FedEx expects holiday shopping to continue into January thanks in part to gift cards. FedEx Express Canada commissioned a survey that revealed three quarters of Canadians who planned to shop after the holidays were doing so to take advantage of bargains.
One third of those surveyed said they planned to use gift cards within a month of receiving them. And when it came to online shopping, return policies were a deciding factor for over half of participants.
Press release follows:
Canadian retailers can expect an influx of customers using gift cards in the coming weeks, according to a new survey. The second annual FedEx Holiday Recommerce Survey commissioned by FedEx Express Canada, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), reveals that 52% of Canadians planned on giving a gift card to their friends and loved ones this holiday season.
The survey of 1,569 Canadians from November 28th to December 4th, 2017 also reveals consumer intentions during the weeks following the holidays (the recommerce season). With more than half of Canadians forecasted to give gift-cards this year, this year’s survey reveals that:
– Three quarters of Canadians who plan to shop after the holidays (77%) say they do so to take advantage of bargains.
– Almost a third (28%) indicated they do so in order to buy that one gift they never received during the holidays.
– Canadians between the ages of 18-34 are more likely to shop after the holidays (59%).
– Most Canadians (71%) who give gift cards do it so the recipient can choose what they want.
“After weeks of thinking of and buying for others, the recommerce season is that time of the year where Canadians should feel free to reward themselves,” said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. “Gift cards put Canadian businesses into prime position to keep the registers ringing into the New Year when bargain hunters look to find those items still on their holiday wish lists.”
Online Shopping in January – a Growth Opportunity for Canadian Business
While online shopping appears to have been a popular method for Canadian gift seekers this year, redeeming gift cards online remains a growth opportunity for Canadian retailers:
– More than half of the survey’s respondents (51%) plan to redeem their gift cards both online and in-store
– Just 8% of the survey’s respondents say they will redeem their gift cards online only.
– A third (33 per cent) of Canadians plan on using gift cards within a month of receiving them.
– When it comes to online shopping, return policies are a deciding factor for over half of Canadians (53%).
“Canadians embraced online shopping this holiday season because it allowed them to find the perfect gift with ease and convenience during a busy time of year,” Lisson said. “For Canadians waiting to cash in their gift cards, we believe they will find that shopping online for themselves is a well-deserved reward after the holidays.”
The FedEx Express Canada Online Shopping Intentions Survey
From November 28 to December 4th, 2017 an online survey was conducted among 1,569 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has a margin of error of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
SOURCE: FedEx Press Release
