New Qualtrics Survey finds only 16% of shoppers won’t be out shopping on Black Friday.
Qualtrics has released the results of its 2012 Holiday Shopping Survey. The research shows that most American consumers have a strong emotional attachment to Black Friday shopping—almost half say the hoopla of discounts and television ads gets them “excited to get holiday shopping underway.”
Only 15% of shoppers said they find the Black Friday experience “frightening” when it comes to the lines, stampedes, and fighting in the aisles that typically make the news. Almost a third of those surveyed say they will be standing in line waiting for doors to open on Black Friday.
“American marketers have done a masterful job at crafting the traditional kick-off of holiday shopping into an event most shoppers revere,” said Danielle Wanderer, chief marketing officer at Qualtrics. “There’s no other single day of the year when American shoppers drop their mouse and head to their favorite brick-and-mortar retailer.”
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday
In fact, 74% of shoppers surveyed rated their Black Friday experience as “somewhat satisfying” to “very satisfying,” proving most haven’t been put off by the hustle, bustle, and scuffle inside stores. Overall, more American shoppers (56%) said they’d be standing in line or dropping by stores at some point on Black Friday versus those that will be shopping online only (28%).
But online shopping on Cyber Monday gets an even better customer satisfaction rating than that of Black Friday. Over 90% of shoppers rated their online shopping experience as “somewhat satisfying” to “very satisfying.” Only 16% of consumers say they won’t be doing any shopping at all on Black Friday.
Lose the Holiday Cheer
When it comes to in-store holiday cheer, American consumers turn into Scrooge, as only 5% say that improving the joyful holiday atmosphere in-store would get retailers more of their business. And like the cranky Scrooge, consumers really want to keep money in their pockets with more than half of shoppers (52%) saying that discounts would be most influential when making decisions about where to shop during the holidays.
While discounts are the most critical influence on consumer buying decisions this holiday season, shoppers surveyed did say quality products, helpful sales staff, and convenience can influence their decision of where to buy as well.
Mobile is Trailing in the Holiday Shopping Race
Mobile shopping is expected to surge this holiday season, but a quarter of shoppers surveyed say they’ll research gifts with their phone or tablet device, and then travel to the store to buy. Only 10% of shoppers said they’ll be purchasing holiday gifts on their mobile device.
With the economic recovery still slow to take hold, what kind of bounty should most families expect under the tree this year? About two-thirds of shoppers, or 62%, said they plan to spend up to $600 on holiday gifts. Only about 14% say they’ll spend $1,000 or more this holiday season.
