Surveys Differ on the Popularity of Online Shopping

About 35 percent of consumers will buy holiday gifts online this year, up from 33 percent last year, according to a survey of 5,000 U.S. households released last week by business research and analysis firm The Conference Board. Even more revealing, a separate survey of 1,000 adult consumers with Internet access released last week by comparison shopping toolbar company Vendio, shows that 78 percent of consumers plan to shop for holiday gifts online this year.

The surveys revealed the following about consumer spending:

From The Conference Board survey:
* U.S. households are expected to spend an average of $449 on gifts during the holiday season, down from last year’s estimated spending of $466;
* 36 percent will spend between $200 and $500;
* 33 percent will spend less than $200;
* 31 percent of all households will spend $500 or more;
* The top spenders reside in New England households, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, which intend to spend $545; and
* The lowest spenders will be in the Mountain region, including Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, which intend to spend $348.

From the Vendio survey
Of the 78 percent of consumers (with Web access) who plan to shop online:
* 39 percent plan to spend up to $100 on holiday purchases;
* 23 percent plan to spend $400 or more:
* 22 percent plan to spend between $100 and $200; and
* 16 percent plan to spend between $200 and $400.

Other key data revealed by the surveys:

Of the 35 percent of consumers polled by The Conference Board survey who plan to conduct holiday shopping online:
* 40.1 percent will purchase books;
* 36.8 percent will purchase toys and games;
* 35 percent will purchase apparel and footwear;
* 28.6 percent will purchase movie videocassettes and DVDs;
* 24.5 percent will purchase music CDs;
* 19.4 percent will purchase electronics; and
* 15.1 percent will purchase flowers and gift baskets.

Of the 78 percent of consumers from the Vendio survey who plan to shop on the Internet:
* 43 percent will shop online between 9 p.m. and midnight;
* 42 percent will shop online between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; and
* 22 percent will shop online between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Sources:
The Conference Board holiday gift spending survey, http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=3012
Vendio’s “Online Holiday Shopping Plans” survey, http://www.vendio.com/company/pr/pr90.html