79% of Consumers Say They’re Comfortable Shopping In Stores

Some 79% of consumers say they’re comfortable shopping in stores this holiday season according to a survey by Square and Wakefield Research. A further 40% of consumers say they will at least do half of their shopping in-store.

The findings of the survey dispel fears by retailers that this holiday season will see a drop in in-store purchases. This as 56% of retailers are expecting many consumers to not shop in-store at all. More importantly, 52% of those surveyed are more likely to support small and local businesses this holiday season than the past year.

79% of Consumers Comfortable Shopping in Stores

According to the survey both retailers and consumers see mask requirements as their top safe-shopping measure. On average 53% of shoppers want masks required in stores, and 48% of retailers are planning to enforce the mandatory wearing of masks.

Other findings of the survey include:

• 60% of the respondents say they typically support small businesses in their holiday shopping all the time, often, or half the time.
• 71% of U.S. retailers offering online options are concerned about delays from shipping carriers causing items to arrive late – a concern shared by 63% of consumers.
• 43% of retailers say they predict consumers will expect more items to be available for pickup this year.
• 32% of consumers say a curbside pickup option makes them more comfortable shopping locally.
• E-gift card sales are expected to continue to gain popularity this holiday season.  On Black Friday e-gift sales increased by 115% and Cyber Monday spiked by 112% from last year.

Will Online Shopping be the New Norm?

As more and more consumers are opting to do shopping online, retailers too are taking the cue. In fact, only 22% of retailers say they don’t intend to offer an online shopping option for their customers this holiday season.

Some 47% of consumers say they’re more likely to give digital gifts like e-gift cards this season. The data indicates around 51% of businesses will offer gift cards this year. And  69% of these expect gift card sales will increase this year, especially digital or e-gift cards that can be purchased online.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, "79% of Consumers Say They’re Comfortable Shopping In Stores" was first published on Small Business Trends