Holiday shoppers expect top holiday deals in December

More than half (54%) of shoppers believe the best holiday discounts will be in December and 83% will continue to comparison shop for gifts throughout the month, according to PriceGrabber’s December Winter Holiday Shopping Survey.



The survey of 3,299 U.S. online shopping consumers shows 87% of consumers will conduct most of their holiday shopping in December this year (compared to 78% in 2012).



When December shoppers were asked why they will complete most of their holiday shopping within the month, 54% indicated it's when they will find the best discounts. Twenty-six percent said they use them to get gift ideas. About 25% indicated they have procrastinated on their holiday shopping and will wait until the last minute to shop.



According to the survey, 48% plan to "showroom" and inspect merchandise in a physical retail store and later purchase it online for less money. When asked why, 40% said they prefer to test the product in person to see if they like it then search online for the lowest price.



In addition, 25% of "showroomers" indicated they like to make side-by-side comparisons of products in-person before deciding to purchase online, and 42% of "showroomers" said they are simply trying to save money on holiday gifts this year and are searching for the best price. Busy shoppers savvy to the perks of shopping online like to browse first and then buy the item later when they have time, said 36% of those surveyed.



Furthermore, 61% of shoppers plan to take advantage of Free Shipping Day on December 18th to order online and have their gifts delivered in time for Christmas. Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, remains popular with last minute shoppers as 51 % plan to take advantage of one-day sales before the holiday.



"Last minute shoppers will get some of the best deals on gifts this December, especially on toys and electronics," said Rojeh Avanesian, SVP of marketing and sales of PriceGrabber.com. "Holiday shoppers can expect to see extended online and in-store promotions throughout December as retailers try to push their inventory."