Maritz Research Canada 2009 Holiday Shopping Poll Final...

Copyright 2009 Maritz

Maritz Research Canada

2009 Holiday Shopping Poll

Final Report

By Kyle Davies, Rob Daniel


About This Research

Maritz Research Canada provides consultative services based on primary

marketing research to many of Canada’s top companies and

organizations. This report is based on an online survey conducted among

1,500 Canadians who plan to take part in holiday shopping in the 2009

holiday season. The survey was conducted in November, 2009.


Copyright 2009 Maritz 3

Table of Contents

Holiday Shopping Opinions and Strategies 4

Customer Shopping Experience 5

2009 Holiday Shopping Plans 8

Budgeting, Planning, Spending 11

Loyalty Programs 15

About the Authors 16

Appendix: Survey Results 17



Holiday Shopping Opinions and Strategies

Crowds, Lineups Take the Joy Out of Holiday Shopping

It may be known as the most wonderful time of the year, but a

new poll conducted by Maritz Research Canada shows that for

many Canadians holiday shopping may be more painful than

joyful. While 89% of Canadians say they participate in gift-giving

during the holiday season, just 17% of those gift-givers say they

“really enjoy holiday shopping”, and six-in-ten (60%) say they

find holiday shopping at least a little bit stressful. The largest

proportions identify crowds (34%) or long lineups (17%) as the

main culprits of negative holiday shopping experiences.

This distaste for holiday shopping is particularly strong among men, with just 11% saying they really

enjoy holiday shopping, compared with 23% of women. This is likely a major factor influencing how

couples tend to conduct their holiday shopping. When shopping for a gift that is to be from both

partners, 49% of married or common-law couples say the woman does the majority of the shopping,

while just 5% usually send the man shopping. Fifteen percent split the list up and each take some

names, while 28% say they generally shop together.

Perhaps one reason men don’t tend to enjoy holiday shopping is because they aren’t confident in

their gift-giving abilities. Just 20% of men strongly agree they are a good gift giver, a significantly

smaller proportion than 35% of women. Further, 60% more men than women say they think they

are a bad gift giver (27% vs. 17%, respectively). Those who do not consider themselves to be good

gift givers are more likely to find holiday shopping stressful, and less likely to enjoy holiday shopping.

“Confident shoppers are happy shoppers, so the retailers who figure out how to inspire confidence

in their shoppers are likely to have higher customer loyalty. Retailers who offer more gift-giving

ideas or pre-packaged gift ideas may be best positioned to take advantage of the male holiday

shopping dollars” suggests Daniel.

Even though many do not truly enjoy holiday shopping, most would not pass the task on to others if

they were given the chance. Just one-third say they would be happy if they never had to buy a

holiday gift again, while a similar proportion say they would love to have somebody to do their

holiday shopping.

Holiday shopping is not all bad, however. Sixty-four percent agree that holiday shopping puts them

in the holiday spirit, while purchasing gifts for loved ones (28%) and the feeling when I know I’ve

found a great gift (26%) are most commonly identified as the best thing about holiday shopping.



Customer Shopping Experience

The holiday season is the most competitive retail environment of the year, with retailers

implementing increasingly creative, persuasive, and aggressive tactics to convince shoppers to shop

with them. In such an environment it is important for retailers to understand what drives customers

to their store. Of eleven factors tested (aside from products offered), Maritz Research finds that

offering sales and discounts is the most influential factor affecting store choice, followed by level of

customer service and availability of staff, each of which are “very influential” to roughly one-half of

holiday shoppers.

3%

7%

18%

23%

25%

30%

39%

41%

48%

49%

53%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Availability of valet parking

Availability of gift-wrapping services

Availability of a loyalty program

Ability to check product availability online

Ability to call ahead for product availability

Proximity to other stores where I will shop

Availability of parking

Hours of operation

Availability of staff

Level of customer service

Knowing the store offers sales and discounts

Influence of Factors When Deciding Where to ShopProportion who said each factor is Very Influential (9-10 on 10-point scale)

While each factor will have varying levels of influence, Maritz Research identifies several things

retailers can do to make their store more attractive to potential customers. Among them, extending

hours of operation during the holidays, allowing customers to call ahead or check online for product

availability, and offering customers a loyalty or points program to reward their shopping behaviour.

“While prices and deals are important, shoppers are telling us that a great customer experience can

go a long way in influencing where they shop”, says Rob Daniel, Managing Director, Maritz Research

Canada. “Their experience in the store is what people remember long after they have given the gift

and forgotten the price, and for retailers these are some of the best opportnities to satisfy

customers and drive customer loyalty.”



So, what exactly goes into creating a great customer experience? To help narrow it down, Maritz

Research asked holiday shoppers what they felt were the most important improvements retailers

could make to create a better holiday shopping experience. Ensuring inventory is stocked up to meet

customer demand and offering sales and special holiday offers were each among the top three

recommendations of more than six-in-ten holiday shoppers. Having enough associates working

during the holidays was mentioned by 54%. “Prices alone do not define a great customer

experience”, says Daniel. “Low prices don’t mean anything when the product is out of stock.

