Almost all Christmas shoppers will shop in store for presents despite the perception that e-commerce will dominate Festive season sales, according to research findings from TEG Insights.
An Omnibus survey of 1,000 Australians found that 97% of respondents will purchase their Christmas gifts in a traditional retail store. When they do go online to purchase Christmas gifts 88% will choose the websites of major retailers.
In a growing trend, 40% of shoppers will use social media to read peer reviews, user comments and personal stories before heading to the shops. The figure rises to 74% of respondents in the 18-34 age bracket.
Sponsored content in social media is also highly influential in the decision to buy a gift. While 33% of people said they made a purchase after reading recommendations and reviews by other consumers, 30% made a purchase after seeing sponsored content in social media.
Andrew Reid, General Manager TEG Analytics and Insights, said the findings reveal the nuances and micro trends influencing the decision-making of shoppers.
“The negative sentiment that has surrounded the retail sector in recent times is not reflected in the TEG Insights findings,” said Reid.
“There is no doubt e-commerce has a significant share of Christmas sales, but the survey shows that the traditional retail store is the top sales channel for Christmas this year.”
On average, Australians plan to spend $636 on gifts, with that spend typically shared across nine gift recipients.
Respondents in New South Wales plan to spend the most at an average total spend of $750.
Queensland, ACT and Tasmania have budgeted the lowest amount at an average spend of $538.
TEG Insights is wholly owned by TEG, Asia Pacific’s leading Ticketing, Live Entertainment and Data Analytics business.
