The survey shows that difficult economic conditions are a factor in the Internet's continued growth. More than one-third (36 percent) of consumers say they will shop more online and in catalogs this year in order to save on gas. In addition, because of the economic environment, more than half (52 percent) will be on the lookout for free shipping offers from online retailers.
Consumers are also looking for retailers to provide them with flexibility this holiday season. Almost three-quarters of consumers (70 percent) surveyed will, for example, conduct online research in advance of a store visit. Almost one in 10 (9 percent) say they'll use their mobile phone to assist with online/in-store shopping; among 18-29 year olds, this number rises to almost two in 10 (17 percent). These expectations are an extension of existing shopper behaviors: over half of consumers (56 percent) say they have used multiple shopping channels over the past year, most often purchasing a product in one channel (store, website, catalog) after viewing or researching it on another channel.
"Consumers want a seamless multichannel retail experience," said Stacy Janiak, Deloitte's U.S. Retail leader. "They want the option of touching and feeling a product in the store and then being able to order it at their convenience, and they don't want to be told that a product purchased online can't be returned to a local store. Particularly in this economic environment, a positive cross-channel experience can help retailers gain market share and differentiate their brands. Integrated channels also benefit retailers by allowing them to rationalize merchandise selection in their stores while fulfilling customer demand from an expanded online inventory."
Green Retailing Remains a Big - and Growing – Draw
The survey also found that the "green" movement continues to build momentum. More than four out of 10 consumers (44 percent) are willing to pay extra for green gifts this holiday season. Of those, half say they are willing to pay between 10 to 25 percent more, while the remaining half are willing to pay 5 percent more.
Additionally, almost four in 10 (38 percent) surveyed say they will use fewer plastic bags from supermarkets and other stores this year – a significant increase over the 27 percent who said the same last year. One in five consumers (20 percent) say they will purchase more "eco-friendly" products this holiday season than they did in the past. A similar number (21 percent) say they will consider not wrapping holiday gifts to conserve paper.
"The big question around the green movement has always been how it translates into revenues for retailers," said Janiak. "Our survey shows that a significant number of people will pay more for eco-friendly products, which tells us that this issue is becoming a key factor in consumers' purchasing decisions. Like multichannel retailing, environmentally friendly strategies can help retailers differentiate their brands, capture consumers' hearts and minds and increase share of wallet, particularly in this economic environment."
Clothing Continues to Be a Popular Gift; Nintendo's Wii Takes Top Honors
For the fifth year, clothing continued to be the second-most-popular gift category in the survey (gift cards have been #1 for five years); however, the popularity of clothing has fallen over the past several years. CDs/DVDs for music and movies were again #3 and toys and games were #4. Money and books were tied at #5.
