A quarter of UK shoppers will not do any research before hitting the high street for gifts this Christmas – but of the three-quarters that will, more than half of those will turn to retailer websites for Christmas gift ideas.
A survey of 1,500 UK consumers by customer insight specialists Kantar Media suggests that most shoppers (74%) will research Christmas gift ideas – with over half (54%) saying they will do so online via retailer’s websites.
Thirty-six per cent will rely on recommendations from family and friends before making purchases, 28% will be tempted by online store leaflets and 24% will be persuaded by TV ads. Seventeen per cent will pay attention to printed shop leaflets when shopping for gifts.
Just 8% of respondents said they would be using social networks to look for Christmas gift ideas, and only 4% said a radio ad would inspire them.
John Thekanady, client services director at Kantar Media Compete UK said the findings should urge retailers to develop “sound” online strategies in the run up to the festive period.
“While a quarter of Christmas shoppers do not intend to research their purchases beforehand, more than half indicate that they will rely on retailer websites to guide their purchasing decisions.
“Retailers need to implement sound strategies to drive shoppers to their websites during the Christmas shopping window, which now starts in October, and ensure visitors have a positive experience once they arrive on the site”, he said.
Meanwhile just one in five shoppers are planning to increase their spend on Christmas presents this year, according to Kantar.
UK shoppers plan to spend an average of £360 on festive gifts, with one in five (21%) of those saying they will complete their shopping by the end of October.
The bulk plan look for Christmas gift ideas in November (49%), with a brave 1% leaving their festive purchasing until Christmas Eve. Four per cent say they won’t be buying any gifts at all this year.