Survey: 78% of Consumers Plan to Shop Online This Holiday Season; Most Will Shop Between 7 p.m. and Midnight
56% Are Likely to Use Comparison Shopping Engines; Those Who Do Use Them Expect to Save More Than 15%
The survey found that while more than 75% of all consumers intend to conduct their holiday shopping online, and 41% say they "will consider" using comparison shopping engines, only 15% are definitely planning to use such "shopping search" utilities for online holiday shopping. Among consumers who had previously used comparison shopping engines, 57% of them said they saved 16% or more on those purchases, while 20% of them said they saved 30% or more.
"The survey results indicate a general lack of awareness of comparison shopping services amongst online shoppers," said Rodrigo Sales, CEO and co-founder of Vendio. "While the majority of consumers take advantage of the convenience and time savings that result in shopping online, a large percentage of them have yet to try a comparison shopping engine, despite the significant money - and time - that can be saved by doing so."
Key findings of the survey included:
Online Holiday Shopping Plans:
Percentage of purchases made online: Of the 78% of consumers who said that some of their holiday shopping would occur online:- 50% said that 25% of their holiday shopping would take place online
- 23% said that more than 50% of their holiday shopping would take place online
- 16% said that more than 70% of their holiday shopping would take place online
- 39% plan to spend up to $100 in online holiday purchases
- 22% plan to spend between $100 and $200 in online holiday purchases
- 16% plan to spend between $200 and $400 in online holiday purchases
- 23% plan to spend $400 or more in online holiday purchases
- 42% will conduct their online holiday shopping between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- 43% will conduct their online holiday shopping between 9 p.m. and Midnight
- 22% will conduct their online holiday shopping between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- 56% plan to buy from large, established online stores, even if the prices are higher than at smaller, lesser-known e-tailers
- 54% plan to shop at discount online outlets such as eBay, Overstock.com and Half.com
- 24% plan to shop at smaller, lesser-known e-tailers as long as the price is the absolute lowest
Online Comparison Shopping Perceptions/Experiences:
Saving Via Comparison Shopping Engines: Of the consumers who had previously used a comparison shopping Web site or toolbar:- 57% said they had saved 16% or more on those purchases
- 21% said they had saved 30% or more on those purchases
- 46% said they saved up to $20 on their most recent purchase
- 22% said they saved between $20 and $40 on their most recent purchase
- 23% said they saved between $40 and $100 on their most recent purchase
- 9% said they saved more than $100 on their most recent purchase
- 37% of consumers said they had used a comparison shopping Web site or toolbar
- 33% said they were aware of such utilities but had not used one
- 30% stated they were not aware of comparison shopping engines
- 74% said they would help them save money
- 57% said they would help them save time
- 30% said they had used them before with good results
Of the 44% of consumers who said they would probably not or definitely not use a comparison shopping engine, when asked to select one or more reasons why:
- 53% said they preferred to see the item in personi
- 50% said they preferred to shop in brick and mortar type stores
- 20% said they didni't know how to use comparison shopping engines
- 7% said comparison shopping engines don't search enough merchants to make them useful
Household Income a Factor: Of the consumers who said they would probably not or definitely not use a comparison shopping engine for some portion of their holiday shopping:
- 22% of consumers with household incomes under $25,000 said that none of their holiday shopping would be conducted via a comparison shopping toolbar or Web site
- 16% of consumers with household incomes between $25,000 and $39,999 said that none of their holiday shopping would be conducted via a comparison shopping toolbar or Web site
- 9% of consumers with household income of $40,000 or more said that none of their holiday shopping would be conducted via a comparison shopping toolbar or Web site