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| GartnerG2 Says U.S. Online Shoppers Will Spend an Average of $235 for Holiday Internet Purchases |
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STAMFORD, CONN., November 14, 2002 — U.S. consumers planning to buy gifts over the Internet expect to spend an average of $235 for online shopping this holiday season, according to a survey by GartnerG2 a research service of Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT and ITB). Online spending by those consumers will account for more than a quarter of the total $800 they plan to spend on gifts.
In September 2002, GartnerG2 surveyed 1,317 adults in the United States by telephone to gauge their spending intentions this holiday season. According to the survey, 98 percent of consumers who bought holiday gifts online in 2001 plan to do so in 2002. "Convenience factors are the primary motivators for overall online buying," said David Schehr, research director for GartnerG2. "During the holidays, convenience is even more important to consumers. Saving time and effort in gift-buying activities was cited by consumers as the No. 1 reason why they opt to go online for a portion of their gift purchasing." According to the survey, 58 percent of consumers planning to buy gifts online considered as very important the ability to find what they wanted in a catalog and then order it via the Web. "As call center order operations begin to get backed up with the pre-holiday traffic, an important option for retailers is to provide online service and communicate to consumers," said Schehr. While factors such as shopping any time of the day or night and avoiding crowds and long lines at stores were cited as motivating factors for consumers to shop online, consumers cited having gifts sent directly to recipients and finding gift suggestions and guides online as the least important factors driving online shopping habits. "So retailers emphasizing the online channel this holiday season should continue to focus marketing messages and site design toward making the buying experience as fast and easy as possible," Schehr said. Worldwide online holiday sales in 2002 are projected to total $38.2 billion, a 48.4 percent increase from 2001. North America consumers are expected to spend $15.7 billion online. GartnerG2 is a research service from Gartner that helps business strategists guide and grow their businesses. For more information on the report and about GartnerG2 services, please visit www.gartnerG2.com. Gartner, Inc. is a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,500 clients leverage technology to achieve business success. Gartner's businesses are Research, Consulting, Measurement, Events and Executive Programs. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and has 4,000 associates, including more than 1,000 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. Fiscal 2002 revenue totaled $907 million. For more information, visit www.gartner.com. |
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Contact: Allison Haines Gartner +1 203 316 6216 allison.haines@gartner.com |