Retailers must find a balance between offering prices that are good, but also prices that won’t cause

demand to far outweigh supply.”

Turning to customer service, holiday shoppers were asked what one

improvement retailers could make to their customer service in order to

provide a better holiday shopping experience. Four-in-ten said stores

need to ensure they have enough staff to deal with high holiday traffic.

In addition, training associates to be more product-knowledgeable (26%)

and having more friendly staff (14%) round out the top three customer

recommendations.

Shoppers say a bad holiday shopping experience can have a lasting

impact on their willingness to do business with that retailer in the future.

Among the 84% of Canadian holiday shoppers who say they’ve had a

bad holiday shopping experience, nearly three-quarters said it made

them reconsider doing business with that retailer in the future. Further,

80% of those who have had a bad experience say they have told others

about that experience. While most of these people eventually did return

as customers, these retailers undoubtedly lost out on significant revenue.

“Customers aren’t letting retailers off the

hook just because it’s the busy holiday

season” cautions Daniel. “They have the same

high expectations of customer service that

they have throughout the rest of the year. For

retailers, a mis-step during the holidays will

not only mean a lost holiday sale, but could

also mean lost sales for months or years to

come.”

Have you told others about a bad

holiday shopping experience?

Yes

80%

No

20%

19% Proportion of Canadians

who never returned to a

retailer after having a

bad holiday shopping

experience. 54% said

they thought twice

about returning, but

eventually did.



PLACES CANADIANS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SHOPPING

When Maritz Research asked Canadians where they most look forward to holiday shopping, 22%

mention Walmart, nearly four times as many as mention the next-most popular retailer, Costco. For

a retailer so often associated with low cost, these results show that Walmart is not simply a place to

save money, but is also a store that many Canadians look forward to visiting.

In past holiday seasons, some Walmarts have remained open 24 hours in the days or weeks leading

up to Christmas. Hours of operation is identified by holiday shoppers as the fourth-most influential

factor when choosing a place to holiday shop. Additionally, extended hours would tend to reduce

crowds and lineups, the top two complaints Canadians have about holiday shopping.

Top Ten Retailers Where Canadians Are Looking Forward To Shopping

1. Walmart 22%

2. Costco 6

3. Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us 5

4. Canadian Tire 4

T-5. Zellers 4

T-5. Future Shop 4

7. Best Buy 4

8. Chapters/Indigo 3

9. Sears 3

10. Liquor/Beer Store 3



2009 Holiday Shopping Plans

RETAILERS

Consistent with previous years, more Canadians plan to shop at Walmart for holiday gifts in 2009

than any other retail location. Sixty-five percent of holiday shoppers intend on shopping for gifts at

Walmart. With an anticipated spend of $122 per person, Maritz Research projects 11% of all holiday

shopping dollars spent in Canada in 2009 will be spent at Walmart.

23%

24%

24%

25%

30%

31%

32%

43%

43%

65%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Tim Horton's

Chapters/Indigo

Toys "R" Us/Babies "R" Us

Costco

Sears

Future Shop

Liquor/Beer Store

Canadian Tire

Zellers

Walmart

Top Ten Projected Retail Locations of Holiday Season 2009 (proportion of Canadians intent on shopping at each retailer) Spend

$122

74

73

76

94

100

133

89

53

29

For Canadian Tire, results may be worrisome, as they represent a significant drop from 2008 and the

continuation of a downward trend seen since 2007. The proportion who anticipate shopping at

Canadian Tire has gone from 54% in 2007, to 51% in 2008, to 43% in 2009. Canadian Tire was

previously in a solid second place, and has now fallen into a tie with Zellers for the retailer the

second-most Canadians plan to shop with in 2009’s holiday season.



GIFTING

Clothing and Apparel and Entertainment are projected to be the top two gifts of 2009, however they

may not be exactly what recipients are hoping for. In a finding that truly underlines just how

important gift certificates have become during the holiday season, gift certificates were identified as

the top gift Canadians hope to receive, selected by 20%. Electronics (17%) and Clothing and Apparel

(11%) follow as the next-most desired items, while no other category is selected by more than 8% of

recipients.

It is no surprise that gift desires are highly dependent on gender. While gift certificates come out as

the number one gift Canadians hope to receive, it is largely females who are driving this statistic:

25% of females say gift certificates are best, compared with just 14% of males. While gift certificates

are the second-most wanted item for men, they fall well behind Electronics, which were identified

by 24% of males.

