Last-Minute Gift Shopping

by Robin Fiedler

Forget the diamonds. Forget the Super Bowl tickets. Make that a glittering new HDTV instead. If you still have to buy for that special person in your life, take note that in Best Buy's hdtv national survey "six in ten women say they would rather receive a high-definition TV as a gift (60 percent) over a diamond bracelet, and seven in ten men (70%) want a new home theater system over Super Bowl tickets!"

The malls were busy this weekend with last-minute shoppers trying to complete their Christmas list. Were we all looking for the perfect gift? Is that why we procrastinate? Well, two surveys about last-minute shopping reveal the ugly truth, considering the Northeast was hit by a winter storm that made shopping for some a treacherous adventure with slippery roads of white snow.

The NRF claims that by the 2^nd week in December the "average" shopper had only completed 46% of Christmas shopping while Best Buy's survey indicates 73% of shoppers have not completed shopping. Hordes of shoppers still need to hit the malls and the 'net for last minute deals and gift ideas.

According to NRF's Dec. 1-9 survey, "nearly 42 million people (19.1%) had not even started their shopping as of late last week, while 8.6 percent of shoppers have completely finished. Adults over 65 years old have completed the most shopping (50.0%) while adults 45-54 year olds have completed the least (44.1%)." Twelve percent of consumers admitted they will be finalizing their gift shopping on Christmas Eve, compared to 35% who say they will complete their shopping on Saturday, Dec. 19.

As we search for the perfect gift, here's what we've already bought as gifts, according to the NRF survey.

45% apparel
40% books, CDs, DVDs, videos and video games
35% toys
27% gift cards
22% consumer electronics
19% food

Best Buy says about 33% of us go online to search for gift ideas, and here's what we still intend to buy as gifts.

49% gift cards
28% iPod
22% computer game console
20% digital camera
19% large household appliance
14% smartphones.

Forty percent of shoppers "have bought, or are planning to buy, holiday gift purchases online" while NRF's survey result is slightly less, at 38%. That's a significant amount of shoppers online compared to the 42% who plan to shop in discount stores and department stores. By now, most of us are done, but 12% of shoppers are still running around for gifts, which is probably why 49% of last minute shoppers plan to buy gift cards. Hey, at least the gift card can be used towards a HDTV purchase that all those men and women are dreaming about!

Sources

" Best Buy Survey Reveals Most Consumers Have Yet to Finish Their Christmas Shopping: Both Men and Women are Dreaming of an HDTV." Best Buy. 17 Dec. 2009.

"Procrastination Abounds as NRF Survey Finds Most Have Completed Less than Half of Shopping." National Retail Federation. 16 Dec. 2009.