Local shoppers get set for an omnichannel Christmas
51% of global holiday shoppers plan to buy locally this year, as the coronavirus continues to loom large, according to new research from Rakuten Advertising.
The company surveyed 8,673 people across the UK, France, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the US.
In the run up to Christmas this year, 43% of British consumers plan to predominately shop from domestic brands, with 55% of UK households increasing spend with local businesses since the start of the pandemic.
With social distancing restrictions still in place, 51% of Brits have indicated a desire to shop both online and in-store this holiday season, with 36% likely to opt for Click and Collect options.
Just 21% feel it is unlikely they will venture onto the high street for gift shopping this year, and 32% are willing to change when they shop in physical stores to ensure they stay safe and avoid large crowds.
Anthony Capano, Managing Director, International at Rakuten Advertising, comments: “Consumers have indicated a desire to combine visiting the high street with shopping online this year, meaning connecting the online and offline experience will be key for the success of retailers.”
“Retailers should view online and in-store as one entity, and leverage data insights from one to fuel the other. They can also drive visits to the high street using online advertising.”
Marketplaces and social game plans
The research also found that 48% of shoppers now use online marketplaces such as Amazon as the primary source of inspiration during peak shopping. Referrals from friends and family (46%) and Amazon reviews (28%) are also hugely influential throughout the journey to purchase.
Whilst the influence of recommendations across social media has taken a backseat to marketplaces for gift inspiration in the lead up to the 2020 holiday season, these platforms are still important destinations for holiday shopping, with Facebook the most predominant (38%) followed by Whatsapp (35%) Instagram (31%) and YouTube (27%).