Survey Says: 'Brick And Mortar' Shopping Is Consumers' Favorite

MATTHEWS, N.C., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans love to shop during the holidays … and despite the growth in e-commerce, they still prefer to make most gift purchases in stores close to home, according to a recent national survey conducted for Family Dollar (NYSE:FDO).

Seven in 10 consumers say they describe themselves as in-person shoppers, while only 30 percent say they would be best characterized as online shoppers. Also, more than half of surveyed consumers say they expect to travel 10 miles or less when looking for the majority of their gifts this season.

These and other insights from the survey fielded on behalf of Family Dollar indicate that convenience and price continue to play a major role in Americans' shopping habits, especially during the holidays.

Other consumer shopping insights revealed by survey respondents:

• Home for the Holidays: During the holiday season, 93 percent of consumers consider spending time at home to be more important than traveling, which is favored by 59 percent of consumers.
• The Right Stuff(ers): More than three in five consumers shop for stocking stuffers, and those shoppers find these five factors to be the most important in making their stocking stuffer selections: deals or specials offered; candy selection; coupons available; small electronics; and gift cards selection.
• Turkey Day Kickoff: Nearly half of consumers start holiday shopping after Thanksgiving.

"The National Retail Federation reported that Americans took advantage of early holiday sales but spent less than last year, indicating that economic conditions still impact consumers' ability to spend," said Jocelyn Wong, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Family Dollar.  "Family Dollar offers deals for as little as $5 every day during the holiday season and, given consumers prefer shopping close to home, we make holiday shopping convenient and affordable for all who want to celebrate the season."

Family Dollar offers brand name products, like Mattel®, Fisher-Price® and Marvel®, at a value every day this holiday season. Head to your local Family Dollar store or check out the 2013 Toy Book at www.FamilyDollar.com.

Family Dollar Holiday Quiz
As revealed in the survey, consumers' approaches to holiday shopping vary.  In response, Family Dollar created a quick Holiday Quiz to uncover a shopper's holiday planning persona based on five multiple choice questions.  Through Christmas Day, the Holiday Quiz will be available at www.FamilyDollarHolidayQuiz.com, and after identifying the shopper type, users will receive a coupon for $3 off a $15 purchase at Family Dollar.

Stay up-to-date on everything Family Dollar offers to help you celebrate the holidays in style, including hours of operation, recipes, coupons and contests at www.facebook.com/familydollar or Twitter at @myfamilydollar.

Family Dollar opened 500 new stores in fiscal 2013, and now operates more than 8,000 stores throughout the U.S. Check out the merchandise and find a store near you at www.familydollar.com.  

About the Survey
Family Dollar commissioned Braun Research to field a survey of 26 questions among 1,000 adults (ages 18-84) living in the continental United States. The survey gauged perceptions, opinions, behaviors, psychographics and preferences related to holiday sentiments and shopping. This survey was fielded via landline and mobile phone from October 1-15, 2013.

About Family Dollar
For more than 50 years, Family Dollar has been providing value and convenience to customers in easy-to-shop, neighborhood locations. Family Dollar's mix of name brands, and quality, private brand merchandise appeals to shoppers in more than 8,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 46 states. Helping families save on the items they need with everyday low prices creates a strong bond with customers who refer to their neighborhood store as "my Family Dollar." Headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte, Family Dollar is a Fortune 300, publicly held company with common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FDO. For more information, please visit www.familydollar.com.

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SOURCE Family Dollar