Gas prices are having an effect on shopping – fully one-third (33%) of online US adults say they are more likely to shop online rather than at a store because of high gas prices, according to a Harris Interactive study conducted for iCongo.
Below, some highlights from the study.
Incentives
Consumers give various other reasons they would be more likely to shop online as opposed to a physical store:
- 57% cite free shipping.
- 55% cite lower prices.
- 61% cite the ability to shop at any time.
If a store were out of stock of a certain item, 6% of online adults would complete their purchase in store and have the merchandise shipped to them, said iCongo. (This is a relatively large proportion, taking into consideration that only a small percentage of shoppers entering a store actually end up completing a purchase.)
Rebates: To Spend or Not to Spend
Rebate checks will also have an effect on shopping attitudes. Both The National Retail Federation survey and iCongo found that a considerable proportion of consumers?(41% and 45%, respectively) plan to spend their upcoming Federal tax rebate on retail purchases.
“While there has been much speculation that consumers will seek to avoid making retail purchases, our survey found a healthy number do plan to do so,” said Irwin Kramer, founder and CEO of iCongo. “Whether purchases are made online or in a store, these rebate checks are going to have an effect on the overall economy.”
