Additionally, more than three-fourths (75.9%) of the retailers surveyed remain optimistic about the holiday season, and it appears that they have good reason to be positive.
The consumer portion of the survey found that, while overall consumer holiday shopping budgets will not see much growth compared with 2006, the online sector will continue to receive a larger portion of shoppers' wallets as one-third of online shoppers (34.7%) plan to do more of their holiday shopping online than a year ago.
Customers' top reasons for shopping online instead of in stores is the ability to shop at any time of day (58.5%), not wanting to fight crowds in stores (43.8%), and the general convenience of shopping on the Internet (38.7%).
Shoppers also said they like the ability to compare prices online (36.2%) and that items are often easier to find online than in stores (29.9%).
“As consumers become more comfortable with the web as a shopping resource and sales channel, they are naturally spending more of their holiday budget online,” said Helen Malani, Shopzilla's Chief Shopping Expert.
“If consumers continue to have a satisfying experience online, the channel will continue to grow for many holiday seasons to come.”
The survey also found that retailers will be integrating their stores and websites more than ever this year to increase sales company-wide.
This year, four out of five online retailers with stores will offer in-store advertising for their websites (80.6%) and email registration for customers who do not yet subscribe (75.8%).
Additionally, many retailers will offer the ability for store associates to place an online order for customers (48.4%) and for consumers to use in-store web kiosks (30.6%).
The eHoliday Study, now in its sixth year, provides an authoritative snapshot of the holiday activities of both large and small online retailers, many of which have been in business for at least nine years, and also includes the sentiments of online holiday shoppers.
The Study, conducted by BizRate Research, a Shopzilla company, for Shop.org, surveyed 2,695 online buyers (defined as anyone who has made an online purchase in the last twelve months) and 116 online retailers from September 26-October 8, 2007.
Shopzilla is dedicated to helping shoppers around the world find the best price on the right products. Innovative patent-pending technology empowers shoppers with the ability to quickly and easily compare prices on more than 30 million products offered by 92,000 stores. Shopzilla Inc.
National Retail Federation
marketing@alchempro.com
