Valassis Research: Online Shoppers Prioritize Savings, Seamless Experiences

To Capture Holiday Spend, Retailers Should Leverage Valuable, Omnichannel Deals 

LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 12, 2019: Valassis, the leader in marketing technology and consumer engagement, released new research that arms retailers with a better understanding of consumer behavior as they plan for the busiest shopping season of the year – winter holidays. The findings highlight consumers’ online shopping behaviors and illuminate opportunities to spark action. 

The National Retail Federation is predicting $3.8 trillion in consumer spend during the 2019 holiday season, meaning competition among retailers will be fierce. On top of this, Valassis’ research findings show that consumers’ purchasing decisions are less brand-driven and more motivated by seamless experiences and savings. While 48% of all consumers begin their online shopping in search of a particular brand, 59% of consumers and 66% of Amazon Prime members state they are more price-driven than brand-driven.

With this in mind, there is an opportunity for retailers to drive sales this holiday season with targeted, omnichannel deals. In fact, 64% of consumers pounce on coupons and discounts and admit they are the best way to spur a purchase, and more than one-third of consumers cite direct mail as a way of learning about new online retailers or brands and for making shopping plans. In addition, 45% of urban consumers and 40% of Prime members are more likely to make a purchase after seeing an ad in both print and online (versus 32% of all consumers).

“While the online retail space becomes increasingly more crowded, there’s still plenty of headroom for retailers to compete with even the largest of brands,” said Dave Cesaro, executive director, vertical marketing, Valassis. “As the holiday shopping season quickly approaches, retailers should prioritize seamless online shopping experiences with valuable, omnichannel deals to attract and acquire new customers. Purchase decisions can be swayed if marketers are armed with the right online and offline insights, as shoppers use a mix of online media and print ads to find the most attractive offers and convenient services. This is especially true during the holiday gifting season.” 

Additional takeaways from Valassis’ research include: 

• For online retail, it’s not just Amazon or bust:
  • 58% of consumers noted lower pricing as the top reason to buy online from a retailer/website other than Amazon.
  • When it comes to choosing an online retailer, consumers are driven by incentives such as free shipping, free returns and coupons – with better-quality items carrying clout.
• Online consumers also shop in-store:
  • When it comes to supporting local businesses, 51% of Prime members and urban consumers – who typically buy items online – instead, stroll into the neighborhood store (compared to 40% of all consumers).
  • For apparel and shoes, 31% of consumers typically shop the same stores online as they frequent in-person.

• Prime members and urban consumers are key demographics for online retailers:
  • 50% of all consumers shop online across verticals including sporting goods, furniture, home improvement, electronics, apparel and shoes.
    • Among this group of online shoppers, Prime members and urban consumers are key demographics for retailers, with 70% completing these purchases online.
  • When making a purchase online, 71% of Prime members noted they usually browse shopping sites with a particular purchase in mind – emphasizing the importance of product type versus brand in purchasing decisions.

To view more insights from the study, download the Valassis e-book: Unpacking the Dynamic Online Shopper: Grocery & Retail. 

About the Study

The Valassis Awareness-to-Activation Study is an ongoing study fielded in conjunction with The NPD Group, Inc., a global market research company. The sample was derived via an online survey and all participants were at least 18 years of age and living in the contiguous United States. Approximately 10,000 respondents are surveyed annually. The specific data included in this report is from the research wave fielded Nov. 26, 2018 to Dec. 17, 2018 to over 1,800 respondents and is balanced by age and gender to U.S. Census demographic profiles.

About Valassis

Valassis is the leader in marketing technology and consumer engagement. We work with over 60,000 companies and brands in a wide array of industries, partnering to anticipate consumer intent, inspire action, and create demand. NCH Marketing Services, Inc. and Clipper Magazine are Valassis subsidiaries, and RetailMeNot Everyday™ is its consumer brand. Its signature Have You Seen Me? ^® program delivers hope to missing children and their families. Valassis and RetailMeNot are wholly owned subsidiaries of Harland Clarke Holdings.

Media Contact
Mary Broaddus
Valassis
broaddusm@valassis.com
734 591-7375