Reports of In-Store Shopping’s Death…

Apologies to Mark Twain, but don’t pick out a headstone for in-store shopping. While some consumers are forgoing the crowds and lines in stores in favor of shopping online for their holiday-related purchases, many still enjoy the in-store experience.
 
According to a recent CivicScience survey of nearly 15,000 U.S. adult consumers, 27% plan to do as much of their holiday shopping as possible online this year, and 29% expect to conduct more than half of their holiday shopping online. But there are still those who like the in-store experience. The survey found that 21% of the population enjoy the holiday shopping hubbub and another 16% say that they tolerate it.
 
“In order to maintain relevance in an increasingly competitive omnichannel environment, retailers will want to emphasize their value to younger consumers,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, The NPD Group. “Focusing on gaining loyalty from these younger shoppers is important, and it’s something that all retailers should begin focusing on immediately.”
 
According to the data collected by CivicScience, consumers between ages 18 and 24 are most likely to love or enjoy shopping in stores during this holiday season – an interesting discovery since this age gro group tends to do more online shopping than older consumers. Those 45 to 54 are the next highest-ranking age group in terms of in-store shopping favorability. Women are 103% more likely than men to say they love or enjoy holiday shopping in stores. Conversely, 35 to 44 year olds and those with annual incomes over $75K tend to shop more online, with little gender difference.
 
“The latest survey results from NPD’s partners at CivicScience confirm that while in-store shopping is still attractive to some consumers, online shopping is growing in popularity and importance,” said Cohen. “Retailers seeking to set themselves apart and win favor with in-store shoppers have a clear opportunity to improve on the in-store experience.”