TOP GIFT CATEGORIES FOR PURCHASE

(MULTI-SELECT)

TOP GIFT CATEGORIES HOPED TO RECEIVE

(CHOOSE ONE)

Clothing and Apparel 51% Gift Certificates 20

Entertainment (e.g. DVDs, CDs,

games) 49 Electronics 17

Gift Certificates 45 Clothing and Apparel 11

Toys 41 Entertainment (e.g. DVDs, CDs,

games) 8

Beer, Wine, Spirits 39 Jewellery, Accessories, Leather

Goods 8

Electronics 36 Home Furnishings, Décor,

Houseware 5

Candies/Chocolates 36 Home Improvement Products,

Including Tools 4

Health, Beauty, Personal Care

Products 34 Live Entertainment 4

Children’s Apparel 25 Beer, Wine, Spirits 3

Jewellery, Accessories, Leather

Goods 25

Hobbies, Other Specialty Goods 3



PAYMENT METHOD

Canadians intend on paying for more of their purchases using credit cards in 2009 than they did in

the previous holiday season. In 2009, Canadians anticipate making roughly one-third of their

purchases (34%) using credit cards, up from 29% in 2008. On the other hand, cash/debit

transactions are projected to account for 63% of purchases, down from 70% in 2008.

“While the economy is not completely out of the woods yet, credit has begun to flow more quickly

than it did during the recession, and our results show that Canadians are beginning to regain their

comfort with using that credit”, said Daniel.

2009 2008 2007

Cash 26% 29 25

Debit Card 37 41 39

Major Credit Card 31 27 28

Store Credit Card 3 2 6

Store Gift Cards 1 -- --

Other (e.g. store credit notes) <1 1 2 NOTE: Numbers may not add to 100% due to rounding

PURCHASE LOCATION

Online shopping continues to entrench itself as a key piece of the holiday shopping story, however

bricks and mortar locations will perhaps always be the main channel through which gifts are

purchased.

2009 2008 2007

Online 9% 8 8

Stores 86 88 88

Catalogue 3 3 3

Other 2 1 1



Budgeting, Planning, Spending

BUDGETING

On the topic of budgets, Maritz found a surprising 80% of Canadian holiday shoppers say they do

not set a strict holiday shopping budget. Rather, two-thirds of shoppers (67%) say they set out with

“a general target or guideline” (20% have a strict budget, 13% have no budget at all). In Western

Canada budgeting is even less common, with just 14% saying they have a strict holiday budget. But,

while many do not sit down and map out their overall budget, most (59%) say they usually have a

budget for specific people on their shopping list.

Overall, Canadian holiday shoppers plan to spend an average of $570 on gifts this holiday season,

nearly identical to 2008 after a sharp reduction the previous year. Per-person spending will be

highest among Atlantic Canadians, those 55+, and slightly higher among males than females.

How much do you plan to spend on gifts this holiday season?

$570 $571

$663 $631

$585

$411

$729

$442

$593 $652

$592 $550

$-

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

Not surprisingly, those with children and those who are married or common-law will spend more

this holiday season:

- With children $630, without children $550

- Married/common-law, $652, Single/divorced/widowed $442



WHO CANADIANS ARE BUYING FOR

Asked who was on their shopping list this holiday season, children and partners (including spouses),

not surprisingly, top the list. Among those with children and/or partners, more than eight-in-ten

intend on buying gifts for each. Children and partners will also be the recipients of the highest-value

gifts, with the average Canadian holiday shopper planning on spending $233 on their partner and

$204 on each child.

Holiday Shopping List:

Will buy for this

person (among those

with this relationship)

Average Spend

Per Person

Spouse / Partner / Significant Other 83% $233

Children 86 204

Parents 72 86

Extended Family 64 95

Friends 51 48

Boss 10 30

Co-workers 18 35

Shopping For Our Partners

While females are significantly more likely than males to identify themselves as generous gift givers

(27% of females say this describes them perfectly, versus only 19% of males), spending intent tells a

different story. In fact, when we asked Canadians how much they planned to spend on gifts for their

partners, males averaged $262, 27% higher than the average female response of $207.

STRATEGIES FOR SAVING MONEY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Thirty-six percent of holiday shoppers say they intend on spending less money this season than they

did last season. The top strategies for reducing shopping budgets are: plan to purchase fewer gifts or

spend less on gifts per person (63%), plan to purchase more sale items or inexpensive items as gifts

(51%), and plan to shop around more to look for bargains on gift items (47%).



TIMING OF HOLIDAY SHOPPING

With many retailers reporting

disappointing sales numbers from the

early stages of the 2009 holiday

shopping season, results from Maritz

Research’s 2009 Canadian Holiday

Shopping Poll may provide retailers

with reason for optimism; results

indicate that this year, December 8th

will mark an unofficial halfway point

for holiday shopping. It is on that date

that the average Canadian anticipates

they will have one-half (51%) of their

holiday shopping left to accomplish.

Males (58%), those under 35 years of

age (57%), and Quebecers (57%) have

the largest amount of shopping yet to

accomplish after December 8th.

