AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As we near the last few weeks of the biggest shopping season of the year, RetailMeNot, a J2 Global business within its Ziff Davis division, is revealing its latest survey results and predictions of what's to come throughout the remainder of December.

New data from RetailMeNot confirms shoppers did take advantage of early sales, as predicted. In fact, according to research the week of November 11th, over half (58%) of Americans said they had already gotten started on their holiday shopping and over one in three (36%) completed at least half of their shopping in that same timeframe.

Despite an Elongated Season, Consumers Are Still Shopping
While many shoppers took advantage of early deals, the RetailMeNot survey also revealed that only ten percent of shoppers have completed their holiday shopping so far. With a limited window before the Christmas holiday, shoppers need to be mindful of how they plan to have their gifts shipped, delivered or picked up.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines Are More Important Than Ever
Holiday shipping deadlines are more important than ever given possible delays due to the pandemic. With only ten days until the Christmas holiday, and shipping deadlines quickly approaching and getting more expensive as the days pass, those who still have holiday shopping to do will need to move quickly.

Retailers have been preparing for months to make sure they are able to meet expectations. According to the survey, over three in five retailers (63%) said they are not concerned about missing consumers' shipping needs during the 2020 holiday season, and fewer than three in 10 (29%) retailers expect to have shipping delays this year.

Take Advantage of Click and Collect Services to Avoid Delays
RetailMeNot's Shopping & Trends Expert, Sara Skirboll, recommends the following for last-minute shoppers: If you are feeling nervous about your gift arriving in time, take advantage of Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) or contactless curbside pickup services that many retailers are offering this year. Be sure to also check out The Real Deal Blog by RetailMeNot where you can find other helpful articles like "Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 70+ Stores".

Besides Gifts, What Are Shoppers Buying this Holiday Season?
With a short window of time before the holidays and a much-welcomed end to 2020, shoppers plan on spending more money on non-giftables compared to last year. The average American will spend $781 on non-gift items this holiday season—up nearly $300 since 2019 ($484). Three out of five (60% vs. 60% in 2019) Americans will be purchasing clothes for the holidays, while 41% (vs. 43% in 2019) will be buying decor to make their homes more festive. Additionally, two in five (40%) are planning to spend money to host safe gatherings with friends or family this holiday season, spending an average of $180 to do so.

Gift Returns 101
Americans are split on what to do with gifts they don't love this year. Over a third of Americans admit they would keep the gift to avoid hurting the feelings of the gift giver. Others opt for a giving spirit, finding a new home for gifts that are not to their liking. Almost a third (31%) of Americans look to give unwanted gifts to others, whether that means giving the gift to a friend or family member (13%) re-gifting the item (9%), or donating it (8%).

For those who plan to return a gift this year, there are a few things to keep in mind to do so both safely and efficiently. Skirboll tells shoppers, "If you do choose to return a gift in person, I recommend waiting until after January 1 to avoid any post-holiday crowds. You can also check and see if the retailer is offering pre-paid return labels in order to ship it back directly without having to step foot into a store. If you want to make a return quickly and contactless, there are even some retailers who are allowing shoppers to return or exchange items curbside as well, like Dick's Sporting Goods. Regardless of how you are returning an item, read the fine print on the receipt to guarantee smooth sailing as return windows and policies vary based on the type of item or retailer."

To save money on all of your last-minute holiday purchases, visit RetailMeNot.com, download the free app or install Deal Finder, the free browser extension that automatically applies coupon codes and cash back offers at checkout.

Survey Methodology
This data is from recent surveys with Kelton Global. The RetailMeNot Q4 PR 2020 survey was conducted between November 11th, 2020 and November 17th, 2020 among 1,004 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over, using an email invitation and an online survey.

About RetailMeNot
RetailMeNot is a leading savings destination bringing people and the things they love together through savings with retailers, brands and restaurants. RetailMeNot makes everyday life more affordable through online and in-store coupon codes, cash back offers, and the RetailMeNot Deal Finder™ browser extension. To learn more, visit http://www.retailmenot.com/corp or follow @RetailMeNot on social media.

About J2 Global
J2 Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM) is a leading Internet information and services company consisting of a portfolio of brands including IGN, Mashable, Humble Bundle, Speedtest, PCMag, RetailMeNot, Offers.com, Spiceworks Ziff Davis, Everyday Health, BabyCenter and What To Expect in its Digital Media segment and eFax, eVoice, iContact, Campaigner, Vipre, IPVanish and KeepItSafe in its Cloud Services segment. J2 Global reaches over 230 million people per month across its brands. As of December 31, 2019, J2 Global had achieved 24 consecutive fiscal years of revenue growth. For more information, visit: www.j2global.com

Press Contacts:
ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
retailmenot@abmc-us.com
212-230-1800

RetailMeNot Public Relations
pr@rmn.com

SOURCE RetailMeNot