Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Shops preferred to the internet for Christmas shopping

20 Nov 2001, 12:00 am

Despite forecasts of economic gloom, Christmas shoppers are planning to spend the same amount as they did last year, according to new research from Accenture. Its study found that 11% of respondents would make the internet their first choice shopping destination, compared to 83% citing physical shops. Forty-three percent said they do not plan to shop more on the internet than they did last year, on the most part because they prefer physical shops.

Almost one-quarter (23%) of respondents said that they do expect to shop more on the internet than they did last year. Of those, 63% cited the convenience of on-line shopping, 15% said they find more sales and promotions on-line, and 11% enjoyed the ability to make purchases online and have items shipped directly to friends and family. Thirty-three percent of respondents planned to shop on-line the same amount as last year.

The largest percentage of respondents – 44% - said their Christmas spending would be the same as last year, predicting a total spend of between $200 and $499. Forty-three percent said that, due to the economic downturn, they would look for more sales and promotions.