Online buyers shop early for holidays

The 2004 Shop.org/BizRate.com Online Holiday Mood Study found that 98 percent of merchants are anticipating online growth this holiday season. Also, 32 percent of consumers plan to do more of their holiday shopping online this year.

Consumers who shop online are more likely to start their holiday shopping earlier than consumers who shop at traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

According to the survey, 53 percent of online shoppers planned to start their holiday shopping by early October, when only 14 percent of merchants planned to have launched their online holiday marketing promotions.

“Online shoppers seem to be leading the charge to start the holiday season earlier every year,” said Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org.

This year, consumers will be relying on the Internet in a variety of ways. More than half of online shoppers plan to use the Internet more than last holiday season to comparison shop (89 percent), research gifts for others (86 percent), buy gifts for others (74 percent), and buy gifts for themselves (53 percent).

“The online sector is quickly becoming a one-stop shopping destination for consumers,” said Chuck Davis, CEO of BizRate.com. “Even consumers who may ultimately buy in the store are using the Internet to compare prices or research products.”

The Online Holiday Mood Study is based on data provided directly from online retailers in addition to consumer data.

The Shop.org/BizRate.com 2004 Holiday Online Mood Study was designed to gauge consumer behavior and online retailers’ success during the winter holiday season.

The poll of 1,722 online buyers (defined as anyone who has made a purchase online in the last 12 months) and more than 100 online retailers, all members of Shop.org, was conducted in September.