Insight on festive shopping habits from commercial insurer NFU Mutual, shows that almost half (46%) of consumers have planned to use a mixture of browsing and buying both online and in physical shops – highlighting the importance of both the high street and e-commerce.
Surveying more than 2,000 consumers, the study revealed that women are generally more likely than men to take a multi-channel shopping approach, (53% vs 39% respectively), with men 20% more likely than women to shop online. The vast majority of consumers (72%) planned to do about the same amount of Christmas shopping as last year, with 14% planning to increase their online purchases.
Popularity for buying from physical shops is led by the ability to ‘try before you buy’ (63%), and the convenience of purchasing on the spot (52%), while people are most put off by overcrowded shops (44%), the cost of parking (31%) and lengthy queues (31%).
Online shoppers most enjoy the convenience and accessibility (60%), and cheaper product cost (56%), with main barriers including worry about deliveries arriving on time (24%), concerns around payment security (19%), and damages during delivery (17%).
NFU Mutual retail and wholesale specialist Frank Woods commented: “As we draw ever closer to Christmas, many will still be considering where and how to go about their Christmas shopping. E-commerce has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years and, as a result, has made it much easier for consumers to purchase products in a manner convenient to them. However, this latest survey shows how consumers still value shopping in physical shops as it gives them the opportunity to ‘try before they buy’ and conveniently make purchases on the spot.
“It’s fantastic to see consumers still love the high street, but it is imperative that retailers address the concerns of shoppers such as overcrowding or car parking costs and also consider whether a multi-channel or omni-channel retail strategy would help them to appeal to more customers next year, which also brings fresh challenges such as tackling delivery expectations and online security.”