2%

5%

22%

22%

17%

20%

11%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

After December 25

December 23-24

December 15-22

December 8-14

December 1-7

November

October or before

Proportion of holiday spending in the following periods

Have you delayed shopping this year because

you are expecting lower prices and more

sales as the holiday season approaches?

Yes, all

13%

Yes, some

30%No, none

57%

In part, Canadians have left much of their

shopping late this holiday shopping season

because they expect retailers to offer lower

prices and more sales as the holidays

approach. In total, 43% say they have delayed

some or all of their shopping this year in

anticipation of lower prices later in the season.

Ontarians are most likely to have delayed

some of their shopping (48%), while those in

Quebec are least likely to have done so (34%).



For consumers, planning ahead is key to saving money during the

holidays

Having difficulty meeting your holiday shopping budget? Our research shows that Canadians who do

not budget for the holiday shopping season spend up to 60% more than those who set a strict

budget before-hand. For those who don’t want to set a strict budget, simply applying general

targets or guidelines can also have a very positive impact.

Average 2008 Gift Spending:

Set a strict budget: $457.25

Set general targets or guidelines: $593.89

Do not set a budget: $733.17

Further, those who set out shopping with specific gift ideas in mind for those on their list are more

likely to stick to their budgets than those who don’t know what to buy a person until they see it.

Among the latter group, 37% say they spent more last holiday season than they had intended,

compared with 27% among those who set out with specific gifts in mind.

“Many Canadians could benefit greatly from sitting down before the holiday season to think about

their budget, and the gifts they would like to buy the people on their list”, says Daniel. “Visible

targets are much easier to hit than invisible ones.”



Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs have become an

important part of Canada’s retail

landscape. This study reveals that 90%

of holiday shoppers are involved in at

least one loyalty program, with many

involved in more than one. In fact,

those who are involved in loyalty

programs average more than 3

programs per person (3.05).

AIR MILES, HBC Rewards, and

Shoppers Optimum are the top three

programs holiday shoppers belong to: 7%

11%

16%

17%

21%

28%

48%

51%

76%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Other

Chapters/Indigo irewards

PC Points

Club Sobeys

Sears Club

Aeroplan

Shoppers Optimum

HBC Rewards

AIR MILES

Loyalty Program Membership Among Canadian Holiday Shoppers

A retailer’s participation in a loyalty program may not guarantee new customers, but results show

that it does give that retailer a leg up on the competition, and can go a long way in improving its

customers’ experience. One-half of those involved in loyalty programs show a willingness or

likelihood to go out of their way to shop at retailers where they can accumulate loyalty points, while

two-thirds (66%) agree that accumulating loyalty points improves my shopping experience. In fact,

one-third (33%) even show some willingness to pay more for a product from a retailer affiliated with

a loyalty program (including 8% who strongly agree they would pay more).

Rob Daniel says that “Canadians have almost come to expect some type of loyalty or rewards

program from retailers. Some Canadians choose retailers based on loyalty programs, and many say

that collecting points improves their shopping experience. Loyalty and Reward programs are a

powerful way for retailers to build satisfaction and loyalty among customers. Further, loyalty

programs contribute to brand worth, or one’s willingness to pay a premium for products or services

from a particular retail brand.”



About the Authors

Kyle Davies is a Senior Research Manager for

Maritz Research Canada. He has over 6 years

experience conducting marketing research

based consulting for some of Canada’s

leading organizations. His work often focuses

on helping clients to gain a better

understanding of customer sentiment, and

how to use that knowledge to create happier

and more loyal customers. Kyle can be

reached at [email protected].

Rob Daniel is Managing Director, Maritz

Research Canada. Rob is an experienced

market researcher and a valued consultant

for Canadian clients. Rob has provided

marketing analytics and associated

consulting for some of Canada’s most senior

business, government and association

leaders. Rob has published several articles

on consumer opinions and behaviours and

his marketing research findings and

associated insights are often quoted by

popular Canadian media and industry

publications. Rob can be reached at

[email protected].


Maritz Research Canada provides consultative

services based on primary marketing research to

many of Canada’s top companies and

organizations. Maritz Research is a Gold Seal

Member of Canada’s Marketing Research and

Intelligence Association (MRIA), and is the world’s

12th-largest marketing research company.



Appendix: Survey Results NOTE: Some percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding

Eighty-nine percent of Canadians plan on holiday shopping in 2009 (the remainder of the results presented in

this report are among that 89%).

Do you participate in gift-giving during the holiday season?

