RetailMeNot Shoppers Trend Report: 55% of Holiday Shoppers Still Have Half of Their Gift Purchases to Make

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com), the largest online coupon site in the United States, today released another holiday edition of its Shoppers Trend Report (STR), revealing findings from a poll conducted by The Omnibus Company (http://www.omnibus.com) on how much holiday gift shopping consumers have completed so far and factors that influence their purchasing decisions.

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"Consumers can still make those big purchases both online and in-store for everything from apparel to consumer electronics to sporting goods, but be prepared to see product inventories start to thin out the closer we get to Christmas," said Trae Bodge, senior editor for The RetailMeNot Insider. "Consumers also need to make sure they pay attention to merchants' shipping policies as time is running out on the many free shipping deals that guarantee on-time delivery of gifts." 

Survey findings as of December 10, 2012, include:

• 55% of holiday shoppers still have half of their gift purchases to make.
  • 14% of holiday shoppers have yet to complete any of their shopping.
    • Males are more likely than females to have not started shopping (17% versus 11%).
  • Only 10% of consumers have completed all of their holiday shopping.
• Nearly 1 in 3 holiday shoppers (29%) have already spent more money than expected this holiday season.
  • Parents are more likely than those without children to express they have spent more money than they expected so far (37% versus 24%).
• Women are more likely than men to have spent less money than they expected so far (29% versus 21%).
• When it comes to making gift selections, 21% of holiday shoppers say their spouse or significant other is the most difficult to buy for, followed by 13% who report that extended family members are the most difficult.
  • Men are more likely than women to express that their spouse or significant other is the most difficult to buy for (24% versus 18%).
• Consumers may not get exactly what they asked for this year, as more than half of respondents said they are more likely to give gifts that are a surprise (52%) versus gifts that people ask for (48%).
• More than 6 in 10 respondents (64%) say they factor shipping and gift-wrapping costs into the budget they have for the items they choose instead of paying extra for these services after buying a present.
• Over half of respondents (53%) feel that it is not worth paying extra to have an item purchased online gift-wrapped.

Survey methodology
The survey was conducted between December 3rd and December 10^th, 2012 among 1,106 U.S. residents ages 18 and over, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the entire U.S. population ages 18 and over. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.

About RetailMeNot.com
 - RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com) is the leading consumer destination for collaborative online coupon, deal and promotional code hunting and sharing. Our mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience. Since November 2006, our users have shared hundreds of thousands of deals and offers from retailers from across the globe. Online coupons are rated and ranked by users, ensuring that quality deals rise to the top and expired coupons drop down the list. RetailMeNot.com is operated by WhaleShark Media, Inc., the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals.

Shopping on the go? Download the RetailMeNot Coupons app for iPhone and Android phones to access Hot Deals, browse top coupons, popular stores and categories and get thousands of online and in-store coupons to shop when you want, where you want. Make sure to "like" RetailMeNot.com and authorize the RetailMeNot app on Facebook, follow the company via Twitter @retailmenot and add us on Google+.

About WhaleShark Media, Inc.
 - WhaleShark Media, Inc. (www.whalesharkmedia.com) is the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals. The company's websites enable consumers seeking to save money to find hundreds of thousands of offers from retailers across the globe. WhaleShark Media experiences more than 400 million consumer visits to its sites every year. The WhaleShark Media portfolio of coupon and deal websites includes www.RetailMeNot.com, the largest online coupon site in the United States; www.VoucherCodes.co.uk, the largest online coupon site in the United Kingdom; www.Deals.com in Germany; web.Bons-de-Reduction.com and www.Poulpeo.com in France; www.Deals2Buy.com; www.CouponSeven.com; and www.CouponShare.com. WhaleShark Media is a fast-growing, profitable company funded by venture capital firms Austin Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Adams Street Partners, Google Ventures, J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP).

Be sure to "like" WhaleShark Media on Facebook and follow the company via Twitter @whalesharkmedia.

Media Contacts:
Brian Hoyt - 
WhaleShark Media, Inc. (operator of RetailMeNot.com) 
- +1 512 777 2957
 - [email protected]

Kristen Nelson 
- WhaleShark Media, Inc. (operator of RetailMeNot.com) 
- +1 832 398 5792
 - [email protected]

Allison+Partners Public Relations
[email protected]

SOURCE RetailMeNot.com