80% of shoppers are not letting Black Friday influence their shopping habits this Christmas, according to new research by retail marketing agency Leapfrogg.
The study looked at 661 premium shoppers’ habits across Black Friday, Boxing Day and the festive season in general.
Leapfrogg found that many shoppers aren’t taking the flash sales event into consideration when it comes to Christmas shopping. 40% said they had no intention of waiting until Black Friday to buy gifts, while another 40% said they might make a purchase if something takes their eye on the day, but wouldn’t base their shopping plans around it.
A further 10% stated they were waiting for the arrival of Black Friday to start their Christmas shopping or buy specific items.
“We looked at whether answers differed according to household income and gender, but opinions were similar across all segments,” said Rosie Freshwater, MD of Leapfrogg. “We’ve started to see a backlash in America and the UK, where larger retailers have decided to not take part in Black Friday. The research suggests retailers would be better off focusing on customer experience throughout the entire Christmas shopping period. By all means offer a Black Friday discount, but choose a specific range of items and ensure high earning products are available consistently at good value for the whole of the shopping season.”
When it comes to how customers are approaching their shopping this year, over half (52%) already started buying presents in October.
Leapfrogg’s study also revealed a quarter of premium shoppers may decide to shop at the Boxing Day sales, with a further 13% stating that money they receive for Christmas will be spent at this time. 40% won’t be shopping in the post-Christmas sales.
Personalisation is favoured by just over half of consumers, with 53% claiming it is important brands personalise their offers based on individual preferences and previous purchases. 12% felt it was unimportant, while 35% were not concerned either way.
Source: www.leapfrogg.co.uk