To get to grips with current spending trends, behaviours and expectations, earlier this year we surveyed over 2,000 UK consumers, and the eye-opening findings are now available in Make Golden Quarter 2024 shine - our latest sector report for online retailers.

Based on the results, it’s clear that consumers are attracted to more than just low prices when planning their seasonal spend, with many adopting a multi-strategy approach that varies according to mood, values, and who they’re shopping for. This means that retailers need to think about the entire purchasing process to capture buyers, and tap into what shoppers are really looking for when choosing festive gifts.

Unique and thoughtful surprises

While more than 6 in 10 prefer to pick out practical presents - such as fancy frying pans or the latest electric razors - 61% of shoppers also enjoy finding imaginative and unexpected items that can bring a little magic to the big day. 

44% also get a kick out of creating personalised gifts for their friends and family. However, this preference is notably twice as popular with 18-24 year olds (64%) compared to shoppers over 55 (32%), which means personalisation may be a worthwhile option for retailers looking to win over younger demographics. 

Self-love luxuries

To take advantage of seasonal savings, 37% of shoppers will hold off until Black Friday and Cyber Monday before buying gifts for their loved ones, with young Londoners (58%) being the most likely to wait for sales events.

46% agree that sales events allow them to buy more luxurious gifts than usual, and in addition to stocking up on Christmas gifts for others, 56% of consumers confirmed that they also like to use festive discounts to treat themselves. This rises to around 3 in 4 shoppers who are aged under 35, highlighting that Gen Z and mid-range Millennials are no strangers to the benefits of self-love.

Finding the past in the present

The pull of nostalgia remains pretty strong when it comes to gifting, especially at Christmas when emotions can run high, which is why 46% of people agree that it influences their festive shopping choices.

Although looking to the past is usually associated with older generations, our survey shows that younger shoppers are more likely to be swayed by sentimentality, with many keen to create more emotional connections with their purchases. Significantly, 72% of 18-24 year olds and 62% of 25-34 year olds confirmed that they’re interested in items that remind them of days gone by. 

Top notch experiences

In addition to savings and discounts, today’s savvy shoppers have higher expectations of online stores in terms of service, performance, and experience.

Over half of all survey respondents confirmed that delivery costs can be a key factor when considering purchases, with delivery speed and reliability also a priority for 39%. 4 in 10 consumers want to see a decent product selection from online retailers before committing to a purchase, and even though only 28% identified that ease of website navigation is important, a mountain of stats from industry shapers such as Google show that UX is crucial to keeping customers on site. 

Make sure your online store is ticking all the right boxes for this year’s gift givers. Get more consumer insights and expert eCommerce advice from our latest report, Make Golden Quarter 2024 shine - click here to download your free copy today.