (79%) plan to shop either in stores or online. Specifically, 69% plan to head to stores and 55% intend to shop online on Black Friday. Meanwhile, 79% are planning to shop online on Cyber Monday, data revealed.



Interestingly, nearly seven in 10 (69%) say they won't be motivated to shop on Thanksgiving Day because it's important to spend time with family and friends, and 67% disagree with stores being open on Thanksgiving. Roughly one in five (22%) people plan to shop in stores on Thanksgiving Day, the study said.



Store traffic also should remain fairly steady throughout the day on Black Friday, with a mix of early birds and more leisurely buyers. The midnight openings are expected to draw 14% of Black Friday shoppers, and about one in five Black Friday shoppers (19%) say they'll head to the stores at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. The same number say they'll start shopping in stores at 10 a.m. or later, and 16% haven't even decided yet, data showed.



“Before Thanksgiving, the experience should be informational and inspirational, to influence the consumer in the research phase,” Sides said. “Black Friday requires nimble and feature-rich mobile formats while people browse reviews and compare information at the point of purchase. Cyber Monday is purely transactional, where features like prices, free shipping and online return policies move into focus."



Among those that will be shopping this coming weekend, nearly two-thirds (63%) plan to "webroom" – look at items online, then purchase in the store, and 44% will "showroom" – go to the store to look at an item, then buy it online. For those that do hit physical stores, 62% plan to shop in-store with family or friends over the weekend, the report said.



"The vast majority of shoppers indicate they'll head both online and to the stores over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and nowadays, retailers really look at those experiences as one,” said Sides.