Nearly three-quarters of consumers (73%) plan to do their Christmas shopping both online and in-store this year, according to a survey conducted by Vista Retail Support.
The majority of respondents (71%) say they prefer in-store over online shopping because it allows them to inspect the products before buying, while 46% of consumers say it’s the holiday atmosphere that draws them to the High Street during the Christmas shopping season. 44% say they shop in-store to avoid delivery times involved with online shopping.
Only 22% will be avoiding the High Street altogether in favour of online retailers this year.
“While the growth of e-commerce has given some people the impression that consumers are abandoning the High Street, most shoppers still want stores to be a part of their holiday shopping,” said James Pepper, Technical Services Director at Vista Retail Support.
“Christmas really does draw consumers to the High Street, but in order to take advantage of the exposure, retailers need to be making use of technologies like contactless payment and click-and-collect to build a great customer experience that will keep shoppers coming back once the holidays are over.”
65% of consumers plan on using a contactless payment method while Christmas shopping this year, a rise from last year’s 35%. The top reasons for going contactless are to buy lower-priced gifts and items (38%), purchase food or snacks (36%) or to speed up transactions if the customer is in a rush (24%).
Only 35% say they never use contactless payment while shopping.
Nearly half (49%) of consumers say they will be taking advantage of click-and-collect during the festive season. For 49% of click-and-collect users, the technology will be used to have an item delivered to a local shop in order to avoid the holiday crowds.
“Technology plays a vital role in providing customers with an enjoyable and modern shopping experience,” said Pepper. “While many retailers have been keen on adopting this technology, others are falling behind, particularly when it comes to using technology to market their brand.”
More than half of shoppers (59%) say they would be persuaded to enter a store if they had recently received an offer or promotion from the retailer on their smartphone, though 42% of respondents say they have never received such an offer before.
“It’s clear that although consumers are eager to receive offers through their smartphones, many retailers are ignoring this important marketing tool,” added Pepper.
“Vista can offer retailers the level of expertise they require to ensure their in-store technology remains up-to-date and fully functioning, helping them provide a robust shopping experience for their customers.”
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