About a third of shoppers will do their holiday shopping this year from their computer or mobile devices, and many of them will start buying early—but that doesn’t mean they’ll finish early.
RetailMeNot.com, a coupons site, surveyed 1,005 shoppers between Aug. 16 and Aug. 20, and finds that 31 percent of consumers will do their holiday shopping online, with 39 percent expected to start their holiday shopping before November. The survey notes that women are more likely than men to start early (46 percent compared to 31 percent).
The study also finds that 23 percent of shoppers say they’ll start their holiday shopping in early November, while 12 percent say they’ll wait until Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday, the Monday after the holiday. Fifteen percent say they will wait until Cyber Monday.
However, 54 percent of respondents say they won’t finish their holiday shopping until between Black Friday and the day on which they give their loved ones presents. Only 32 percent say they’ll be done by Cyber Monday.
Kristen Remeza, editor-in-chief of RetailMeNot Insider, the site’s publication, says the economy will prompt more of those shopping online to look for discounts and coupons for their gift purchases.
“We believe that compelling merchant deals or offers that drive sales will take center stage this holiday season,” she adds.