Gender Income

TOTAL

Male

(A)

Female

(B)

Under

$50k

(C)

$50-100k

(D)

$100k+

(E)

Yes 89% 84 93A 85 93C 94C

No 11 16B 7 15DE 8 6



Below are a number of different holiday shopping strategies. Please let us know which best describe you:

I usually know exactly what to buy each

person 47% 53

I usually don’t know what I’m going to buy

somebody until I see it

I usually have a budget for each person on my

list 59 41

I usually don’t know what I will spend on a

person until I find the specific gift

I usually put a lot of thought into the gifts I get

people 73 27

I generally get them the first or second

thing I see that I think they will like

I prefer shopping at malls 66 34 I prefer shopping outside of malls

I buy as many gifts as possible online 28 72 I completely avoid shopping online

I try to ensure that the gifts I buy were made

locally 25 75

I don’t worry about where the gifts I buy

are made

I try to buy gifts that support charities or have

a charitable element 30 71

I don’t worry about supporting charities

when I am buying gifts

I spend time comparison shopping to ensure I

am getting the best deal I can on gifts 71 30

I buy a gift as soon as I find it without

doing any comparison shopping

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

I usually know exactly what to

buy each person 47% 43 46 56ABD 39 38 52E 49E 43 51H

I usually have a budget for each

person on my list 59 53 61A 63A 56 53 60E 62E 55 61H

I usually put a lot of thought into

the gifts I get people 73 69 74 76A 74 71 76 72 66 80H

I prefer shopping at malls 66 64 59 78AB 70B 67 62 69F 67 65

I buy as many gifts as possible

online 28 31C 33C 15 30C 35FG 26 24 30 27

I try to ensure that the gifts I buy

were made locally 25 18 29A 24A 27A 15 29E 28E 23 26

I try to buy gifts that support

charities or have a charitable

element

30 27 34AC 24 35C 25 35EG 27 26 33H

I spend time comparison

shopping to ensure I am getting

the best deal I can on gifts

71 65 71A 78ABD 66 71 74G 66 67 74H



For which of the following people will you (or have you already) buy gifts for this holiday season? (NOTE:

those who do not have people with this relationship are removed from the base. So, for example, 83% of

people with a spouse or significant other plan on purchasing a gift for that person)

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Spouse / Partner / Significant

Other 83% 78 84A 88A 86 83 83 84 84 83

Children 86 83 86 89 89 75 90E 87E 81 91H

Parents 72 68 69 79AB 79A 83FG 73G 53 66 77H

Extended Family (including

siblings, grandparents, nieces,

nephews, aunts, uncles, etc)

64 61 66 64 72A 73FG 65G 55 57 71H

Friends 51 48 54C 46 58C 56G 54G 42 43 58H

Boss 10 11C 11C 5 14C 12G 10 6 8 12

Co-workers 18 20 18 14 23 16 22EG 12 13 23H

On average, how much do you plan to spend, per person, this holiday season when buying gifts for the

following people? (NOTE: base is those who will buy for this person)

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Spouse / Partner / Significant

Other $233 227 178 245 492 167 236 285 262 207

Children 204 174 185 203 356 145 208 220 220 192

Parents 86 85 82 90 92 84 93 73 85 87

Extended Family (including

siblings, grandparents, nieces,

nephews, aunts, uncles, etc)

95 90 83 72 213 64 87 148 123 76

Friends 48 52 49 43 44 40 47 59 56 43

Boss 30 27 32 31 34 27 32 33 32 29

Co-workers 35 52 24 30 26 25 43 26 27 39



Using the 10-point scale below, please rate how much each statement below describes you:

Proportion saying the statement describes them well (9-10 on 10-point scale) Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

I really enjoy holiday shopping 18% 16 19 17 18 20 18 15 11 23H

I consider myself to be a good

gift giver 28 30C 32C 19 26 24 32E 27 20 35H

I find holiday shopping stressful 21 22 18 26B 19 17 24E 22 19 23

I hunt for holiday bargains 31 30 33 32 27 25 35E 33E 24 38H

I am a generous gift giver 23 24C 25C 16 25 25 23 20 19 26H

I believe giving is better than

receiving 48 46 50C 43 59AC 37 51E 54E 38 56H

I would be happy if I never had

to buy a holiday gift again 15 17C 16 11 19 15 15 16 18I 13

I would love to have somebody

to do my holiday shopping for

me

15 15 16 13 12 15 12 18F 17I 13

Holiday shopping puts me in the

holiday spirit 24 21 27A 24 21 25 25 23 16 31H

Some people do their holiday shopping well in advance of the holidays, while others wait until the last

moment. Please tell us how much of your holiday shopping you plan on doing (or have already done) in each

of the time periods below:

Average proportion Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

October of before 11% 11C 13C 6 16C 8 11 14E 8 14H

November 20 22C 20 18 24C 18 19 24EF 18 23H

December 1-7 17 17 15 19B 16 16 17 17 16 17

December 8-14 22 22 22 24 21 23G 23G 20 23 21

December 15-22 22 22 22 24 20 25G 22 19 26I 19

December 23-24 5 5D 6D 5D 3 6 5 5 7I 4

After December 25 2 1 2D 4ABD 1 3 2 2 2 2

NET: December 8 or after 51 50 52 57 45 57 52 46 58 46



Have you delayed your holiday shopping this year because you are expecting retailers to offer lower prices

and more sales as the holiday season approaches?

