7 Things Retailers Should Take Away From Accenture’s 2013 Shopping Survey

With the holiday shopping season around
the corner, Accenture’s 2013 holiday shopping survey brings much needed good
news for retailers.  The results suggest
that we are on the path to recovery, and it really shows, as consumers are
feeling more comfortable spending this season. Here are 7 key facts from the
survey to help retailers build their marketing strategy for the upcoming
holidays.

1. Holiday
Spending Expected to Increase by 11%
1 in 5 consumers plans to spend more this season (compared to 2012).
The average spending on gifts this year is planned for $646, an 11%  increase over the $582 last year.
 


2. Consumers mindset shifts from ‘cautious’ to
‘sensible’

Consumers
are feeling more optimistic compared to last year, shifting the shopping
mindset to ‘sensible’.
 


3. Gift
Cards at the top of the shopping list
The number one item
on the consumers’ shopping list is gift cards with 56%. Followed by  Apparel(54%), Toys(44%) and Electronics(39%)

4. Black
Friday shopping has reached a five-year high
Black Friday is
becoming increasingly more important in the consumers’ minds, as 55% of the
consumers surveyed expect to hit the stores on Black Friday.


5. Big
discounts and deals crucial to more holiday shoppers in 2013
Although consumers’ outlook and spending are trending up, they are looking
for major discounts, upwards of 30% throughout the season to make a purchase.

 6. Discount
retailers remain the top destination for shoppers

76% of consumers said that they will making their shopping rounds at the
discount retailers.

7. Consumers will be shopping across channels
through ‘Webrooming’ and ‘Showrooming’
63% of consumers will be “Showrooming” or
browsing in store and then going online to get a better deal. 65% of consumers
will be “Webrooming” or browsing online and then going to the store to buy the
item.

 

Check out
the full survey here. What did
you think about Accenture’s findings? Did anything surprise you?

 

Dmitri Pivtorak, staying on top of the retail trends.

Related articles

How to drive retail sales on non-holiday weekends

How To Leverage Exclusivity To Boost Your Brand & Sales On Social Channels