Understanding evolving ecommerce expectations in North America
Shoppers are more sophisticated than ever, and their expectations include a desire for efficiency and convenience while still providing a nostalgic, memorable holiday shopping experience.
This random, double-opt-in survey of 2,003 consumers who have participated in Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday shopping was commissioned by UserTesting between September 26 and September 28, 2022.
The survey was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
Check out the chapters below to get insights on North American consumer sentiment to guide your 2023 planning and beyond.
What's inside
Key holiday shopping findings
Here are some key findings from the survey, at-a-glance.
North American shopping sentiments
Consumers feel holiday shopping is more important this year than in previous years
Shoppers feel Black Friday shopping is a tradition
Consumers want curbside pick-up options if they're shopping in stores
In-store shopping
Two in five (43%) Americans miss the chaos of in-person Black Friday shopping each year.
A poll of 2,003 U.S. adults found 95% plan to participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday events for 2022, with a third planning to shop both online and in-store.
Not having to wait in lines makes online sales for both events appealing (46%), more so than avoiding COVID-19 risks (36%) and not having to stay up all night (31%) to shop in person.
But the survey, commissioned by UserTesting and conducted by OnePoll, found shopping in actual stores is en vogue again.
People who said they tend to shop holiday sales online claimed they’d be more motivated to frequent brick-and-mortar stores this year for Black Friday as long as they get instant gratification when shopping (46%) and have the availability of curbside shopping (28%).
More Gen Z respondents than millennials cited immediate fulfillment as their primary driver to shop these events in person (81% vs. 49%).
Overall, 42% said in-store Black Friday shopping holds more importance for them than it did before the pandemic, including nearly half (49%) of male respondents.
And 63% consider in-store Black Friday shopping to be a tradition.
Online shopping
Online shopping continues to dominate, with Cyber Monday quickly becoming as much of a shopping tradition as Black Friday.
But there are some parts of e-commerce people wish they could bring into a brick-and-mortar store, such as being able to see what aisle an item is in (51%) and using promo codes or digital coupons (47%).
Some also face barriers to partaking in this year’s in-store events, including lack of convenience due to weather conditions and long lines (34%), seeing better deals online (34%), and health and safety concerns (33%).
Janelle EstesChief Insights Officer, UserTestingThe pandemic has certainly made many people nostalgic for the in-person Black Friday experience, but it’s also heightened their expectations...Our research shows half of consumers who plan to shop in stores for this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday events would like smart shopping carts to navigate through the aisles and easily find products.
Shopping traditions and customer loyalty
Despite ongoing inflation, nearly a third (31%) expect to spend more money on Black Friday and Cyber Monday than in previous years. The average person spent $441 three years ago and plans to buy $557 worth of on-sale items in 2022.
However, their increased spending is strategic, as 48% plan to spread their holiday shopping out across a longer period of time due to economic uncertainties.
Janelle EstesChief Insights Officer, UserTestingWith 42% saying they plan to shop in the metaverse this year, brands must continuously work to become more phygital, bridging the gap between the physical and digital customer experience. That includes maintaining consistent quality both in-store and online, as well as keeping consumers engaged by using features such as augmented reality, live video shopping, or digital kiosks.
Additional resources
Industry report
Empathy Experience Index (EXi) Report: Multichannel retail
Guide
Rescue retail and ecommerce budgets by getting buyer feedback
Capturing consumer perspectives is critical to optimizing digital touchpoints, improving conversions, and driving revenue.
Solutions