Holiday Buying Stats

November 1, 2005 Comments

Jennifer Laycock

Jennifer Laycock

Articles



The Direct Marketing Association has put together some useful data that explores how people shop for and buy their holiday gifts. While none of it reveals stunning information, it may help you solidify your marketing strategy for things like e-mail and PPC.

Some of the stats from the site:

Seventy-two percent of women shop from the home or office, compared to 66% of men.

Americans plan to spend an average of $211 on Apparel gifts this holiday season. Other popular gifts include Food ($195), Electronics/Computers ($187), General Gifts ($172), Toys & Games ($149), Home Décor or Furniture ($124), Books/Music/Videos ($101), Sporting Goods ($63), Tickets for Sports/Entertainment ($60), Pet Supplies ($47), Flowers ($35), and Gardening Supplies ($30).

Books/Music/Videos are the most popular online purchases, with 55% of online shoppers buying these items on the Web. Other popular items purchased on the Web: Apparel (48%), Travel Services/Airline Tickets (47%), Gifts (44%), Electronics/Computers (43%), Tickets/Sports & Entertainment (33%), Toys & Games (31%), Home Décor or Furniture (21%), Sporting Goods (19%), Flowers (16%), Pet Supplies (10%), Food (7%), and Gardening Supplies (6%).

Men are more likely to procrastinate, with 51% finishing their shopping the final week compared to 41% of women.

You can get the full list of data at the DMA web site.






About the Author

Jennifer Laycock is the Editor of Search Engine Guide, an educational web site aimed at translating the search marketing world into something that small business owners can understand. Jennifer specializes in common sense search engine marketing, viral marketing and customer outreach via social media and blogs. A former search marketing consultant and in-house trainer, Jennifer’s clients have included companies like Verizon, American Greetings and Highlights for Children. Her primary clients now are a little girl named Elnora and a little boy named Emmitt.

Jennifer Laycock is the Editor of Search Engine Guide, an educational web site aimed at translating the search marketing world into something that small business owners can understand. Jennifer specializes in common sense search engine marketing, viral marketing and customer outreach via social media and blogs. A former search marketing consultant and in-house trainer, Jennifer’s clients have included companies like Verizon, American Greetings and Highlights for Children. Her primary clients now are a little girl named Elnora and a little boy named Emmitt.