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Yes, I have delayed all of my

shopping 13% 15D 14D 12 7 14 14 11 16I 10

Yes, I have delayed some of my

shopping 30 29 35C 23 32 25 32E 32E 29 31

NET: YES 43 44C 48C 34 39 39 46E 42 45 41

No, I have not delayed any

shopping 57 56 52 66AB 61 61F 54 58 55 59

Previously you mentioned you are married or have a common-law partner. Which of the following best

describes how you and your significant other handle buying gifts that are from both of you?

Gender

M

(H)

F

(I)

My significant other usually

takes care of most of it 38%I 1 Male 5%

I do most of the buying for

gifts that are from both of us 10 58H Female 49

We usually split the shopping

list. I handle some and my

significant other handles

others

19I 11

We usually split the shopping

list. I handle some and my

significant other handles

others

15

We usually do this kind of

shopping together 30 26

We usually do this kind of

shopping together 28

We don’t give gifts from the

both of us 2 4

We don’t give gifts from the

both of us 3



For you, what is the best thing about holiday shopping?

Purchasing gifts for loved ones 28%

The feeling when I know I’ve found a great gift 26

Getting into the holiday spirit 11

Finding a good deal on a gift 11

Sticking to my budget 7

Searching for the perfect gift 7

The holiday atmosphere in the stores 5

Something else 5

And, what is the worst thing about holiday shopping?

The crowds and chaotic atmosphere 34%

Long lineups in stores 17

The cost 16

Buying gifts for people who are difficult to buy for 12

Worrying about choosing the right gift for loved ones 11

Finding parking 6

Something else 3



Approximately how much money will you spend on gifts this holiday season?

$1-199 15%

$200-399 29

$400-599 24

$600-799 9

$800-999 4

$1,000+ 18

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Median $400 450 500 300 500 300 500 500 400 450

Average 570 631C 585C 411 729BC 442 593E 652E 592 550

What proportion of that amount will you spend purchasing gifts using the following channels?

Mean proportion Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Online 9% 10C 10C 7 9 13FG 9G 6 10 9

At stores 86 85 84 89ABD 83 84 86 86 85 86

Through a Catalogue 3 2 2 3 4 2 3E 2 2 3H

Other 2 2 3C 1 4 1 1 5EF 3I 2



At which stores will you shop to purchase holiday gifts this year?

Proportion

Planning to

Shop at Store

Anticipated

Spend (at least

3% proportion)

NET: Department/Discount Stores 88%

Walmart 65 $122

Zellers 43 74

Sears 30 100

Costco 25 133

The Bay 19 81

Other 4 --

NET: Electronics, Furniture, Appliances, etc. 56

Future Shop 31 94

Best Buy 22 89

HMV 13 56

EB Games 11 73

Blockbuster 4 29

Music World 3 37

Rogers Plus 2 --

The Brick 1 --

Leon’s 1 --

Boutique Electronique 1 --

Centre Hi-Fi 1 --

Other 7 --

NET: Home Improvement, Tools 55

Canadian Tire 43 73

Home Depot 12 73

Home Hardware 10 73

Rona 9 81

Reno-Depot 3 47

Lowe’s 2 --

Other 3 --

NET: Clothing, Apparel, etc. 51

Winners 18 90

Mark’s Work Warehouse 16 91

Old Navy 13 55

Gap 7 59

American Eagle Outfitters 7 65

H&M 6 54

Roots 4 57



Mexx 3 70

Lululemon 3 128

Joe Fresh 3 53

Holt Renfrew 2 --

Banana Republic 2 --

Other 14 --

NET: Groceries, Food, etc. 44

Loblaw’s/Zehrs/RCC 21 93

Sobeys/IGA/Foodland 13 101

Metro 9 92

Safeway 6 125

Other 11 --

NET: Children’s Stores 36

Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us 24 89

Local/independent children’s store 9 76

Children’s Place 6 64

Gap Kids/BabyGap 4 58

Gymboree 1 --

Other 5 --

NET: Home Furnishings, etc. 31

HomeSense 11 55

IKEA 9 60

Home Outfitters 8 53

Sears Home 8 150

Pier 1 4 37

Bowring 3 38

The Bombay Company 2 --

Brault et Martineau 1 --

Mobilia 0 --

Other 5 --

NET: Jewellery and Accessories Stores 25

Local/independent jewellery store 11 113

People’s Jewellers 5 110

Swarovski 2 --

Birks 2 --

Tiffany & Co. 1 --

Coach 1 --

Fossil 1 --

La Swiss <1 --

Other 7 --

Other Stores



Liquor/Beer Store 32 76

Chapters/Indigo 24 53

Tim Horton’s 23 29

Shopper’s Drug Mart 22 46

The Body Shop 11 38

Starbucks 8 27

London Drugs 7 88

Jean-Coutu 7 42

Pharmaprix 4 35

Rexall/PharmaPlus 3 46

Second Cup 1 --

Other 6 --

Online Markets, Retailers

eBay 12 82

Amazon 11 70

Kijiji 4 76

Craigslist 1 --

Other 9 --

Top Ten Projected Retail Outlets of the 2009 Holiday Season – By Customers

1. Walmart 65%

T-2. Zellers 43

T-2. Canadian Tire 43


5. Future Shop 31

6. Sears 30

7. Costco 25



10. Tim Horton’s 23



Where do you most look forward to shopping this holiday season?

