BFAds.net Survey Shows: Consumers to Start Shopping Earlier and Spend More on Black Friday

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 2012 holiday season right around the corner, consumers are developing their shopping strategies—and most say they plan to start earlier and spend more money than last year. According to a survey of 600 consumers across the U.S., conducted by BFAds.net, the preferred online resource for breaking Black Friday news and deals, over 32% say they will spend "more than last year" this Black Friday.

With 36% of survey participants planning to begin their Black Friday shopping before Thanksgiving and another 16% planning to start on Thanksgiving Day, consumers' preparation and research to find the very best deals are underway now. Newspaper ad inserts remain a prominent resource for pre-Black Friday research, but online research appears to be consumers' preferred way to research sales before they happen.  More than half of survey respondents say they use the Internet to research early season sales, and over a third prefer traditional newspaper ad inserts.

"With only two weeks until Thanksgiving, we're already feeling the push from consumers for earlier and better sales," said Michael Brim, Founder of BFAds.net. "In fact, 89% of consumers say that if a store posts its Black Friday sale earlier, they'd be more likely to shop at that store. This year retailers are recognizing the advertising and promotional benefit of having their Black Friday ads out earlier."

Black Friday has morphed into more than just a day to stock up on gifts for others. While 44% of consumers say they still plan to shop Black Friday sales to purchase holiday gifts, over 14% are simply shopping for items they need. Even more surprisingly, 41% of survey respondents identify their primary reason for shopping as "if the prices are low, why not shop?"

Two out of over three consumers are most excited for sales on clothing/accessories this holiday season, followed by laptops/tablets, toys, video games, home goods, TV's, jewelry and cameras, respectively. Through the BFAds.net website, shoppers are beginning their Black Friday and pre-Black Friday planning now, deciding which stores will offer the lowest prices and whether the in-store or online sales are stronger.

More than 1 million subscribers rely on BFAds.net—the leading portal for news on the lowest prices, hottest products and expert advice—for Black Friday inside information. In addition to reviewing all the retail ads, BFAds.net visitors can find useful tools like comprehensive product reviews, smart consumer buying guides, and community message boards where informed consumers can share tips and tactics with like-minded consumers.

To help consumers hit the ground running on Black Friday, BFAds.net offers a comprehensive list of store hours. For more information, sales, deals and Black Friday shopping tips, visit www.bfads.net

ABOUT THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The study was administered by Amplitude Research from November 1^st to November 5^th, 2012, among a nationwide panel of shoppers.  In total, 600 surveys were completed by men and women ranging from 18-65+ in age, who plan to shop on Black Friday in 2012. More information about Amplitude Research, Inc. may be found at http://www.amplituderesearch.com.

ABOUT BFADS

BFAds.net is the preferred online resource for breaking news on all the Black Friday deals. We exist to help millions of Black Friday shoppers stay on the leading edge of hundreds of retailers' Black Friday ads and plan their shopping experience. With more than 25 million visitors, BFAds.net acts as a compilation portal: scouring the web for the latest Black Friday information and organizing it all into a readily accessible database. BFAds.net additionally offers many features to its visitors, including community message boards, comprehensive sales and product information, and specialized consumer buying guides.

SOURCE BFAds.net