SteelHouse 2011 Shopper Report
A new national survey from Synovate eNation debunks some common assumptions about the shopping habits of certain personalities
Women feel more strongly about discounts and offers than men. 33% of women say they only buy when there’s a discount, and 33% say they only buy when free shipping is part of the deal. Less than 25% of men say the same. Women are more likely than men to investigate coupon sites before buying (37% of women say they do, compared with 26% of men).
Perhaps a surprise – men care more about name brands than women. 25% of men said they buy premium brand name products, compared with just 16% of women.
Those in the highest income bracket ($75,000+) more frequently requires discounts and free shipping: 32% in that group say they buy only when there’s a discount (compared with 28% overall) and the same percentage say they buy only when shipping is free (compared with 27% overall). Those with the highest incomes also check coupon sites more than the others: 37% of those who earn $75,000+ look for coupons, compared with 31.5% overall. 29% of the highest income category are more likely to buy premium brand names, compared with 14.5% of those who earn under $25,000.
Younger shoppers require discounts and free shipping at higher rates than their older counterparts. The three younger age groups – 18-24, 25-34 and 35-44 – say they only buy when there’s a discount at rates higher than the overall average, while the three older age groups came in lower than the average. Similarly, the younger age groups chose free shipping more than the older age groups. Younger respondents read product reviews at rates higher than the overall average – 49% of those 18-24 and 59% of those 25-34, compared with 44% of the population overall.
Older respondents are less likely than younger shoppers to just browse: 44% of those aged 65+ say they always shop with a purpose and just 18% of that age group say they browse even when they have no intention of buying. In comparison, less than one-third (31.5%) of the youngest group (ages 18-24) say they always shop with a purpose and 40% of this group browses regularly. Older respondents are more likely to say they never buy on a first visit, no matter the discount.
Respondents with the highest education are most likely to buy brand names, but they’re also the most likely to look for coupons, and to demand discounts and free shipping. They’re also the most likely to abandon the checkout process without a purchase.
Shoppers in the Midwest and South are more likely than those in the Northeast and West to browse with no intention of buying (31% and 33%, compared with 25% and 29%, respectively).
Those in the Northeast and the West are more likely to buy premium brand products (22% and 24%, respectively, compared with 17% of those in the Midwest and 19% of those in the South).
41% of white respondents say they always shop with a purpose, compared with 30% of non-white respondents. Similarly, 43% of non-white respondents say they browse regularly with no intention of buying, compared to 27% of white respondents.
Non-white respondents are more likely to buy brand names, but also more likely than white respondents to say they only buy when there’s a discount or free shipping. But non-white respondents also are more likely to say they never buy on a first visit to a website, no matter the discount (16%, compared with 10% of white respondents).