Holiday Shopping: 3 Lessons Consumers Taught Us

Our research shows the holiday shopping season has already arrived as consumers make early purchases and form attitudes that will influence their later in-store behaviors and decisions.

Holiday shoppers don't arrive at stores as blank slates; they arrive with preconceived attitudes, intentions, and routines which, in turn, heavily guide their in-store decisions and behaviors. Before they’re technically shoppers, and well before they become customers, they are simply consumers with a need—a need they may not be aware of. And mobile research makes it both convenient and affordable to learn about consumers before they arrive at stores this holiday season. We call this the "the zero point of influence," the earliest and perhaps most formative step in the consumer's buying journey.

1. The When of Gift-Buying

The zero point of influence is an opportunity to ask holiday shoppers about, for instance, their gift-buying patterns, plans, and expectations. By way of example, Field Agent® was interested to know when consumers complete most of their holiday shopping. So we asked 250 agents. The results demonstrate that, regardless of income level, “November after Thanksgiving” (Black Friday) is most popular (32%). However, when grouped into broader categories, results reveal many shoppers (35%) who finish the largest part of their gift-buying “prior to Thanksgiving.” 

2. Pre-Thanksgiving Advertising and Buying Events 

Such results might encourage retailers and brands to move forward their holiday plans and promotions, reflecting a growing national trend. As Jerry Sheldon was quoted in the Retail Touchpoints 2014 Holiday Guide: “Last year it was demonstrated that the sanctity of Thanksgiving is probably gone as large numbers of shoppers headed out earlier than ever…I expect to see a full court press on online ‘door buster’ type deals probably early the week of Thanksgiving this year.” But what do consumers think of these trends? Not only is the zero point of influence an opportunity to learn consumers’ patterns, plans, and expectations, but it’s also a chance to gauge their attitudes and opinions.

For instance, we asked the same 250 consumers to share their attitudes about advertising and other promotional communications prior to Thanksgiving. Overall, 60% of the sample views pre-Thanksgiving advertisements in an unfavorable light, compared with only 26% who see it favorably. Consumers were then asked to offer their opinions about pre-Thanksgiving buying events (e.g., door busters), resulting in a more positive outcome. 47% said they view such buying opportunities favorably, while 36% indicated an unfavorable attitude toward them.

3. Holiday Shopping VS Fall-Time Shopping

The zero point of influence is a chance to make important connections. We were, for example, curious whether holiday planning and budgeting influences overall consumer spending in the early fall months. So we asked our sample, and 59% said that, with the holidays around the corner, they generally hold back or curtail their fall-time spending.

Those who reign in spending to prepare for the holidays were then asked, specifically, where they cut back. Their free form, qualitative responses aggregated around several themes. More than any other category, respondents mentioned scaling back on food, beverages, and dining out. Clothing, toys/games, entertainment, and home décor were also commonly mentioned among agents. In their own words:

Throughout the 2014 holiday season, watch the Field Agent blog for articles and research demonstrating how mobile market research affords retailers and brands access to their customers at all the crucial steps in the buying journey: as they dream, plan, and budget for holiday purchases (zero point of influence); as they shop for and purchase gifts (first point of influence); and as they enjoy or otherwise use these gifts at-home or elsewhere (second point of influence). 

For more Holiday insights: