A new survey demonstrates stores still matter to holiday shoppers, as many consumers want high-touch shopping experiences and look forward to the excitement that comes with in-person gift discovery.
Marketing services and omnichannel media creator Quad/Graphics and The Harris Poll announced the results of a new survey, with more than 2,000 consumers in the United States polled, support the idea that holiday shoppers still want to explore novel gift-giving ideas in traditional ways by visiting stores and also by paging through catalogs.
In the survey, 74% of consumers described in-store shopping as the best way to get into the holiday spirit. Three in four said store visits help them feel connected to family and friends. In other results, according to Quad:
- 76% of consumers said going to stores feels like a holiday ritual.
- 64% of consumers said going to stores during the holidays helps them reconnect with people and experiences, with the sentiment even higher among Millennials (76%) and GenZers (70%).
- 63% of consumers said they are more likely to find unique or one-of-a-kind gifts in stores than on digital platforms.
- 66% of consumers said that some of their favorite gifts have come from unexpected in-store discoveries, a figure that rises to 71% among GenZers.
At the same time physical catalogs remain significant holiday shopping tools, with 70% of consumers rating them as a good starting point for gift purchasing. Print catalogs are especially popular among younger consumers with 54% of GenZers and 51% of Millennials saying they get excited when one arrives in the mail.
This year, many consumers see virtues in catalog shopping, with 51% of those surveyed saying they’ll rely more on catalogs this year to cut down on web scrolling. Moveover, 68% of consumers find paging through them is more relaxing than scrolling. In terms of discovery, 69% of consumers responding to the survey agreed catalog browsing often spark gift ideas they would not have found online, while 64% said catalogs help them narrow choices faster than online shopping. Quad noted 66% of consumers said they would love a personalized catalog curated just for them
In their particular take, younger consumers related to catalogs as an interactive marketing channel, with 49% of GenZers and 39% of Millennials scanning QR codes or visiting websites directly from catalog pages, Quad pointed out, adding catalogs are physical brand touchpoints central to the holiday experience. As such, 39% of consumers keep them in their homes throughout the season, the same proportion who share them with household members. Then, 37% use them to start conversations about wish lists with kids or family.
As for promotional events, the survey suggested consumers are less confident that limited-duration sales such as offered during Black Friday and Cyber Monday will deliver the best shopping results, with 75% saying they feel transactional rather than joyful, and 74% dismissing them as more hype than genuine substance. Rather, 72% of consumers said they often find better deals outside of the major holiday shopping events, and 84% prefer when retailers spread meaningful deals across November and December instead of concentrating them on just a couple of specific occasions.
“Consumers are rekindling their love and joy of discovery,” said Josh Golden, Quad/Graphics chief marketing officer. “They’re craving experiences that go beyond their digital screens so they can see, touch and feel the products they’re considering for their family and friends, whether that’s browsing in-store or paging through a catalog at home. For brands and retailers, it’s a cue to balance digital with physical and to design moments that engage all the senses and build lasting trust with the consumer.”
