The pandemic causes a 75% increase in online shopping

In 2019, almost 80% of Catalans and Spaniards still declared that they could buy their Christmas presents in physical stores, but now, after Covid, it has been reduced to 60%.

According to the recent study "Consumer Behavior in the Covid Era" conducted by Elogia , Spaniards and Catalans will spend an average of 229 euros on Christmas gifts. A more moderate average than last year, which amounted to 255 euros, which means a 10% reduction in spending. Men will spend the most, 244 euros compared to women, who will invest 214 in their Christmas gifts, and 35% of citizens will spend a higher figure on their gifts.

The most bought gifts during these upcoming Christmas holidays 2020 will be fashion and accessories (65%) beauty, cosmetics and personal care (44%) and household appliances, which this year will be purchased by 25% of Catalans and Spaniards. The study also reveals that 42% of citizens acknowledge that their purchases will be influenced by recommendations from friends, family and acquaintances and for more than 10% l social media will directly impact their purchasing decision .

The figure of the '' digital shopper "more and more present

According to the study, only 17% of Spaniards and Catalans intend to purchase their Christmas gifts this year exclusively in physical establishments. The real protagonist of this Christmas will be the digital shopper as, 75% will purchase their gifts online this year, and 10% for the first time will use an online platform to act as Santa Claus and Magi.

And is that even at Christmas, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our consumption habits, 53% say that to avoid congestion for fear of infection will purchase their gifts online. While the study “Christmas Consumption Behavior in the Covid Era” also reveals that 40% prefer the digital route to buying gifts because they find more variety of products and better deals.

As for the type of website, users opt mainly for marketplaces such as Amazon, AliExpress or El Corte Inglés, which increases considerably this Christmas with 75% of buyers, who opt for them compared to 58% who did during the past 2019, a rise that breaks all records in our country, with an increase also considerable, the rest will do so through the online stores of the own brands.

According to the research area of the consultancy Elogia, last Christmas almost 80% of Catalans and Spaniards still declared to buy in physical stores, but now, with the COVID-19, it is reduced to 60%.

The Anglo-Saxon model is clearly the winner

The study reveals that increasingly, we prefer to anticipate than delay purchases, as is the case in Anglo-Saxon countries. This year almost 50% of Spaniards and Catalans acknowledge that they have already bought their gifts during Black Friday or Magic Days (this is how we call it in the campaigns we promote with our client, Sant Cugat Comerç)   a considerable increase over the 40% that did so last year.

Although this year 9% simply do not intend to buy gifts, almost 8 out of 10 Catalans and Spaniards have already bought a gift online for their loved ones and even this increases to almost 9 out of 10 among the most young people aged 18 to 30 years.

The data is giving us many clues as to where the consumer is evolving. The pandemic is changing many ways of acting and from edeon we are always in constant contact with reality, always with the aim of optimizing the marketing campaigns we promote. Today we must keep in mind that only 3% of consumers will delay their Christmas purchases on sale, the previous year did 5%, another test that we increasingly prefer to anticipate than delay the purchase of gifts for our loved ones.

Will we see in a few years how the night of kings, the most magical night of the year, is a few weeks ahead to catch Santa Claus? Will the important gifts come with Uncle? These are questions that could generate a long debate and no one would have a clear answer. What we do know in the agency is that we will be on top, analyzing the evolution of consumption to continue to improve all the communication and marketing campaigns we offer our customers.

Source: MarketingNews