The Evolution of the Holiday Shopper

While the twinkling lights and tinsel make 2011 seem like a typical year for holiday shopping, the truth is it's not. The biggest difference this year is with consumers themselves, specifically where and how they spend their money and how retailers are competing for those dollars.

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs and commissioned by Offers.com asked consumers about their holiday spending plans. The survey found that 49 percent of shoppers have been making holiday purchases throughout the year and have looked for online coupons, special sales and deals to get the best prices on those purchases.

Should this come as a surprise? With the current state of the economy it’s obvious that consumers are becoming more deal savvy, constantly looking for ways to tighten their belts. Where are holiday shoppers finding those great deals? How do online coupon sites and daily-deal emails play a role in this year’s holiday shopping?

More Consumers are Turning to Online Shopping
Online shopping often provides better value, selection and convenience than shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Online coupons offer extra discounts that often can't be found elsewhere. According to comScore, online retail spending reached an estimated $36.3 billion for the third quarter, up 13 percent over 2010. This represented the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. There's no denying that online shopping is quickly becoming the preferred way for consumers to shop 'til they drop during the very busy holiday season.

Consumers are Doing Their Homework
The Offers.com survey found that 87 percent of consumers plan on spending less or the same amount on holiday gifts as they did last year. This means consumers will be looking to get the best deals. The retail environment supports these bargain shoppers by releasing details of select product discounts far in advance of upcoming holidays. Black Friday shoppers were able to check sale prices and other savings opportunities from many of the top retailers weeks in advance of heading out in the wee hours of the morning that day.

Wal-Mart released its Black Friday deals two weeks prior to the busiest shopping day of the year. Similar information was released by Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Sears and many more. What's more, websites like Offers.com put together Black Friday 2011 Deals and Cyber Monday 2011 Deals microsites where online coupons, coupon codes and deals were available.

The Rise of Daily Deals
Since consumers are keeping an eye out for holiday gifts year-round, many have begun to check out daily-deal sites. Offers.com found that nearly 30 percent of consumers have used daily-deal sites to save on purchases. Consumers can also get substantial discounts on items they can gift — vouchers purchased are usually good for three months or more.

As the holidays draw closer you’ll see more and more content on daily-deal sites geared toward holiday gifts. It’s a great way for retailers to catch consumers’ attention at a time when there’s so much hype out there.

Every indicator predicts that stores will be packed and this year’s holiday shopping season will be a busy one. With retailers offering the same deals online, plus great online coupons and deals for consumers to get even better prices and free shipping, be prepared to see more and more people turning to the internet to do their holiday shopping this season.

Steve Schaffer is founder and CEO of Offers.com and DailyDeals.com.