Shoppers hop to stores for Easter apparel offerings

The growth of digital shopping tools continues to benefit physical stores with new seasonal research from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) showing how much.



ICSC surveyed 1,008 consumers about their Easter and Spring apparel spending intentions and discovered that the average American will spend $193 on apparel this Spring and $135 for Easter. Overall, 60% of American adults will shop and spend for Easter this year, while 57% of adults will do the same for spring apparel. Of those who shop for Easter, 85% will spend on food/beverage gifts, with millennials spending the most on restaurants/take-out in comparison to Baby Boomers and Gen X.



Aside from the spending intention data, the trade group’s research confirmed that physical store overwhelmingly dominate but purchase behaviors are increasingly influenced by digital channels. For example, roughly 90% of consumers will frequent stores for their shopping this season but also take advantage of buy online, pick-up in stores capabilities and do research on mobile devices while in store.



“Easter and seasonal apparel shopping habits highlight consumer preference for shopping in-store,” said Tom McGee, ICSC’s president and CEO. “It’s a trend that is consistent amongst all demographics, as consumers are making purchases for the Easter holiday and on spring apparel in stores. While the types of purchases and location of shopping may vary, the consistency with which consumers are driven to brick-and-mortar shops demonstrates the central role they play in the shopping experience.”



The survey adds to the body of research that shows consumers leveraging mobile devices while in store. Sixty-nine percent of those shopping for spring apparel will use a mobile device while in the store and nearly half of those who will make a purchase on spring apparel first conduct research online before visiting a store.



Spending for Easter and spring apparel continues to show the steady growth in the popularity of click and collect model. Twenty-five percent of those who will shop for spring apparel will do so online, opting to pick up their items in store, according to the survey.

The ICSC Easter and Spring/Summer Apparel Survey was conducted online by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of ICSC from March 3-6, 2016.