We’re on the home stretch – Christmas is now just a week away, but a recent survey by Stockland has revealed some people are still yet to buy the bulk of their gifts.
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The shopping centre giant, which is in the middle of a massive overhaul of the Green Hills centre, surveyed 1,100 people on their shopping habits in the lead-up to the big day.
Some key findings were:
- Two-thirds (66 per cent) have started - or already finished their Christmas shopping
- 4 per cent of people expected to be buying the bulk of their buy gifts in this final week, compared to 2015 when 61 per cent expected to be shopping on December 23 and an additional 31 per cent expected to be rushing into retailers on Christmas Eve
- 86 per cent of people purchase the majority of their gifts from shopping centres compared to 12 per cent from online
- Nearly half (49 per cent) are set to go all out and buy gifts for everyone and a third to buy presents just for the kids (31 per cent)
- Two per cent of people are set to not buy any gifts this year at all
- 54 per cent of people anticipate keeping their budget under $500, 31 per cent plan to spend between $500-$1000 and 15 per cent will spend over $1,000
- Toys remain the top gift category (51 per cent), followed by food and drinks (29 per cent) and apparel (25 per cent).
- Gift cards and experiences continue to rise as popular choices with over half of respondents (60 per cent) set to snap up a retailer gift card and one quarter (26 per cent) to purchase an experience.
- Two thirds of people are set to donate to charities, one in five people plan to volunteer this year and three quarters are set to invite someone outside of their immediate family, who may be alone, to their Christmas Day festivities.
Stockland Group Executive John Schroder acknowledged that retail had been challenging in 2017. But he said retail figures for October were encouraging and expected steady trading conditions for retailers during the lead up to Christmas.
“It is unsurprising to see that customers are so prepared,” he said. “With regular promotions and sales across the year, customers have been savvy to jump on the bargains while they last and stock up early on their Christmas gifts.”
“We also expect to see further uplift in casual dining as people enjoy multiple shopping visits and stop for a coffee, lunch or dinner. We also expect entertainment and leisure precincts to be popular, especially cinemas, with a host of new movies scheduled for imminent release and school holidays.”
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