Consumers are speaking their minds about shopping on holidays.
A commissioned study from Retale has revealed anticipated consumer shopping behavior on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. Retale is a location-based mobile platform that conveniently helps shoppers save on purchases from their favorite retailers and brands, and their recent study polled 1,000 adult women and men across the U.S. between Nov. 2-6, 2015.
Majority Won’t Shop on Thanksgiving
In recent years, major retailers have opened their doors on Thanksgiving Day, promising holiday shoppers earlier access to seasonal deals and savings. But, are consumers willing to take advantage?
According to Retale’s survey, the majority—54% of all respondents—don’t plan on shopping in-store this year on Thanksgiving, versus 46% who say they do. When asked to identify what they think about retail stores being open on Thanksgiving Day, 46% also responded negatively, with 33% saying “I hate it” and 13% calling it “annoying.” Alternatively, 42% responded positively to Thanksgiving shopping, with 21% calling it “great” and another 21% saying that it’s “okay.”
When filtered by age, however, the numbers change significantly. 57% of Millennials (18-34 years old) said they plan to shop in-store on Thanksgiving Day versus 43% who say they don’t. For those 35-years and older, 39% plan to shop in-store on Thanksgiving, versus 61% who say they won’t. When asked to describe what they think about retail stores being open on Thanksgiving, 37% of Millennials responded negatively, with 24% saying “I hate it” and 13% calling it “annoying.” 52% responded positively, with 24% saying “it’s great” and 28% calling it “okay.” Of those over the age of 35, the majority (51%) found Thanksgiving Day shopping to be a negative experience (38% “hate” and 13% “annoying”), with just 35% responding positively (19% “great” and 16% “okay”).
“Our data reveals that, compared to other age groups, Millennials are more interested in shopping in-store on Thanksgiving Day,” said Pat Dermody, president of Retale. “Shopping on Thanksgiving has become a social experience that Millennials are able to enjoy with their friends, while searching for the best holiday deals on things they care a lot about, like electronics and video games.”
18% More Likely to Shop on Black Friday
When asked if they plan on shopping in-store on Black Friday this holiday season, overall, 64% say that they will, with just 36% saying they won’t. Compared to Thanksgiving Day (46%), respondents are 18% more likely to shop on Black Friday than they are on Thanksgiving.
In an age-based breakdown, 75% of Millennials say they plan on shopping on Black Friday versus just a quarter (25%) who won’t. Those 35 and over, however, indicated that they were much less likely to shop on Black Friday – 56% will versus 44% won’t – with 44% calling the day “too stressful.”
“Compared to Millennials, shoppers 35 and over are typically more experienced buyers,” said Dermody. “Even though there are great deals during Black Friday, this group knows that there are other opportunities to get great savings without all the stress – especially with more retailers pulling Black Friday sales forward and continued strong promotions into December.”
75% to Use Mobile Devices This Black Friday
For those that plan on shopping in-store during Black Friday, 75% say they’ll use a smartphone or tablet to access online services for store locations, price comparisons, coupons and more, while only 25% say they won’t. Among Millennials, the percentage embracing mobile to support Black Friday brick-and-mortar shopping was unsurprisingly higher at 88%.
The most common Black Friday mobile shopping activities among all respondents were: comparing prices (64%); finding deals (63%); accessing coupons (60%); researching products online (51%); making shopping lists (45%); buying directly from devices (41%); finding store locations (33%); and getting or sharing live updates through social networks (23%).
“Regardless of the day, whether it’s Black Friday or Thanksgiving, mobile is critical for holiday shoppers and therefore tablestakes for brick-and-mortar retailers,” said Dermody. “It has to be a part of the customer journey at every stage, from research to purchase.”