The smell of Thanksgiving dinner barely has a chance to fade before shoppers get a whiff of sweet, sweet sales.
Just after Thanksgiving, two of the year's largest sales events happen back to back: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And for many shoppers, these two days are a chance to knock out their holiday shopping (and snag some sweet deals in the process).
Using the Field Agent app, we asked 1,000 shoppers (we call them agents) about the Black Friday experience, and 1,000 more about shopping online for Cyber Monday.
In-Store Deals: Black Friday
Of our 1,000 agents who participated in our Black Friday survey, half purchased their gifts online, and 26% visited a brick-and-mortar store to shop for their holiday goodies.
Which brick-and-mortar retailers were the most popular Black Friday destinations? Our shoppers told us their #1 destination for holiday gifts.
Walmart was the clear winner here, with 64% of shoppers identifying it as their top choice. Target and Best Buy took second and third place, respectively.
But Black Friday isn't just a popularity contest. We asked our agents which retailers provided the best overall experience as they shopped (including deals, atmosphere, line speed, in-stocks, etc.)
Finally, our in-store shoppers let us know which retailers received the most spending on holiday gifts. Walmart took home the crown, while Target and Kohl's were nearly tied for second, with 12% and 11% of shoppers selecting them as the top place to spend.
These days, many shoppers are doing their best to limit their trips to the stores. Compared with the 2019 sales events, are shoppers venturing back into stores in search of deals? We asked our Black Friday agents.
Nearly 60% of agents surveyed said that they shopped less in-store this year than they had in 2019. Why?
The #1 reason these shoppers cited was the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprise, surprise. But the #2 reason speaks to a separate (yet not unrelated) trend. 42% said that they are "doing most holiday shopping online this year."
And that's where Cyber Monday comes in.
Online Sales: Cyber Monday
More gift shopping is taking place online than ever before. And that made this year's Cyber Monday the biggest yet. According to a CNBC report based on Adobe Analytics data, Cyber Monday 2020 saw more online sales in the United States than on any other day... in history.
Of the nearly 1,000 shoppers we surveyed about Cyber Monday, 66% participated in the event, and 45% purchased holiday gifts.
Which websites proved to be the most popular for Christmas shoppers?
As usual, Amazon proved to be the online champion, with 87% of holiday shoppers visiting the site. The Walmart and Target websites took silver and bronze, with 53% and 48%, respectively.
Amazon took an even stronger lead when it came to dollars spent. We asked agents which ONE site received most of their Cyber Monday gift spending. 57% of agents surveyed said they spent more on Amazon than any other site.
Just like the brick-and-mortar shoppers, we asked our Cyber Monday agents which websites provided the best overall experience for the sale.
Sale Showdown: Gift Categories
Finally, we asked our trusty agents which gift categories received most of their spending, then compared the online and brick-and-mortar results. Which categories do shoppers prefer to buy in stores, and which are more common choices online? Let's find out.
Clothing, toys, and electronics were the most popular gift choices for holiday shoppers looking for a good deal on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Clothing and similar gifts were more popular with the Black Friday crowd, while items like electronics and gaming systems were more common Cyber Monday purchases.
Bonus Insight: How Important are Online Reviews?
It's clear that online shoppers are increasingly important to retailers and brands. But what, exactly, is important to those shoppers as they compare products and make purchasing decisions online?
We asked our Cyber Monday agents about the importance of three key elements to their online shopping decisions: photos, ratings, and customer reviews. Let's see what they had to say.
It's plain as day: shoppers value customer feedback as they compare products online. Nearly 100% of agents surveyed said that photos, ratings, and reviews are at least somewhat important to their decisions.
Could you use more authentic consumer feedback from your customers? If you're nodding your head, Ratings & Reviews by Field Agent is here for you.
Ratings & Reviews mobilizes real shoppers to:
1. Purchase your product at targeted stores, and
2. Leave thorough, honest feedback on the website of your choice.
No tricks, no funny business - just honest, reliable feedback. That's Ratings & Reviews.
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