Top Ten Retail Outlets Canadians Are Looking Forward To Shopping At

1. Walmart 22%

2. Costco 6


4. Canadian Tire 4

T-5. Zellers 4

T-5. Future Shop 4

7. Best Buy 4


9. Sears 3


Of the total amount you plan to spend on holiday gifts this year, what proportion of this amount do you plan

to pay by the following methods?

Average Proportion Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Cash 26% 23 26 31A 29 25 29G 24 27 26

Debit Card 37 37 37 37 38 38 38 34 34 40H

Major Credit Card 31 36CD 31 27 28 32 27 36F 34I 29

Store Credit Card 3 2 4A 4 3 3 3 4 3 4

Store Gift Cards 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2

Other (e.g. store credit notes) <1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0



Which of the following types of gifts will you be purchasing this year?

Clothing and Apparel 51%

Entertainment (e.g. DVDs, CDs, games) 49

Gift Certificates 45

Toys 41

Beer, Wine, Spirits 39

Electronics 36

Candies/Chocolates 36

Health, Beauty, Personal Care Products 34

Children’s Apparel 25

Jewellery, Accessories, Leather Goods 25

Home Furnishings/Décor or Houseware 20

Home Improvement Products, Including Tools 19

Hobbies, Other Specialty Goods 18

Stationary of Cards 16

Gift Baskets 15

Pet Supplies 15

Athletic Wear or Sporting Goods 13

Footwear 9

Live Entertainment 8

Other 15



And if you could choose one type of gift you would most want to receive this year (at a reasonable price

level), what would that be?

Age Gender

TOTAL

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Gift Certificates 20 19 20 19 14 25H

Electronics 17 17 18 15 24I 10

Clothing and Apparel 11 10 10 14F 11 12

Entertainment (e.g. DVDs, CDs,

games) 8 13FG 7 6 11I 6

Jewellery, Accessories, Leather

Goods 8 7 10G 6 1 13H

Home Furnishings, Décor,

Houseware 5 6 4 5 2 8H

Home Improvement Products,

Including Tools 4 3 4 6E 6I 2

Live Entertainment 4 5 3 4 4 4

Beer, Wine, Spirits 3 2 3 6EF 6I 1

Hobbies, Other Specialty Goods 3 3 3 5 3 3

Athletic Wear or Sporting Goods 3 4 2 3 4I 2

Health, Beauty, Personal Care

Products 3 2 3 3 1 4H

Gift Baskets 2 2 1 2 1 3H

Footwear 2 2 2 1 2 1

Toys 1 1 1 <1 1 1

Candies/Chocolates 1 0 1 1 1 1

Pet Supplies 1 1 1 0 1 <1

Children’s Apparel <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1

Stationary or Cards <1 <1 0 0 <1 0

Other 10 9 11 10 11 9

Was the total amount you spent on holiday gifts last year more or less than you had planned to spend?

A lot more (50% or more) 5%

Slightly more (11% to 49%) 25

About what I had planned (within 10%) 51

Slightly less (11% to 49%) 7

A lot less (50% or more) 3

Did not have a planned amount in mind 10



Approximately how much do you plan to spend on the following items this holiday season:

Proportion who

will spend money

on this

Average planned

spend

Entertaining (e.g. decorations, alcohol, food, books, movies) 84% $154

Travel (including travel and accommodation expenses) 44 230

What are the most important improvements retailers need to make to improve the holiday shopping

experience?

Within the top three most important improvements:

Ensuring inventory is stocked up to meet customer demand 62%

Offering sales and special holiday offers 61

Having enough associates working during the holidays 54

Being open early/late enough and opening on key dates during the holidays 38

Offering a comprehensive, easy to navigate website where you can browse through

their Catalogue or shop online 18

Offering environmentally friendly products and services 13

Offering specialty services that are not normally available (e.g. gift wrapping or

concierge service) 12

Having valet parking or available spaces in which to park 12

Providing shipping for your holiday gift purchases to your home of to the gift

recipient’s home 10

Offering electronic information kiosks available in store 10

Offering security stations around the store/mall 6

Other 3



What factors, other than the specific products a store carries, are most influential when you are choosing

retail locations for your holiday shopping?

