Brits walk close to a marathon shopping for loved ones over Xmas, but over three quarters of a million do the majority of their shopping on Christmas Eve, according to new research.
The study, from Udozi indicates that 2.76 million Brits do the majority of their Christmas shopping in the January sales for this Christmas and next.
One in ten men who celebrate Christmas like to leave the majority of their present shopping to the last minute.
31 per cent of UK consumers expect to make 5 or more shopping trips to complete their Xmas shopping.
14 per cent of Brits who celebrate Christmas have to visit 4 to 5 shops before they find the specific item they’re looking for.
New ‘Christmas Footstep’ research from shopping inspiration app, Udozi, reveals that on average every year Brits walk just under 20 miles to complete their Christmas shopping, equating to an average of 1,572 calories**, or almost a day’s food intake. Our dedication to family and friends over the festive season is evident after the results found that almost a third of consumers (31 per cent) make 5 or more separate shopping trips to buy gifts for loved ones. The research was commissioned by Udozi and conducted in conjunction with YouGov, polling the views of 2179 online UK adults who celebrate Christmas.
Miles more for deliberation
Deliberating over what to buy goes a long way in explaining the amount of miles Brits cover. Almost a third (32 per cent) are influenced to shop at particular times of the year because they find it hard to know what to buy people. In fact, the findings reveal that typically 1 in 3 (33 per cent) usually rely on retailer Xmas displays for gift inspiration and buy items that catch their eye, rather than having exact products in mind.
Picking presents is especially troublesome for 18-24 year olds who celebrate Christmas, where over two in five (43 per cent) agreed they shop at particular times of the year because they find it difficult to choose the ideal gifts, although 15 per cent of this demographic surveyed usually browse on their phones to help find products while they’re out Christmas shopping. However, separate Udozi research results reaffirm that the high street is still king, with the majority of Brits preferring to do their shopping this way[1]. The YouGov findings also reveal that while almost half of UK consumers (48 per cent) usually have an idea of the presents they want to purchase, they will head to the high street to browse and pick the exact gifts that they’re looking for.
Just over a quarter (26%) of Brits who celebrate Christmas arm themselves with specific Christmas lists, and not being able to find products in stock or on the shelves appear to be adding to their legwork. Bad news for our tootsies, the research shows that 14 per cent have to visit between 4-5 shops when looking for a specific item, before they find what they’re looking for. The online research also issues a warning for high-street retailers, who risk losing sales to e-commerce sites, after 53 per cent of respondents unable to find products at Christmas or in the January sales would look to purchase products online if they couldn’t find them in stores.
Bargain hunters on the prowl
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that one in 10 men (10%) profess to leaving their shopping to the last minute, and an astonishing 766,000 Brits leave the majority of their Christmas shopping until Xmas Eve. It seems also that there are plenty of bargain hunters among us, after a staggering 1.8 million Brits in the Udozi poll stated that they buy Xmas presents 11 months early in the January sales, while 976,000 UK shoppers prefer to take advantage of the winter sales and purposely give presents late in order to save money each year. Women seem to be the thriftier gender, after 36 per cent of female respondents who celebrate Christmas revealed that they shop at certain times of year because they like to find cheaper deals for Christmas presents.
Alan Gabbay, Founder, Udozi stated, “Next time you’ve finished a long day of Christmas shopping, don’t feel guilty about putting your feet up when you get home – you’ve earned it. For many people, the charm of Christmas centres around choosing cherished gifts for our loved ones. However, battling the crowds, trying to find specific items in stock and not knowing exactly what to buy can take its toll – especially on our feet! For shoppers who hope to save some time, money and miles shopping, it’s worth planning your route and checking whether retailers have your products in stock and at what price, before you head in store. Mobile apps and services are available which allow you to reserve and collect your gifts ahead of time, giving you the peace of mind that your items are available, while also saving you time and energy when you’re out and about”.
Methodology
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2264 adults, of which 2179 celebrate Christmas. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th – 30th November 2012. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
www.udozi.com
