Both Australian and New Zealand retailers will benefit from increased consumer confidence in the lead up to the Christmas trading period, according to new research ahead of the festive season.
The survey - commissioned by analytics experts SAS - claims that amongst Australian consumers surveyed, 79 percent expect to spend the same or more on Christmas this year than in 2014.
In addition, New Zealanders are equally bullish with 77 percent expected to spend the same or more.
“Most down-under retailers can expect to enjoy a good holiday shopping season this year,” says Alan Lipson, Global Retail Marketing Manager, SAS.
“But competition for a share of purse will be keener than ever as consumers increasingly resort to the internet to seek out bargains and compare prices.”
Across the Trans-Tasman, the most received Christmas presents will be - Books, Music & Movies; Toys & Games; and Apparel & Accessories.
This year, Consumer Electronics and Sporting Goods are well down the list while New Zealanders are much more likely than Australians to give something homemade - online shopping intentions vary by country and across purchase types.
New Zealanders are just as likely as Americans to buy toys and games online, while UK shoppers seem much more likely to do so.
On the whole, A/NZ shoppers are unlikely to buy jewellery online, and perhaps needing the ‘touch-and-feel’ experience, they are also less likely than their US and UK counterparts to buy sporting goods online.
Shoppers in all five countries - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and US - surveyed would trawl across different websites, or visit different stores, in pursuit of the specific brand of product they wanted.
While consumers locally will spend plenty of time at bricks and mortar outlets, they remain price aware.
In Australia, department stores and discount retailers will be visited more frequently than specialty shops and boutiques, while warehouse outlets will see a lot of traffic in New Zealand.
