October 26, 2021
3 minute read
New Data Reveals U.S. Consumers are Holiday Shopping Early this Year and Spending More
Nearly 60% of Consumers Plan to Spend Up To 20% More Than Last Year
BOSTON – October 26, 2021 – Today, JRNI, an experiential relationship management (XRM) platform for scheduling and managing personalized experiences, announces surprising data results from its holiday survey research, conducted by independent research firm Censuswide. The survey pulled insights from 1000 U.S. and 1000 U.K. consumers. The U.S. data reveals the following key findings:
- Consumers are ready to spend more
68% plan to spend the same as last year, or increase their budget for the holiday season
59% plan to spend up to 20% more than last year
- Consumers are gearing up for early holiday shopping, due to reports of supply shortages and fears of another lockdown
62% report planning to do much of their shopping early, while 7% report being done with their shopping already
- Consumers are ready to shop in-person
Despite using eCommerce early in the pandemic, 41% said they’d like to shop in-store this holiday season
Nearly half of the respondents identified human contact as important in the retail shopping experience
Clothing, shoes and furniture are the most sought after in-person shopping categories
“It’s clear that this holiday shopping season will look much different than it has in the last 2-3 years, as a result of the looming threats of product shortages and ongoing concerns around the pandemic,” said John Federman, CEO at JRNI. “Consumers are already getting their shopping completed earlier than usual and are planning to spend more doing so – likely, a result of inflation and product availability. And while many are planning to shop in-person, our data shows that safety while shopping, and the ability to pre-schedule appointments, continues to be a priority.”
When asked about changes in shopping priorities, 40% of respondents cited safety as more of a concern, revealing a continued demand for shopping safety solutions. Appointment scheduling software has provided crowd management and virtual shopping solutions for retailers throughout the pandemic and continues to be a solution that consumers rely on for its safety and convenience. The report shows:
One-third of consumers feel that offering appointments means that the retailer is taking the safety of staff and consumers seriously
One-quarter of consumers think that offering appointments means that retail is proactively managing capacity in store
44% are more likely to schedule an appointment to visit a store than prior to the pandemic
59% of consumers prefer to pre-schedule an appointment rather than wait in line
The online survey was conducted by the independent research firm Censuswide in October 2021. The online survey questioned 1000 consumers in each region (US and UK). The respondent sample was managed to ensure equal weighting between the gender and age of respondents.
About JRNI
JRNI is the experiential relationship management (XRM) platform for scheduling and managing personalized experiences at scale. With apps for facilitating appointments, queuing, and events, plus an industry-leading analytics tool, JRNI helps businesses offer remote and in-person experiences that build stronger customer relationships, improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, and increase revenue and efficiency. To learn more, visit www.jrni.com.