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Bumper M-Commerce Christmas ahead—but consumers set to gamble on shopping for gifts

New Research Report Sponsored by NetSuite, 'The Christmas Gamble', Reveals Expected Consumer Shopping Trends This Christmas

Key findings:

  • Almost one in five consumers surveyed plan to shop through their mobile for Christmas presents this year.
  • Almost one in four (23 percent) consumers surveyed plan to spend more on presents this Christmas than last year.
  • Only half of consumers surveyed have started their shopping, putting them at risk of finding their dream gifts out of stock—the biggest challenge faced by half of our seasonal shoppers.

London—4 December, 2012—Research sponsored by NetSuite Inc. (NYSE: N), the industry's leading vendor of cloud-based financials / ERP software suites, today revealed that almost one in four consumers surveyed plan to spend more on their Christmas shopping this year compared to the last three years. Mobile commerce is expected to play a key role in driving sales during this festive season; almost 20 percent of consumers surveyed say they plan to shop through a mobile device this Christmas and one in 10 of consumers aged under 35 said that a mobile device is their primary shopping tool of choice. The research is based on 2,000 UK consumer surveys conducted by Vanson Bourne and announced by NetSuite today ahead of its upcoming report, The Christmas Gamble.

However, when it comes to getting their hands on the perfect gift, consumers are set to gamble this Christmas. Looking back over the last three years, almost half of the consumers surveyed said that a gift they had planned to buy was out of stock, with 80 percent of these consumers experiencing products being unavailable online. Gifts most frequently out of stock include clothes, accessories and toys—with 40 percent of consumers surveyed stating they have been unable to buy these products in the past over the Christmas period. With only half of the consumers surveyed having started their Christmas shopping, many are gambling on whether they will be able to get the gift they really want for their friends and loved ones.

More spent on Christmas presents... for ourselves

The good news for retailers is that almost a quarter of consumers surveyed plan to spend more this Christmas, proving that shopping is still high on the agenda despite the economic gloom. However, austerity may have had an impact on Christmas spirit, with consumers being more selfish in their shopping habits: one in five 18-24 year olds surveyed and one in ten of all consumers surveyed plan to spend more money on themselves this Christmas than on friends and family. The NetSuite-sponsored report also reveals that the UK is a nation of literally laid-back shoppers, with almost 20 percent of consumers surveyed aged under 35 doing their Christmas shopping from the comfort of their bed through eCommerce and m-commerce channels.

Andy Lloyd, General Manager, Commerce Products at NetSuite says: "The Christmas gamble is challenging for both retailers and consumers—while retailers can't afford to be left with too much stock after the Christmas period, being out of stock means they can miss out on critical revenue opportunities and be left with disgruntled customers. Consumers stated that a lack of product availability is the most frustrating thing about Christmas shopping, and almost a quarter of consumers can go to a competing retailer to purchase an unavailable item. With people spending more on their Christmas shopping this year, it's vital that retailers embrace this opportunity and find the right balance between gambling with the right amount of stock and meeting consumer demand and, when faced with an out-of-stock item, that they help consumers find it in another store or have it delivered to their home from the eCommerce site."

Preview of the top trends highlighted in the Christmas Gamble report:

  • We're still traditional at heart—despite a dramatic rise in m-commerce, consumers are still loyal to the High Street—the average consumer surveyed carries out 43 percent of their shopping in-store and 57 percent online. However, 68 percent of these consumers plan to spend more online than in-store this Christmas, rising to 75 percent in the East of England.
  • Traditional gifts are also at the top of our wishlists with almost a third of consumers surveyed asking for clothes and chocolate, ahead of the iPhone at 13 percent.
  • Surprisingly, only one in ten consumers surveyed are disappointed with the Christmas presents they receive, suggesting that shoppers are more on target to get Christmas shopping right.
  • Londoners look to spend the most, with 31 percent of those surveyed stating that they plan to spend more on Christmas presents this year, compared to 19 percent in the South West of England.

To ensure consumers can get their hands on their ideal gifts this Christmas before they are out of stock, NetSuite's commerce expert Andy Lloyd has these top tips:

  1. Shop early to ensure availability—but expect to miss out on some sales, as just over half of retailers are planning pre-Christmas discounts.
  2. Check product availability online from a retailer's website before going to the store. Many retail websites let you see what products are in stock in a specific store.
  3. Shop around to find what you want, both online and in-store—although you may need to pay a premium on eBay or elsewhere if you're shopping for a really hot item this Christmas.
  4. Create your own wishlist and ask people for theirs—in an age of austerity you can't add to the 'regift' pile after Christmas—don't gamble more than you need to!
  5. Don't assume the best deals are only online—High Street businesses are providing more compelling offers and deals to engage consumers.
  6. Use your smartphone to capture thoughts and ideas for gifts as inspiration strikes, or even use an App or mobile store to buy the gift there and then.

About the research
The report is based on primary research conducted by Vanson Bourne at the end of November 2012 amongst 2000 consumers across the UK.

About Vanson Bourne:
Vanson Bourne is a specialist research-led consultancy carrying out user research within a technology context. Vanson Bourne's clients range from start-ups to well-known companies that need expert guidance, delivering robust and credible research-based analysis.

About NetSuite
Today, more than 12,000 companies and subsidiaries depend on NetSuite to run complex, mission-critical business processes globally in the cloud. Since its inception in 1998, NetSuite has established itself as the leading provider of enterprise-class cloud ERP suites for divisions of large enterprises and mid-sized organisations seeking to upgrade their antiquated client/server ERP systems. NetSuite excels at streamlining business operations, as demonstrated by a recent Gartner study naming NetSuite as the fastest growing top 10 financial management systems vendor in the world. NetSuite has continued its success in delivering the best cloud ERP/financial suites to businesses around the world, enabling them to lower IT costs significantly while increasing productivity, as the global adoption of the cloud is accelerating.

 

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NOTE: NetSuite and the NetSuite logo are service marks of NetSuite Inc. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between NetSuite and any other company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to expectations, plans, and prospects including expectations relating to the future growth of the retail and m-commerce markets. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of NetSuite's management as of the date of this release, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the risk of continued adverse and unpredictable macro-economic conditions. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and NetSuite disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.