Rocket Fuel (NASDAQ:FUEL), a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) advertising and marketing solutions for global agencies and brands, today announced the release of its annual survey on consumers’ holiday shopping habits and preferences. The survey results revealed strong support for online shopping, with 91% of consumers planning to buy at least one gift online in 2014, and 40% planning to shop exclusively online. The survey also showed that consumers have an increased interest in and heightened awareness of online advertising and promotions during the holiday season.
“With over $100B at stake, 2014’s most successful digital marketers will tap into the online holiday zeitgeist to drive sales,” said Robert Jones, Senior Manager of Research and Insights at Rocket Fuel. “Consumers pay closer attention to advertising during the holiday season, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and smart promotional tactics will drive savvy shoppers to buy more this year than they did in 2013.”
According to the National Retail Federation, November and December retail sales are projected to be approximately $616.9 billion this year and online holiday spending is expected to grow by 11% to $105 billion in 2014. In line with this growth, Rocket Fuel’s survey results revealed three out of four (71%) holiday shoppers plan to spend as much or more in 2014 than they did last year.
Key findings of the survey include:
91% of Consumers Plan to Buy Holiday Gifts Online
The
majority of consumers will do at least some of their holiday shopping
online in 2014, with 40% planning to do either most or all of their
holiday shopping online. According to survey respondents, the most
popular online shopping destinations are: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and
Target.com.
Black Friday Online Shoppers to Spend 56% More than In-store
It’s
clear: Black Friday is moving online. Consumers who plan to exclusively
shop online plan to spend 56% more than consumers who are exclusively
in-store Black Friday shoppers.
63% of Consumers are More Open to Online Offers and Promotions During
Holidays
Nearly two thirds of consumers pay more attention to
advertising during the holidays, and 63% say they are more open to
online offers and promotions. Conversion rates also increase on both
Black Friday and Cyber Monday, for which Rocket Fuel has historically
seen a 100% conversion rate increase in certain verticals, including
Fashion, Travel & Lodging, and Retail.
42% of Consumers “Webroom” Before Purchasing a Product
Approximately
2 out of 5 consumers say they research products online either “very
often” or “quite often” before purchasing. This process, frequently
referred to as “webrooming,” involves researching a product online and
then heading to a retail location in person to make a purchase.
Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama Residents are Late
Shoppers
While every state shops differently, many southern
states are among the last to holiday shop. Idaho and Mississippi tend to
be the least likely to shop on Thanksgiving Day, but are the most likely
to shop on Black Friday.
For more information and to review the full report, please visit http://rocketfuel.com/blog/q4-2014-holiday-shopping-research-consumer-trends-to-watch.
Methodology
The survey findings cited herein are based on an
October 2014 survey of 1,228 consumers ages 18 and older regarding their
holiday shopping habits; results were compared with the previous year’s
study. Rocket Fuel does not take any responsibility for the survey
results, including without limitation, the accuracy, content, or means
of data collection. Further, Rocket Fuel does not make any warranty,
representation, guarantee, express or implied, about the survey results.
Any reliance on, or use of, the survey results and/or this press release
is entirely at your own risk.
About Rocket Fuel
Rocket Fuel delivers a leading
programmatic media-buying platform at Big Data scale that harnesses the
power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve marketing ROI in
digital media across web, mobile, video, and social channels. Rocket
Fuel powers digital advertising and marketing programs globally for
customers in North America, Europe, and APAC. Customers trust Rocket
Fuel’s Advertising That Learns® platform to achieve brand and
direct-response objectives in diverse industries from luxury cars to
financial services to retail. Rocket Fuel currently operates in more
than 20 offices worldwide and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
under the ticker symbol “FUEL.” For more information, please visit http://www.rocketfuel.com
or call 1-888-717-8873.
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Contacts:
Kenya Hayes, 650-481-6178
pr@rocketfuel.com