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AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Great news for retailers! Nearly 9 in 10 (87%) holiday shoppers surveyed still have presents to buy. Recent surveys by RetailMeNot (www.retailmenot.com), the largest digital coupon destination in the United States, and The Omnibus Company, found that nearly 200 million Americans could be shopping until the big man climbs down the chimney.
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As Christmas grows closer and with the majority of consumers (87%) surveyed still having holiday shopping to do, there will inevitably be last-minute gift purchases for many. In fact, nearly 9 in 10 (88%) winter holiday shoppers surveyed said they have had to buy gifts in the eleventh hour. Parents seem to be the biggest procrastinators. Nearly all (95%) parents surveyed admitted to waiting until the last minute to buy holiday gifts!
With last-minute shopping comes last-minute shipping charges. Since the majority of holiday shoppers (64%) surveyed have had to pay for expedited shipping when purchasing a last-minute gift online, it's expected that this charge did not factor into the original budget for many. In fact, nearly 2 in 5 (38%) who have reported that they have had to pay for expedited shipping have gone over their holiday budget because of these costs.
Free Shipping Anyone?
To keep from breaking budgets this holiday season, one solution is to shop in time for the free shipping option. There's a day for this! Free Shipping Day on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, is a promotional holiday when many online retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve to encourage shoppers to make their last-minute gift purchases.
"Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but the majority of shoppers still have gifts to purchase," says Trae Bodge, senior editor of The Real Deal by RetailMeNot. "Consumers who prefer to do last-minute shopping online should take advantage of Free Shipping Day offers if they want to avoid having to pay for expedited shipping charges and potentially go over their budgets."
The demand for free shipping is certainly growing as consumer preference for online shopping deepens. According to the survey, more than 1 in 4 (27%) online shoppers would not purchase a product online without free shipping. This is an increasingly important promotional offer considering 7 in 10 gift givers surveyed felt that shopping online takes less time (70%), is more convenient (69%) and is less stressful (69%) than shopping in-store.
Additionally, respondents found some of the most stressful parts of holiday shopping to be caused by in-store troubles: lines at in-store checkouts (53%) and crowded stores (40%) rank high on their list of holiday pressures. What's more, 3 in 5 (60%) winter holiday gift givers feel that it is easier to find deals online than in-store when shopping for presents.
According to the RetailMeNot survey, 9 in 10 (90%) consumers consider free shipping to be important when purchasing a product online. Just how important?
- When shopping online, nearly 2 in 3 (65%) consumers will search for a free shipping coupon if they see they have to pay for shipping
- More than 1 in 4 (27%) online shoppers would not purchase a product without free shipping
For free shipping offers on seasonal gifts, visit www.retailmenot.com/freeshipping and for information on shipping deadlines for top retailers, visit http://bit.ly/IDswmR.
"Snow Me the Money" Contest Alert! To make the holidays even more festive, RetailMeNot is giving away over half a million dollars in prizes to its app users with its "Snow Me the Money" Sweepstakes now through December 22, 2013. It's as simple as downloading the app, signing up and shaking your smartphone. Twenty thousand winners will receive a $25 eGift card and five lucky participants will win grand prizes worth $10,000.
Follow these three simple steps for a chance to win:
- Download the free RetailMeNot Coupons (http://bit.ly/OAQNK1) app for iPhone or Android devices.
- Click on the homepage tile to register and play daily.
- Shake to win—it's that easy!
Contest participants can also tell three friends about the promotion for an extra chance to play each day. For official rules, visit rmn.promo.eprize.com/snowmethemoney/.
Report Methodology
The survey was conducted between October 30 to November 4, November 21 to November 26, and December 3 to December 5, 2013, among 1,021, 1,022 and 1,017 U.S. residents ages 18 and over, using an email invitation and an online report. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a report result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.
About RetailMeNot.com
RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com) is the largest digital coupon destination in the United States. Our mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience. Since November 2006, our users have shared hundreds of thousands of digital coupons from retailers. Digital coupons are rated and ranked by users, ensuring that quality deals rise to the top and expired coupons drop down the list. RetailMeNot.com is operated by RetailMeNot, Inc., the world's largest marketplace for digital coupons.
Shopping on the go? Download the RetailMeNot Coupons app for iPhone and Android phones to access Hot Deals, browse top coupons, popular stores and categories and get thousands of online and in-store coupons to shop when you want, where you want. Make sure to "like" RetailMeNot.com and authorize the RetailMeNot app on Facebook, follow the company via Twitter @retailmenot and add us on Google+. Consumers can sign up for RetailMeNot's Online and In-Store Coupons Newsletter by visiting: http://www.retailmenot.com/signup.
About RetailMeNot, Inc.
RetailMeNot, Inc. (www.retailmenot.com/corp/) operates the world's largest digital coupon marketplace. The company enables consumers across the globe seeking to save money to find hundreds of thousands of digital coupons from retailers. RetailMeNot, Inc. experienced more than 500 million visits to its websites in the last 12 months. The RetailMeNot, Inc. portfolio includes www.RetailMeNot.com, the largest digital coupon marketplace in the United States; www.RetailMeNot.ca in Canada; www.VoucherCodes.co.uk, the largest digital coupon marketplace in the United Kingdom; www.Deals.com in Germany; www.Actiepagina.nl, a leading digital coupon site in the Netherlands; Bons-de-Reduction.com and www.Ma-Reduc.com, leading digital coupon sites in France; www.Poulpeo.com, a leading digital coupon site with cash back in France; and www.Deals2Buy.com, a leading discount offer site in North America. RetailMeNot, Inc. went public in July 2013 and is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol "SALE." Investors interested in learning more about the company can visit: http://investor.retailmenot.com/.
Be sure to "like" RetailMeNot, Inc. on Facebook and follow the company via Twitter @retailmenotinc.
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SOURCE RetailMeNot.com
