New research has been released by one of the major marketing research companies in the world and it has found that this holiday season in the U.S. will be different from most others. More, perhaps, than any other year, retailers and ecommerce merchants will need to be out ahead of the potential shoppers. Way ahead.
Global marketing research and strategy giant, Accenture, has recently discovered a few things about this season’s shoppers:
- People are looking to spend reasonably this season with 44% of those surveyed stating that they intend to spend more than last year. It is not certain if they will spend more because of price hikes and stagnant wages or they are feeling flush and confident with the recent election regime change.
- One thing you can note for certain is that discounts and special bargains will be driving the shopping this season. If you are thinking of charging your regular retail prices, you had best sharpen your pencil and come up with a new pricing plan. A full 42% said they never have and never will pay full retail at the holiday season.
- In that vein, an astonishing 72% said they would go to a site or a store they haven’t been to in a least a year, or have never been to, if the discounts and special promotions motivated them enough to do so. Around 55% stated that they would be willing to share some personal information with the business if it meant getting a discount or taking part in a special promotion that will save them money this season.
- Everyone spoken to stated that they will shop both online and off. The thing they did reveal, however, is that, if they purchase online from a business that also has retail locations, they will make additional purchases when they come into the store to pick up the orders they placed online.
- Long lines at your retail outlet will be courting certain disaster. Too much of that going on already. Open up another register will you? This season, the research found, that almost 100%, said they will have no tolerance for long lines. In addition, if you charge them for shipping they will likely cancel the order. Free shipping is here to stay so you need to deal with it.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
