Have You Started Christmas Shopping Yet? (Only 187 days left)
by Amie Dreibelbis
Advertising.com recently did an analysis on consumer behavior and shopping for 2007 holidays.
Basically, it boils down to Internet advertising and shopping being the major influence on holiday shopping. The Internet is second to retail stores but gaining popularity. The main reason consumers go online is to find discounts and savings. These may include free shipping, sales, coupons, rebates, etc.
Top three reasons for going online are: to find discounts and savings, save time, it’s convenience, and compare products and prices.
Half of consumers use search engines when researching gift options and features for the holidays. Only 35 percent go directly to the website to compare. Men are more likely to use search engines while women will go directly to a products website.
Another interesting find was shopping patterns by gender. Males tend to procrastinate more, with 25 percent of men waiting until December to start shopping versus 12 percent of women. 21 percent of the male respondents wait until the third week of December to start their shopping. Interesting…I can definitely relate to this! ☺
Consumers do not make impulse buys on the Internet. They instead browse gift options, research and compare products, and educate themselves before purchasing. Sometimes it does not result in an Internet purchase but an in store purchase. The consumer uses the Internet to do all the research on the products but feels more comfortable purchasing in store.
The average time spent researching a product is anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. During that time at least 3 to 5 websites are visited. The surfing from site to site makes it clear that behavioral targeting is a critical strategy. This will keep specific brands and products on top of consumer’s minds as they browse many sites. Behavioral targeting retargets consumers who have visited their site and drives them back to make the final purchase.
When it comes to building awareness, television commercials have the greatest impact. TV advertising offers the most effective brand impact. Another vehicle is the online video, which has the same emotional impact of TV commercials and allows the consumer to immediately research and purchase the product.
So, while the holiday shopping season is still far enough off into the future, it doesn’t hurt to keep this data in the back of your mind. Christmas will come sooner than you expect.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 am
This does not surprise me in the least. Ever since Christmas season (its now a season not just a two day event) became more about buying then giving I knew we would be in trouble.
Look at just how greedy everyone is now. Its no longer the season to be jolly, it has become the season to buy, buy, buy!! Of course since I am in advertising I can appreciate this phenomenon, but for all of the other poor, helpless saps that eat up our brand messages and willfully throw their money into meaningless crap that they don’t need, want, or care about, I feel really bad.
Maybe its time we took a step back and just looked at our buying behavior. Maybe if we banded together and made the Friday after thanksgiving (black Friday) the smallest shopping day of the year. Maybe, just maybe if we convinced Wal-Mart to stop putting out their Christmas displays before Thanksgiving is even over. Maybe then we could get back to a season of giving, hope and joy. But on the flip side if things keep going the way they are, we may just have Christmas in December and Christmas 2 in July. That way we could be preparing for Christmas year around. I’m sure Wal-Mart, the card companies, and just about every retailer in the United States would just be happy to go along with that.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Personally I feel people can get better deals when they shop in the off peak seasons, however with someone like me, money doesnt really matter. I can wreck my car, get arrested and still not get in trouble because im the double L. Merry Christmas!