Proportion saying the attribute is “very important” (9-10 on a 10-point importance scale)

Age Gender

TOTAL

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Knowing the store offers sales

and discounts 53% 51 57G 49 44 61H

Level of customer service 49 34 52E 57E 45 52H

Availability of staff 48 35 51E 57EF 43 53H

Hours of operation 41 37 47EG 39 35 47H

Availability of parking 39 25 44E 46E 35 42H

Proximity to other stores where

I am planning to shop 30 30 32 29 27 33H

Ability to call ahead to see

whether the product I am

looking for is available

25 18 28E 27E 20 29H

Ability to check product

availability online before going

to the store

23 27G 23 20 21 25

Availability of a loyalty program

where I can earn or redeem

points with purchases

18 15 20E 18 15 20H

Availability of gift-wrapping

services 7 7 8 7 7 7

Availability of valet parking 3 2 3 3 3 3



Now, thinking specifically about retail employees and associates, what do you think is the single most

important thing the store should do to create a better holiday shopping experience?

Having more associates available for check-out and returns 40%

Training associates to be more knowledgeable about the products 26

Training personnel to maintain a friendlier attitude toward shoppers 14

Having point-people available to answer questions that cannot be answered to

associates 8

Training associates on how to handle high-stress situations 5

Having managers available immediately for voicing of complaints or issues 3

Training associates to recommend gift ideas that cater to the gift recipients 3

Other 1

When you have had a negative holiday shopping experience in the past, how did it affect your relationship

with the retailer in the future?

Proportion

Proportion of

those who have

had a bad

experience

I thought twice before shopping there again, but did eventually

shop there again 45% 54

I did not let a bad holiday shopping experience affect my

relationship with that retailer and I shopped there again 23 27

I never shopped at the retailer again at any time 16 19

I have never had a negative holiday shopping experience 16 --

Have you ever told others about your negative holiday shopping experience at a particular store?

Yes 80

No 20



Which, if any, of the following loyalty programs are you currently a member of?

Gender

TOTAL

M

(H)

F

(I)

AIR MILES 76% 72 79H

HBC Reward Program 51 42 59H

Shoppers Optimum 48 35 58H

Aeroplan 28 30 27

Sears Club 21 20 22

Club Sobeys 17 14 18

PC Points 16 16 16

Chapters/Indigo irewards 11 8 14H

Other 7 7 8

None 10 15I 6

Average number of programs participated in 2.75 2.44 3.01

Thinking specifically about retailers that allow you to accumulate loyalty points, please rate how much you

agree or disagree with the following statements:

Completely Agree

(9-10 on 10-point

agreement scale)

Agree (6-10 on 10-

point agreement

scale)

I go out of my way to shop at retailers where I can accumulate

loyalty points/rewards 17% 53

Knowing that I am accumulating loyalty points improves my

shopping experience at these retailers 26 66

I would pay slightly more for a product to buy it at a retailer

that is affiliated with my loyalty program(s) 8 33



Last holiday season, did you redeem loyalty points for a gift?

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Yes 21% 21C 24C 14 23C 19 23 19 16 25H

No 79 79 76 86ABD 77 81 77 81 85I 76

And, have you already or are you planning to redeem loyalty points for a gift this holiday season?

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Yes 24% 23C 29AC 16 25 21 29EG 21 19 28H

No 76 77B 71 84AB 75 79F 71 79F 81I 72



Proportion who plan on spending less money this holiday shopping season than they did last season:

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Plan to decrease spending this

season 36% 39 37 31 33 37 36 34 30 41

From your earlier answers, it appears you are planning to decrease your holiday spending this year. What

strategies are you planning to use to do that?

I plan to purchase fewer gifts or spend less on gifts per person 63

I plan to purchase more sale items or inexpensive items as gifts 51

I plan to shop around more to look for bargains on gift items 47

I plan to only give fists to close relatives and friends, reducing the number of

people I will give gifts to 42

I plan to set a tight gift budget and not go over it 32

I plan to travel only to local malls and shops to save money 19

I plan to make home-made gifts 18

I plan to limit frequent travels to malls and shops to save money on gas 16

I plan to visit less of my family and friends this holiday season 12

I plan to purchase some or all of my gifts online 8

I plan to invest in dinners and get-togethers rather than gifts 7

I plan to purchase used or second-hand items as gifts 6

I plan to take public transportation rather than my car to travel to malls and shops 4

I plan to offer my services (e.g. babysitting or cleaning the house) instead of gifts 2

Other 3

Are you planning to make any gift purchases outside of Canada this holiday season?

Region Age Gender

TOTAL

West

(A)

ON

(B)

QC

(C)

Atl.

(D)

18-34

(E)

35-54

(F)

55+

(G)

M

(H)

F

(I)

Yes 11% 12C 14C 5 12C 10 12 12 12 11

No 80 79 76 89ABD 79 76 81 82E 80 80

Don’t know 9 9 10 6 9 14FG 7 6 8 9

Maritz Research Canada 2009 Holiday Shopping Poll Final...

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Transcript of Maritz Research Canada 2009 Holiday Shopping Poll Final...