Multi-channel shoppers spent more and channel hopped while they were doing it during the 2001 holiday shopping season, according to survey results released by DoubleClick yesterday.
Consumers who either browsed or purchased in all three transaction channels — online, catalog and retail — spent $995 on holiday shopping, compared with consumers who browsed or purchased in two channels ($894) and consumers who only used one channel ($591), according to the survey of 1,358 respondents.
What's more, 66 percent of multi-channel shoppers browsed in one channel, but purchased in another, the study determined.
Also according to the study, conducted by Greenfield Online between Jan. 4 and Jan. 9, 46 percent of women and 43 percent of men browsed on the Internet and purchased at retail stores. Thirty seven percent of women and 28 percent of men browsed through catalogs and purchased at retail stores, according to DoubleClick.
“Results from this data demonstrate the need for marketers to have tools in place in order to better measure how one channel is driving sales to another channel,” said David Rosenblatt, president, DoubleClick in a statement.
Of the respondents who said they browsed in a catalog and then shopped online, 53 percent of women and 38 percent of the men used a product code from the catalog to order.
Consumers cited price, selection and convenience of catalogs, the speed and the 24-hour availability of the Internet, and the ability to see and sample products at retail stores, as reasons for purchasing through respective channels, according to the study.
Also, the study determined that the economy slowed consumer spending, not the events of Sept. 11.
While 84 percent of the respondents cited economic reasons for reduced spending, 86 percent of them said the terrorist attacks did not affect their holiday shopping habits.
Only 6 percent said they were wary of having merchandise delivered by the post office.
