NEW YORK – Many Americans have already started their holiday shopping, and increasing numbers are turning to the Internet for their gift purchases.
About 70 percent have started shopping, with 26 percent saying they will buy gifts online this year — up from just 4 percent in 1997. Young people (under age 34) are much more likely to buy online than other age groups, and those from higher income households are also more inclined to be online shoppers. Men and women are equally likely to shop online; however women are more likely to shop through mail order catalogs than are men.
Overall, 39 percent say they will purchase gifts via catalogs, the same percentage as four years ago. Women and baby boomers tend to prefer catalog shopping more than other groups.
"While the dot.com bubble in the stock market has burst, data show that the Internet as a shopping mechanism is continuing to grow, comments Opinion Dynamics President John Gorman. "Now that we’re past the unrealistic hype, it is clear that more and more Americans are finding this is a useful too for avoiding crowds, finding the merchandise at good prices, and generally simplifying their lives."
More than half of Americans (57 percent) set a budget limit for holiday shopping, and not surprisingly this is highly correlated to household income. Fully 70 percent of those making less than $25,000 set a budget limit compared to less than half of those with an income of over $100,000 a year. Just over half of men set a budget limit on their gift buying compared to 61 percent of women.
Few Americans have changed their travel plans because of the terrorist attacks. Fully 86 percent say they have not changed or considered changing their plans, only 9 percent have actually changed plans because of the events of recent months.
Polling was conducted by telephone November 28-29, 2001 in the evenings. The sample is 900 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of ± 3 percentage points.
1. Have you considered changing or have you changed your holiday travel plans in any way because of the events of recent months?
2. Have you already started your holiday shopping?
3. Do you set a budget limit for your holiday shopping or not?
4. How much money do you think you will spend on holiday gifts this year? (Open Ended)
5. Will you buy any of your holiday gifts through mail order catalogs?
6. Will you buy any of your holiday gifts over the Internet?
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox