Family Dollar survey: Shoppers prefer brick-and-mortar for most holiday gifts

Matthews, N.C. -- Despite the growth in e-commerce, Americans still prefer to make most holiday gift purchases in stores close to home, according to a recent national survey conducted for Family Dollar.



Seven-in-10 consumers say they describe themselves as in-person shoppers, while only 30% say they would be best characterized as online shoppers. Also, more than half of surveyed consumers say they expect to travel 10 miles or less when looking for the majority of their gifts this season.



These and other insights from the survey fielded on behalf of Family Dollar indicate that convenience and price continue to play a major role in Americans' shopping habits, especially during the holidays.



Other consumer shopping insights revealed by survey respondents:

• During the holiday season, 93% of consumers consider spending time at home to be more important than traveling, which is favored by 59% of consumers.

• More than three-in-five consumers shop for stocking stuffers, and those shoppers find these five factors to be the most important in making their stocking stuffer selections: deals or specials offered; candy selection; coupons available; small electronics; and gift cards selection.

• Nearly half of consumers start holiday shopping after Thanksgiving.

"The National Retail Federation reported that Americans took advantage of early holiday sales but spent less than last year, indicating that economic conditions still impact consumers' ability to spend," said Jocelyn Wong, senior VP and chief marketing officer, Family Dollar.