Holiday customers mindful this year, says survey
The current tradition
of camping out in front of shops on Thanksgiving night to be able to be
the first to snatch up "Black Friday" deals may be losing its charm for
several Americans. A recent study suggests that the turnout this year
might be less than it has been in three years. Source of article: Black Friday holiday shopping may be losing its appeal
Survey indicates concentration and caution
Accenture
is a company that does management consulting. Every year, it does a
holiday survey, the results of which were just published. The holiday shopping
plans that consumers have around the nation were found in this survey
of 500 individuals. Most shoppers this year aren’t just looking for a
steal. They want the smallest price on what they want.Accenture’s
Retail division’s managing director, Janet Hoffman, said:
“'Precision
shoppers' will dominate. They will be very targeted about where and
what they buy, and will be more inclined to shop around for the best
value."
Far fewer customers expected
This
year, according to the survey, only 44 percent of American customers
will hit the stores on Black Friday. That's down from 47 percent last
year, and 52 percent in 2009. Holiday buying won’t even be done until
Black Friday for most. That is the plan for 52 percent of shoppers.
Last year, that number was 42 percent.Of those delaying buying, 57
percent said it was because they are hoping for even better deals.
About 35 percent of those delaying shopping are simply trying to
discover ways to cover to cover it.
Spending based on economy
Spending
appears to be, more often than not, driven by the economy. Of those
surveyed, 72 percent said they would be more “careful” this season.
This spending will be more “controlled” as to prevent troubles. A full
40 percent cited bargains as their biggest concern."Retailers will also
need to be thoughtful about their use of discounts and promotions,"
Hoffman warned. "Discounts remain a top priority for the vast majority
of consumers."Spending is slowing due to several factors related to the
economy. That was the response for 43 percent. Eighteen percent of
responders will only buy “necessities” this year while 25 percent will
have a “thrifty” holiday.
Online shopping assistance
Another
cause of the lower turnout is that many will be doing their holiday
purchasing online. Of those surveyed, 59 percent say they plan to do
more than half of their holiday shopping online this season. From
2010’s 41 percent, that is a large increased.All retailers were told to
learn more about their industry. This might contain price-matching
efforts. The stores with smartphones and tablet computers will get 54
percent of consumers.“Retailers must not ignore the challenge presented
by the mobile shopper checking prices using their device in-store,”
Hoffman cautioned.
Citations