Technology, Holiday Shopping & The Modern Consumer: When Convenience Trumps Trust (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technology, Holiday Shopping & The Modern Consumer: When Convenience Trumps Trust (Graphic: Business Wire)

Sailthru, today announced the results of its “Trust in Technology” holiday shopping research study revealing that the vast majority (97%) of online consumers will do at least a little to some of their holiday shopping online this year. Based on the data there are clear generational differences when it comes to shopping online. This year, compared to last, 52% of millennials (aged 18-33) will spend more online, whereas of non-millennials (aged 34+), 72% will spend the same or less than last year online shopping for holiday shifts.

Sailthru’s “Trust in Technology” study surveyed 1,037 US consumers who were over the age of 18 and made at least one online purchase per year. Overwhelmingly the survey spoke to convenience trumping trust when it comes to online shopping as 35% of respondents claimed that recent data breaches impacted their trust in online shopping and yet 92% of respondents claimed their trust in online shopping was the same or better than 12 months ago. Consumers may report trusting online shopping less but their behaviors speak volumes about their desire for convenience when purchasing.

The survey further revealed that for consumers who spend less than one thousand dollars online per year, only 35% will do most or all of their holiday shopping online, yet of those who spend more than one thousand dollars online, 55% reported that most or all of their holiday shopping will be done online.

“At Sailthru, we’re working to put an end of the concept of journey building. Your consumers are truly segments of one and so, in most cases, no matter what journey you want your consumers to take a promotion is not going to force a consumer to switch their preferred method of holiday shopping,” said Neil Capel, CEO and Founder, Sailthru. “Every marketer needs to be working towards engaging based on a single customer view, especially around the holidays. You need to be targeting those who shop largely in-store with in-store promotions and those who shop online, with online promotions. To know your consumers well enough to know the difference is what it takes to both foster long-term trust and meet their individual preferences. Customer data is truly the key to growing your share of holiday spending.”

Other key findings indicate that trust for in-store shopping is growing much slower than online shopping. While 31% of respondents reported that their trust in online shopping this year over last is better, only 19% of consumers reported that their trust in in-store shopping was better than last year.